The “turducken” is a deboned stuffed chicken
inside a deboned stuffed duck inside a deboned
stuffed turkey. The name is comprised of syllables
from the words “turkey,” “duck,” and “chicken.”
Usually the tip end of the turkey leg bones and
the first two wing joints are left on the turkey so
that after assembly, the finished product
resembles a whole turkey. Alternatively, the
finished turducken can be a completely boneless
roll with stuffing layered between each bird.
Stuffings may include cornbread dressing, sausage
stuffing, oyster dressing, alligator, crawfish and
shrimp. To serve, the roasted turducken is sliced
crosswise so that servings consist of all the layers.
The idea for this multilayered, deboned fowl came
from Louisiana where thousands of them are
commercially prepared yearly. Turduckens are
prepared in other States as well, and consumers
also debone poultry and assemble them in home
kitchens.
Critical control points involved in handling this
risky assemblage are many, especially if the dish is
made by a consumer and not in a USDA-inspected
plant. Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and
storage are essential to prevent foodborne illness.
You can’t see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria
that may cause illness. In every step of food
preparation, follow the four simple guidelines
to keep food safe:
· Clean — Wash hands and surfaces often.
· Separate — Don’t cross-contaminate.
· Cook — Cook to proper temperatures.
· Chill — Refrigerate promptly.
As when cooking any meat or poultry product,
I strongly recommend using a food
thermometer to ensure the turducken has reached
a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F
throughout the product. Here are specific
recommendations from the USDA Meat and Poultry
Hotline for safely handling and cooking turduckens.
Safe Handling of Turducken Ingredients
· When creating a turducken at home, bring the
raw birds directly home from the store and
refrigerate (40 °F or below) immediately --
within 2 hours (1 hour when the temperature
is above 90 °F).
· Make sure the raw poultry is wrapped securely
and place it on a plate or casserole dish to
prevent cross-contamination, or raw juices
getting onto ready-to-eat food.
· Store the raw turkey, duck, and chicken no
longer than 2 days before deboning,
assembling and cooking.
· If the turducken has been purchased through
mail order, make sure it arrives frozen with a
cold source in an insulated carton. Transfer it
immediately to the freezer. If the turducken
arrives warm, notify the company and don't use the product.  

Stay tuned.  Tomorrow I will tell you how you can create your own turducken.

Using a shopping list and keeping a well-stocked kitchen can help reduce the time you spend cooking healthy meals. Read the labels as you shop, and pay attention to serving size and servings per container. Compare the total calories in similar 
products and choose the lowest calorie ones.
So, shop for quick, low-fat food items, and fill your kitchen cupboards with a supply of lower calorie basics like the following:

1. Fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese
   
2. Light or diet margarine
   
3. Egg whites/egg substitutes-I use these in baking recipes and to make omelets
   
4. Whole-wheat sandwich breads, bagels, pita bread, English muffins
   
5. Soft corn tortillas, low-fat flour tortillas, whole grain tortillas-Keep these on Stock to make quick quesadillas
   
6. Low-fat, low-sodium crackers
   
7. Plain cereal, dry or cooked(steel cut oatmeal & grits)
   
8. Rice, pasta
   
9. White-meat chicken or turkey (remove skin)

10. Fish and shellfish (not battered)- I always keep individual tilapia      fillets in my freezer.
11. Beef: round, sirloin, chuck arm, loin, and extra-lean ground beef
Pork: leg, shoulder, tenderloin
12. Dry beans and peas
13. Fresh, frozen, canned fruits in light syrup or juice-- I personally do not buy any canned vegetables or fruits with the exception of tomatoes.  I find canned plum tomatoes and tomato pastes have a better flavor than fresh tomatoes, which are frequently mealy and un- appetizing.
14. Fresh, frozen, or no-salt-added canned vegetables
15. Low-fat or fat-free salad dressings, mustard and catsup

Grilling a Turkey
Outdoor cooking of a big bird for the holiday meal is becoming a popular cooking method. During grilling, a turkey cooks by indirect heat in an outdoor covered gas or charcoal grill and a pan of water is placed beneath the grilling surface to catch the fat and juices that drip from the turkey as it cooks. Cooking is done by the hot, smoky, steamy air. 


Covered Gas Grill

Gas grills are very popular. The gas heat can be supplied by either propane tanks or by natural gas piped from the home. 

If your gas grill has only one large burner, place a pan of water under the grate to create indirect heat. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and place on top of the grill. 

If the grill has two or three burners, the turkey should be placed away from the flame. This can be done by turning off one of the burners and placing the turkey in that area. When using a gas grill, always follow manufacturer's directions for cooking times. 


Covered Charcoal Grill

When cooking a whole turkey in a covered charcoal grill, do not stuff the turkey. Because cooking is at a low temperature, it can take too long for the temperature of the stuffing to reach 165 °F. Also, smoked stuffing has an undesirable flavor. 

