TURKEY DINNER

This is a very labour-intensive proposition and is usually attempted only once a year.

Heat oven as per instructions (usually around 325F). Instructions are usually printed on the turkey wrapping. Prepare stuffing.

Stuffing:

½ white bread, crust removed, diced

½ cup butter

1 small onion

½ cup parsley, chopped

½ cup celery, diced

Sauté onion and celery in butter till soft. Add 4 tsp of a mix of sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix with diced bread.

Take 1 large thawed turkey (I prefer Butterball – there IS a difference). NOTE: Thawing a large bird takes about 24 hours and baking it uncovered may take close to 4 hours, so plan wisely.

Stuff the turkey and sprinkle it with sage, paprika, and garlic powder, and cover with strips of bacon; bake according to instructions.

Gravy:

Take all the giblets and stuff you find in a bag inside the turkey and put in a medium pot. Add a carrot, a bunch of celery, an onion, a bay leaf, and a few cloves of garlic; cover with water, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for at least an hour. Strain and reserve stock. When turkey is cooked, remove as much fat as you can from the baking pan, rinse it out with the stock, and pour this all back into a pot. Bring to a furious boil and allow some of the water to evaporate. Season with a bit of chicken bouillon, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Thicken with Veloutine.

Let the feast begin!