If you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday, here’s a list from “Reader’s Digest” of five ways you can make things easier on yourself.
#1.) Keep It Simple. All you need is turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, and a vegetable. If you have time to make more dishes, go for it. But don’t feel like you HAVE to.
–You can also turn it into a potluck, and ask your GUESTS to do some of the cooking. Just tell them by TODAY, so they have a little time to plan.
#2.) Don’t Be Afraid to Use the Microwave. Potatoes need to reach a temperature of at least 180 degrees to cook. Your microwave heats them up to about 210 degrees, which is plenty.
–It’s also fine to use your microwave for vegetables, like asparagus and string beans. It’s just frowned upon because it’s not the TRADITIONAL way to cook on Thanksgiving.
#3.) Cook the Breasts and the Legs Separately. It’s harder to cook a whole turkey, because turkeys don’t cook evenly: The breast meat cooks faster than the dark meat does. That’s why it’s so easy to end up with white meat that’s too dry.
#4.) Use a Meat Thermometer. It takes the guesswork out of it. The USDA says to cook your turkey until the thermometer reads 165 degrees, which is the “instant kill” temperature for any bacteria.
–Just be careful, because once it gets that hot, it can dry out pretty fast.
#5.) Buy Dessert. It costs about the same whether you make a pumpkin pie, or you BUY a pumpkin pie. And both versions pretty much taste the same. So unless you LOVE making pumpkin pie . . . just buy one.