Oh No! The Day Of Giving Thanks Is Nearly Upon Us

[Sweetfudge]

Uh, I just realized that thanksgiving is VERY soon...and I've never cooked a turkey. It's just gonna be me and husband, so...how big of a bird should I get? i also want to have some ham, but that I'd be okay buying precooked. Do I need to buy a roasting pan or something for the bird? how should I season it? Will it be okay w/out stuffing inside? lol I'm such a NOOB at this!! Thanks!!

[Lisa]

Sweetfudge:

Thanksgiving does not necessarily mean a roasted turkey. You could bake a chicken or just a small turkey breast. For the two of you there is no need to make a fuss in a large meal.

Try:

Bake a chicken, or turkey breast

Rice

Fresh green beans, a little chopped garlic and hormel bacon bits with a little butter.

Cranberry congealed salad with pecans and chopped celery, I dollop with Hellman's Mayo

Do not buy a ham with any glaze on it, it most likely will not be gluten free. Boars Head has many gluten free deli-meats and they will list as gluten free. Get some thick cuts of their Black Forest Ham.

Easy

[Fiddle-Faddle]

This is what I have made for the last 2 Thanksgivings (2 Turkey breasts). It turned out better than any other meal I have ever made, and as I remember, it is practically gluten-free anyway. Just substitute cornstarch or gluten-free flour for the flour, and use gluten-free bread cubes for the stuffing muffins. (Make or buy a couple of loaves now, cube them, stick'em in the freezer for now, and dry the out for half an hour or so in a 200 degree oven the day you want to make the stuffing muffins.)

Open Original Shared Link (I made everything on her menu, and it was fabulous!)

[TriticusToxicum]

If you are looking for an alternative to bread stuffing try this - it is DELICIOUS!

Quinoa Stuffing with Smoked Surry Sausage

Chef Ross Martin of Allred’s Restaurant at Telluride Ski Resort – Telluride, CO

Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

Quinoa:

2 Tablespoons minced onion

2 Tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups quinoa

About 4 cups roasted turkey stock, warmed

Stuffing:

2 cloves garlic

1 large onion, medium dice

2 carrots, medium dice

2 celery stalks, medium dice

2 cups smoked surry sausage, quartered

2 sticks butter

¼ cup dried cranberries

2 granny smith apples, medium dice

3 cups cooked quinoa (recipe follows)

4 cups dried bread, large dice

¼ cup fresh thyme, picked

Method:

For quinoa:

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Gently sweat onions until translucent. Add quinoa and toast slightly for about a minute. Add ½ cup seasoned turkey stock and simmer until quinoa absorbs the liquid. Keep adding turkey stock a little at a time until the quinoa grain opens. When it opens, a small tail-like pistol will pop out. It should be tender to the bite. Remove quinoa from pot and cool on sheet tray. Check seasonings and adjust if necessary. If the stock was well seasoned, the quinoa should not need any further seasoning.

For stuffing:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt 3 Tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Sweat garlic, onions, carrots, celery and sausage until tender. Season with a pinch of salt. Add remaining butter and melt. Add cranberries, apples, cooked quinoa, bread cubes, and thyme; toss to bind. Add turkey stock to moisten to liking. Transfer to baking dish and bake, uncovered for 45 minutes.

[AmyTopolski]

i also want to have some ham, but that I'd be okay buying precooked.

Hi,

If you have a Sam's Club near you they sell a spiral cut ham that is pre cooked that is gluten free. The glaze is also gluten free. It says it right on the packaging!

Since it's just the 2 of you go for the turkey breast only. I would use a roasting pan with no rack. To season it make a layer of of chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Put the turkey breast on top. Baste occasionally with some chicken stock. This will make an excellent gravy, but you do need to puree it after you thicken it. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.

Hope I have help you!

Amy

[FeedIndy]

You don't have to stuff a bird for it turn out well. In fact, stuffing can often dry out the meat as it absorbs the broth so quickly. My sister swears by an orange in the cavity. She just peels it and sticks it inside and says her turkey is the best she's ever tasted. She's been doing this for the last 3 years, though she is a college student and her meal is for a bunch of neighbors so I've never had the chance to taste it.

A turkey is not as hard as people make it out to be, though if you don't want a lot of leftovers it would be wiser to use a small turkey breast instead as previously suggested.

Good luck!

[jerseyangel]

I've always made the dressing in a separate pan. I "stuff" the turkey with an apple-cut in half, celery and an onion. It makes the drippings/gravy delicious.

[tarnalberry]

It is not only safer to make a turkey without the stuffing in the cavity, but also results in a juicier, more tender bird, since you won't have to overcook the meat in the effort to get the center of the turkey cavity to 160F.

[Sweetfudge]

Thanks for all the advice. I think we're just gonna keep it simple:

turkey (a smaller one, but w/ enough for leftovers)

mashed potatoes

gravy

green beans

rolls

dessert (@ inlaws)

Neither of us are big on stuffing so that makes it easier

Hm, now what to flavor the bird with...veggies sound good, an orange sounds good, apple and veggies sounds good too....

Also, I'm thinking of making gluten-free Pantry rolls...would the french bread dough make good rolls? I might have to find out what GFBetsy makes....

Thanks again all!!