Begin with clean equipment and a good quality charcoal. Build a pyramid of charcoal to one side. Ignite the charcoal, and let the coals get red hot. Place an appliance thermometer on the food rack to monitor the air temperature inside the grill. When the charcoal has developed white powdery ash—about 20 to 30 minutes—and the air temperature reaches 225 to 300 °F, place a drip pan with water in it to create moist, hot steam for cooking, in the center of the grill beneath where the turkey will be set and carefully push the hot coals evenly around the edge. Position the grill rack and place the prepared turkey on it (breast side up). Then place the cover on the grill. 

Replenish with about 15 briquettes every hour as needed to maintain 225 to 300 °F. If desired, add water-soaked hardwood or fruitwood, in the form of chunks or chips, to add flavor to the turkey as it is cooking. Do not use a softwood (pine, fir, cedar, or spruce) because it gives the food a turpentine flavor and coats it with a black pitch or resin. 

Cooking times depend on many factors: the size and shape of the turkey, the distance from the heat, temperature of the coals, and the temperature of the outside air. Always use a food thermometer. The turkey is done when the food thermometer reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Estimate 15 to 18 minutes per pound if using a covered grill. A whole turkey can be successfully cooked, provided the turkey is not stuffed and has been completely thawed.

Happy Grilling!

It seems like every year my Holiday giving list gets longer and longer.  Coincidentally, every year it seems like people have less time to make and bake things from scratch.  Consider giving the gift of food this year.  The people on your list will thank you for it. 





Gift Idea #1  Banana Bread

1 (9-inch) loaf, 16 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 overripe, medium bananas, mashed
1 cup chopped walnuts
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix first six ingredients together.
Add mashed bananas and butter and stir until moist.
Stir in walnuts, leaving about 1/8 cup to top bread.
Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray, and pour in dough.
Top with remaining walnuts.
Bake for 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Gift Idea #2  Pear Butter


Ingredients:

6 cups pears, peeled and diced
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
dash of nutmeg

Directions:

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and microwave on high for 6 minutes.
Stir pear mixture. Cover and microwave on high an additional 6 minutes or until tender.
Puree mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Stove-top Directions:
Increase water to ½ cup and combine with all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Cook over medium heat 10-15 minutes or until pears are tender.
Puree mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Gift Idea #3  Cranberry Chutney

This recipe will knock out a bunch of gifts in no time, but only if you already own a pressure canner.

Total Servings (Yield): 13 half-pint jars

Serving Size: 1/4 cup 

Ingredients:

24 ounces fresh whole cranberries
2 cups chopped white onion
2 cups golden raisins
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups white distilled vinegar (5 percent)
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
4 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger
3 sticks cinnamon

Directions:

Start by washing the jars. Keep them hot until read to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer's directions.

Rinse cranberries well.
Combine all ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until cranberries are tender. Stir often to prevent scorching.
Remove cinnamon sticks and discard.
Fill the hot chutney into the clean, hot half-pint jars, leaving a half-inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace as needed.
Wipe rims with a damp paper towel. Apply two-piece metal canning lids.
Process them in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Time may need to be longer at high altitudes.
Let them cool undisturbed for 12 hours to 24 hours and check seals.

Here are some ideas on how to wrap food gifts.  Happy Gifting!

I love Thai food.  Really, I love any food that is Asian influenced.  Ok, I love food period.  Anyway, I went to my favorite place to get Thai food in the DC area.  Its this little hole in the wall in Wheaton, but it is less Americanized Thai food than you will find at some other so-called Thai restaurants.

Ruan Thai is located at: 

11407 Amherst Ave
Wheaton, MD, 20902
Check out thier site:
http://www.ruanthaiwheaton.com


Be forewarned though, this place is pretty small.  Also, they do a lot of carryout business and the people picking up their to go orders have to meander their way through the dining room to get to the register.  If you are willing to overlook the lack of ambiance for some really good Thai food, then make your way to Ruan Thai ASAP.  Its cheaper than a trip to Thailand!

Guay Teow Lad Nha 
Thai flat rice noodles with gravy sauce.  We order this with pork.  But you can get chicken, beef, or seafood.

Two things I always order when I go there are the Yum watercress and the Green papaya salad.  These are not to be missed.  Unfortunately I don't have a pic of either on of these.  What can I say, I was hungry! 

I drive past this place all the time but decided to stop in because I was looking for some Cafe du Monde beignet mix.  Cost Plus World Market on Rockville Pike is a nice little store.  A random post on the yelp forums lead me back to this treasure land of slightly overpriced gourmet food (and furnishings).  

I'll discuss the Cafe du Monde beignet mix later when I make them.  Until then, here is a quick pic of a table setting they had on display.  Doesn't it make you want to have people over!