There's a Dad in the Kitchen!: A Thanksgiving Disaster & Mom's Potato Filling

Anyone who is unacquainted with the kitchen would certainly not start with roasting a turkey, would they? Probably not, but when I was newly married, my mother-in-law had a heart episode and was not only unable to cook, she also was unable to travel, even to a restaurant. It fell on us to create a large part of the Thanksgiving meal. We had never prepared, roasted or carved the traditional bird. With much prompting and moral support from my mother and father, we bravely embarked on this new adventure. “Bobbie the Babysitter” was summoned to occupy Matthew while we sliced, diced, sautéed, and roasted.

To make a long story short, the perfectly browned bird was being transported over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house, when a stop sign jumped out of nowhere. I had ironically taken unfamiliar back roads to “keep the turkey safe.” I slammed on the brakes and the turkey simply leaped out of the roasting pan. The resulting steam from the piping-hot fowl caused every window, (including the front windshield) to instantaneously fog up. The atmosphere inside the car became so thick with the heavy aroma, our dog Skippy, began to lick the air. He was immediately motivated to get into the back of the car and had to be restrained. We never told the guests of the “extra curricular” ride of that turkey, but on occasional hot summer days, my Corolla hatchback would still smell like Thanksgiving.

Photo credit: Lauren "Bean" Whitty

TURKEY BREAST

If you want to brave roasting a whole turkey, the directions follow, but why not start with a turkey breast? I know…I know, no dark meat, but most people prefer white, right? If you buy one that is not seasoned in any way, and most are only injected with brine, place the breast in a suitable foil roasting pan, (no clean-up!), and place the foil pan on a sturdy cookie sheet or other flat tray that can go in the oven. (This is really important, as anyone who has tried to slide a foil pan on an oven rack can attest.) Put a 14-15 oz. can of chicken broth in with the breast, and season the top with Kosher or sea salt, ground pepper, and poultry seasoning. Roast according to the timetable provided on the packaging. Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness, if you have one.

WHOLE ROAST TURKEY

As you get braver and begin to flex your culinary muscles, consider an entire turkey. First, if you buy a frozen bird allow sufficient time for it to thaw. Always thaw inside a refrigerator and allow 3-5 days for the bird to thaw completely. Clean the two cavities, making sure the neck and the giblets (usually in a separate bag) are removed. You can use these to make gravy, if you so desire. Brine the turkey by using the ratios below. Brining overnight increases the moistness of the roast turkey and enhances the flavor.

Turkey Brine Solution:

1 gallon water

1 cup Kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar

To prepare the bird for roasting, remove it from the brining solution and drain. Place the bird, breast side up in your roasting pan. Pat it dry with paper towels. I do not place stuffing in the turkey. Frankly, I’ve been scared off by all of the warnings about bacteria, the filling hampering the thorough cooking of the turkey, etc. Instead, salt the cavities and sprinkle some pepper in them, as well. Insert large pieces of raw onion and celery. Using a paper towel, apply a coating of cooking oil to the exterior of the turkey, coating breast, legs and wings. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning on all areas coated by oil. Put one or two cans of chicken stock in the pan and roast following the recommended times on the packaging. As the different parts of the turkey brown, cover them with foil to prevent over-browning and dryness. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to check for doneness. An internal temperature of 180° is usually recommended for a whole turkey. Always allow the roasted turkey to “rest” for 45 minutes to an hour before carving. You will be rewarded for your patience with much moister meat.

MOM'S POTATO FILLING

(Click on any image to enlarge it)

One of the benefits of volunteering to cook that first Thanksgiving meal was obtaining my mother’s potato filling recipe. When I initially asked her, she said she didn’t have a recipe, and “just made it.” Together, we “walked” through the process, while I had pen in hand. Family members, and a lot of other people over the years, have been glad to have it in writing. If you have a favorite dish made by a family member, get the recipe now. Better yet, watch while it’s being made. You’ll be grateful that you did!

Ingredients:

4-6 large potatoes (Butter & milk to make mashed potatoes)

¼ lb. butter

Med. to large onion

Celery

Large loaf of white bread (denser bread that is not fresh works best)

Fresh parsley

3-5 eggs

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Make mashed potatoes in the usual way with butter & milk using the equivalent of about 4-6 large potatoes. Directions can be found in the Shepherd’s Pie blog post; click here. (Save the hot water from boiling the potatoes.)

In 1/4 lb. of butter, sauté a diced medium to large onion and about a cup of diced celery, including the celery leaves. Set aside.

Cut up one large loaf of white bread into 1/2” cubes, and put in a very large pot or mixing bowl.

Add enough very hot water (from the potatoes) to make the bread moist, but not too “sloppy.” (Do NOT add all of the water left over from boiling the potatoes. One person did that and got wallpaper paste instead of potato filling!)

As you add each ingredient, stir to partially incorporate it. Next, add 3-5 eggs.