All Those Leftovers

Between Hurricane Sandy and the fast approaching Holiday season, I've been unable to dedicate much time to Mission Insatiable.  No new recipes this year, and my my advice to anyone who is cooking up a turkey for this Thanksgiving is the same as last year: brine that bird!  I don't care who you are or how your grandmother taught you to cook a turkey -- if you don't brine the bird it will be dry.  Everyone will lie to your face and tell you how delicious it is, but we both know the truth.

Regarding leftovers, I will reference a 2010 post for curried turkey salad.   It's vibrant, easy and delicious.  Give it a go this year.

I also suggest that you reheat leftover stuffing by cutting it into rounds and searing it on the griddle.  Stuffing is my favorite component of the Thanksgiving feast, and these seared rounds take the indulgence to the next level.

From your friends at Mission Insatiable -- get your binge on!

© 2012 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com

Gobble, Gobble!!

I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. I have to keep it short because there's cooking to be done.  I'll leave you with a few Holiday tips:

Always brine & truss your turkey.  A brined turkey is a moist turkey.  

• If you don't brine your turkey, it will dry out -- there's no two ways about it, sorry.  If you don't have the time or enough room in the fridge, pick up a Kosher turkey -- they're usually treated w/ a brine before they hit the market.  A brined turkey stays moist, has better flavor and cooks in a fraction of the time.

• A trussed (tied) turkey cooks more evenly, on account of the wings and legs being bound close to the body.  In addition to a uniformly cooked bird, it also makes for a nice presentation.  

• Consider roasting your bird over root vegetables, it adds flavor and can serve as a side.

...and remember, if you're gonna drink or do drugs, do it on the Holidays

© 2011 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable - http://www.missioninsatiable.com