The Christian Homekeeper™

This morning I wrapped up in my sweatshirt and shawl, jeans and tennies and headed outside to walk around my backyard. All the garden and trees are going to sleep. The flowers that usually litter the yard are gone and seed heads have appeared in their place, ready to burst and spread. Its a yearly resting time. Even though everything looks brown and dead, its actually alive and resting.

The dogs ran through the neighbor’s yard investigating who knows what. I just walked slowly, crunching the grass beneath my shoes, watching the rabbit at the back yard who was in turn watching the dogs. The sunshine just barely was peeking through what leaves are left on the maple tree and shining through the foggy remains of my breath.

It was so quiet, even the traffic several streets removed from me that is usually present was muted. That was the first thing I was thankful for this morning. Quiet. I seem to crave quiet and solitude lately. There in this old and familiar yard I gave thanks for the quiet and for the rest that Autumn brings to nature.

And I gave thanks for a whole list of other things, people, situations and everyday miracles. Then I gave thanks in the midst of some difficult situations. Everyone has them. but I asked God to help me rise above my situations and thank Him in spite of them, and of course He did.

By the time I’d finished, the dogs were waiting at the back door, looking across the yard at me as if they were impatient to get inside. I was all the way at the back of the yard at the little apple tree. I turned to go back and something caught my eye. One last small yellow flower was there under the tree as if it had been placed there purposefully. Its tiny, sunny face smiling up at me.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

I found a lovely blog today called Shake the Salt

Blog owner, Christy wants to know what Moms do to pamper themselves. Well, I must confess that I don’t do much pampering of myself these days. As the Mom of 5, 3 still at home, I have never had much opportunity. I do realize that taking care of one’s self is important, not only for peace of mind, but for general health and well being. And a healthy Mom is more likely to be the best Mom she can be.

So I take what time I can find here and there and this is what works for me: I get my household work done and send the children to sit on their beds to read. Then I take a good book and a cup of hot coffee to the deck and enjoy the peace of nature. This time of year it is exquisite!

What size turkey to choose?
You can figure you need 2 pounds per person for a 12-14 pound turkey. In a larger turkey,where the meat to bone ratio is greater, you will need 1 pound per person.

How To Thaw a Frozen Turkey?
Open the packaging, rinse the turkey and place it in a large pan in the refrigerator. You can also thaw it in a pan of cold water in the frig.

In the frig - 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds
In a pan of cold water - 30 minutes per

If you thaw the turkey in cold water, change the water every few hours.

How Long to Cook?
4 to 8 pounds (breast) 1½ to 3¼ hours
8 to 12 pounds 2¾ to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3¾ hours
14 to 18 pounds 3¾ to 4¼ hours
18 to 20 pounds 4¼ to 4½ hours
20 to 24 pounds 4½ to 5 hours

To Stuff Or Not To Stuff?
I stuffed the turkey once, but it was no big deal so I don’t stuff it these days. You will need to cook your turkey longer if you stuff it, because of the possibility of bacterial growth. You’ll need to cook it anywhere from 15-30 minutes longer depending on its size. If you stuff your turkey, just toss the stuffing in lightly, don’t pack it in. If you pack it, the heat from the oven will have a hard time penetrating the stuffing and bacteria can grow.

Cooking Times for Stuffed Turkey
6 to 8 pounds (breast) 2½ to 3½ hours
8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3½ hours
12 to 14 pounds 3½ to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 4 to 4¼ hours
18 to 20 pounds 4¼ to 4¾ hours
20 to 24 pounds 4¾ to 5¼ hours

Cooking Temperatures:
Crank that oven up to a whopping 500*F, cover the bird with your foil tent, and roast the turkey for 30 minutes. Then turn the temperature down to a more moderate 350*F and complete the cooking time.

Before Roasting :
Tuck the wing tips back up under the rest of the wing. This “akimbo” position will help the bird cook more evenly.

If your roasting pan does not have a lid, you can place a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the turkey for the first 1 to 1 ½ hours of roasting. This will allow for more even roasting, better heat circulation and keep that turkey moist! To prevent over-browning, you can place foil over the turkey once it has reached the desired level of browning.

Go ahead and invest in a meat thermometer. I’ve never had an under-cooked (or over-cooked) turkey or any other kind of meat since I started using one. Turkey needs to reach 165*F to be well cooked. Measure the temp of a turkey by inserting the thermometer into the thickest meatiest portion of the thigh, without touching the bone.

Other Tips

I have used all kinds of marinades, basting concoctions and methods over the years. Here is what I have found. If you just want a delicious turkey and you don’t care how it looks, use a Baking Bag.

If you really want your turkey to be pretty, anoint the turkey with oil til or butter and baste it throughout the roasting process.

If you want a truly tender, flavorful bird, that’s also pretty to look at, use my brine recipe coupled with basting and the oil/butter as above.

Let the turkey rest 15-30 minutes after roasting, depending on the size of the turkey. This will allow the juices to flow back into the meat and let the bird cool a bit to make for easier slicing

Let the turkey rest under foil fo

Remember to wash your hands, utensils and countertops, pans, pots and anything else that comes into contact with the raw turkey WELL, with soap and water.