I’ve been around for a lot of Thanksgivings, over 50. It’s always been my favorite holiday. The food epitomizes comfort to me and, even though turkey is often on my menu, roasting a 20 pound bird usually isn’t. I remember countless delicious platters of the most juicy, flavorful meat on our Thanksgiving table. But then there was the year I decided it would be fun to try a farmyard –to- table turkey.
I found a farmer about 50 miles from here who raised free range fowl. I arranged for him to select and butcher the bird and I would pick it up the day before Thanksgiving. I was excited about the prospect of roasting and serving such a fresh catch. My first inkling of disaster should have been the prehistoric body proportions of this turkey. It had very little breast but extraordinarily long legs. Not much fat, either. I stuffed the body in my enormous roaster, letting the gangly legs hang over the edge. The I set out to roast the aberration. When it never seemed to get tender, I started to panic. It had reposed more than long enough in my perfectly calibrated oven. My brand new meat thermometer registered 185 degrees. I felt safe in proclaiming it done. I pulled it from the oven, let it sit in all its awkwardness for a few minutes as I sharpened the knife. Cutting was a chore and every man in the house was enlisted to give a hand. We finally resorted to an electric knife, and wondered for a minute about digging out the chainsaw.
Finally, slathered with drippings to moisten it, the meat found its way to our table. I was allowed some grace because, after all, it was a holiday. And we found other things to be thankful for (after I beat myself up for not have a plump Jennie-O or Butterball backup). Needless to say, the meat turned out to be like a chewing on a mouthful of rubber bands. We managed to laugh. And eat more pumpkin pie. And vow to keep the store bought turkeys a part of our lives. Forever.
FARMSTYLE CROUTONS
1 loaf crusty bread, cubed
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
Place bread in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients. Drizzle over bread and toss to coat. Place in a single layer in an ungreased 15 by 10 inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or till golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool.
SWEET POTATO ROLLS
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet dry yeast
1/2 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed (or 1/2 cup canned pumpkin)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 to1-1/3 cups flour
In a large bowl, mix warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast packet. Let stand for 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in remaining sugar, sweet potato, eggs, butter and salt. Gradually stir in whole wheat flour and as much white flour as possible. Turn onto lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Cover and let rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down. Let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 16 balls and place in a greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Allow to double in size, about 45 minutes, and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Brush with melted butter while cooling on wire rack.
CINNAMON SUGARED PRETZELS
2/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
16 ounce bag small pretzel twists or rings
In a large roasting pan, stir together oil, sugar and cinnamon. Add pretzels and toss well to coat with cinnamon sugar. Bake uncovered at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring twice. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes 12 cups.
