I read somewhere that the recipes in the newspaper food section usually are not even tested. They just direct to combine things that sound like they might be good.

Hm... I know some people who can just make up recipes and cook them and they're great, and I've been known to invent recipes myself, but you'd think before publishing them, they'd at least make them, if not the kind of full on testing that better cookbooks do... That still doesn't excuse the sweet potato, raspberry and strawberry smoothie. Even if it does taste good, you're not getting it anywhere near me!

Our local newspaper asks subscribers to send in their recipes, and then they just publish a hodge podge of whatever they get. This year's ranged from a broccoli and velveeta concoction to a pumpkin cheesecake with crystallized ginger crust! Pick and choose. (grin)

I agree, though, there are a lot of those turkey-spaghetti-can-of-soup "recipes" going into the paper and even if they don't have a bunch of boxes or cans, they still don't sound good. I'm even kind of surprised at the "Amish" weekly article, those recipes also include things like Manwich and corn bread mix, for some reason. Maybe they think that's all we know how to cook?

Annie

Whenever I read newspaper recipes the first thing I look at is the list of ingredients. Invariably my stomach feels sick, my eyes roll back and the paper flutters to the floor from lifeless fingers.

My late husband and my son both went to the same boarding school - all boys when they were there - now coed. ALL boys at this school learned how to carve a turkey! It was a hallmark of the school, and their graduates are in great demand at Thanksgiving dinners the world over. Sometimes little things are nice in an education. Wish they were here to carve it at DD"s house - DSIL not much of a carver.

DS called today and he had his turkey in the oven and the dressing baking as well. He does not have his children until Sat, but had invited a college friend who is in the process of getting a divorce, to join him. I'm so glad that he has chosen to live a very civilized lifestyle as a divorced man. No Chinese carry-out on Thanksgiving for him. He COOKS! And he'll set the table nicely. Makes me feel much better.

We were out of town for two days, having Thanksgiving with family 'south'. My sis (family 'north') hosted her son and his family, a few friends. It just didn't work geographically for one big dinner this year.

I came home tonight to find a message to DH from our nephew who had eaten at my sisters: "I carved the turkey this year! Thank you so much for teaching me!!!!".

Kudos to young men who know how to carve!

For those who don't, rather than essaying presentation carving for the first time at a holiday, go with the modern "butcher carving" which dismembers the bird then slices. It's much easier and gets more meat off the bones. Here's a pretty good short video of don'ts and do's. He kind of gives short shrift to the parts after the breast, but does show well where to put the knife. If you want to see a prettier platter, check Martha Stewart's pictorial. Huffpost's step by step photos aren't as clear, so watch the video first, but it starts with how to get the dark meat off the bones.

I can't even find a good how-to for presentation carving. It's an inefficient way to carve and serve, and is only done for show. It only ever was done for show when the master of the house wanted to make a big deal of it. Otherwise, hundreds of years ago it would have been sliced in the kitchen the same way we do now.

The basics are you make a longitudinal slit just above the line where
the breast meets the ribs, that is, just above the point in the video
that you're cutting down to to remove the breast. Make a similar slit
along the side of the breast bone straight down along the ribs to the
first slit. Slice vertically along the carcass, from breast bone to
horizontal slit perpendicular to the bird, making sure that it's cut
through from both directions. Make similar slits along the thigh or leg
bone, and slice crossways. Some people even carve the wing drummette
that way. Sounds simple, but it's actually very hard to do beautifully,
and should be rehearsed on small everyday turkeys and chickens before
trying it in public. :)