Christmas Savings Club | August Meeting

Happy 4 months til Christmas!

On the 25th of every month from January to November in 2013, I'm holding a virtual meeting for the Christmas Savings Club. The goal for this monthly accountability meeting is to give updates on our progress, motivate one another, and help all of us save for a cash Christmas. Today is the eighth meeting, but you can join us at any time.

If you are new, please read more about the Christmas Savings Club in the first post and join us. My offer for a FREE Christmas Gift & Spending Budget excel spreadsheet is still available.

On with the August meeting...

How did I do in August?
Our monthly goal for Christmas savings is $100. That number includes gifts for our kids, extended family members, teachers, friends, neighbors, bus drivers, service people, our Christmas cards, stamps, and our donations towards the Salvation Army's Adopt-a-Family program.

At the beginning of August, I was $100 short from June when we used some of our Christmas savings for gifts that were needed that month. I also needed to come up with August's goal of $100 for a total of $200 for the month. To achieve this, I attempted a pantry challenge in August.

I'm happy to report that I was able to reduce our grocery spending in August by about $50 and I'll put that money in our Christmas savings.

Our grocery spending has crept up over that last several months and it was time to rein it back in. My goal during the pantry challenge was to shop our freezer and pantry to put together my weekly menus instead of only using the Sunday sales flyers.

It pays to take an inventory of what is already in your kitchen before you make a grocery list. You'll avoid all sorts of duplicate purchases and reduce food waste too.

I'm still left with a $50 shortfall for the year, but I have 3 more months to save it before I make the majority of our holiday purchases.

September Assignments:
1. If you have not done so, complete the Christmas Gift & Spending Budget worksheet.

2. If you have not done so, open up a separate checking account specifically for your Christmas Spending Savings.

3. Set aside your monthly savings goal for September.

4. Start looking for Christmas gift ideas. My girls and I were in Target last week shopping for school supplies. They asked to walk through the toy department on our way to the Back-to-School department. I took pictures of a few things that they picked out for reference. They were pricier toys, but I'll start keeping my eye open for when they go on sale.

Let us know how you're doing with your Christmas Savings Account in the comments. You don't need to leave specific numbers if you don't feel comfortable, but let us know if you did anything specific to save your goal.


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Zucchini Basil Corn Muffins

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If you are looking for new ways to use up your garden zucchini and basil and you don't mind turning on your oven, try these savory and tasty Zucchini Basil Corn Muffins. I make several batches to store in the freezer for the colder months when soups are a menu staple.

My inspiration was a similar recipe that I found years ago on the popular blog, Get Rich Slowly.

Zucchini Basil Corn Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• ⅔ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shreddded zucchini
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and oil.

3. Combine the corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pour into the egg mixture. Stir until just combined. Don’t over-mix.

4. Stir in the zucchini, basil, and Parmesan. Again, don’t over-mix.

5. Prepare a muffin pan with non-stick spray and fill it with the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

Make several batches and freeze in freezer bags to serve with soups during the colder months.

Print recipe for Zucchini Basil Corn Muffins.

This post is linked to Thrifty Thursday and Weekend Potluck.

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How to Make Simple Syrup

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My husband and I drink a lot of iced tea in the summer. I brew tea in the sun several times a week during the hot months, so we always have it on hand.

To sweeten our tea, I make a simple syrup. I like my iced tea a little sweeter and with simple syrup we can each sweeten our tea to our taste.

To add some flavor, I infuse the syrup with herbs from my garden--pineapple sage, lemon verbena, and lavender. The herbal syrup makes iced tea incredibly flavorful and it's so easy to make. My favorite is the lavender.

Use 1-3 teaspoons of the basic recipe or the herbal version per single serving. The syrup is a delicious way to sweeten tea, lemonade, mojitos, and other summertime drinks.

How to Make Simple Syrup (Basic Recipe)

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Over medium heat, stir and dissolve sugar in the water in a small saucepan. Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and cool. Once cooled, store in the refrigerator. This recipe stores well in an 8 oz jelly jar. You can increase the volume of the syrup, just keep the 1:1 ratio.

How to Make Herbal Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup packed fresh herb - mint, lavender, lemon verbena, or pineapple sage

Over medium heat on the stove, stir together the water, sugar, and herb in a small saucepan. Once sugar is dissolved, place a lid on the pan and remove from heat to steep for an hour. Allow the syrup to cool and pour through a sieve into the storage container. Store in the refrigerator. This recipe stores well in an 8 oz jelly jar.

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Hooray! It's Strawberry Season

Hooray! Strawberry season is here.

It's one of my favorite times of the year; it ranks right up there with Christmas at our house. We wait all year for this short window of time to eat local sweet strawberries. The other 48 weeks a year, we're stuck with the over-sized berries with little flavor that the grocery stores carry year round.

The weather was perfect, sunny & in the high 70's, this week, so we headed to the u-pick farm where the berries were abundant and so sweet. We picked a 5 quart box and the kids helped fill about half the box before they were ready to go home and eat.

 In fact, that one box only lasted a few days. I froze some berries for smoothies, but we ate strawberries with every meal for 3 days. Strawberries on our cereal. Strawberries in the lunch box. Strawberry shortcake for dinner...yes, a rare treat where dessert was our actual dinner. Try it once in awhile. Your kids will think you've lost your mind, but you will be the most cool parent EVER...at least for a day or two.

I'll go back for more. One box isn't nearly enough.

Are you picking strawberries at a u-pick patch this year?

If you need some ideas for all of those strawberries, check out my latest post at The Happy Housewife, 40 Delicious Strawberry Recipes.

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20 Salsa Recipes

Salsa & tortilla chips are my most favorite snack. I've been known to polish off an entire bag of chips and a container of salsa in one sitting...I'm that addicted.

But salsa shouldn't be confined to being the side kick to a bag of tortilla chips. We also use it as a condiment for grilled fish, chicken, burgers, and just about any Mexican dish. Add any of these salsas to your next cookout.

20 Salsa Recipes

1. Apple Salsa at The Happy Housewife
2. Black Bean & Avocado Salsa at This Mama Cooks
3. Black Bean Mango Salsa at The Daily Meal 
4. Blueberry, Strawberry & Jicama Salsa at Two Peas & Their Pod
5. Cantaloupe Salsa at Family Balance Sheet
6. Fresh Cherry Salsa at Living Tastefully 
7. Fiery Grilled Peach & Habanero Salsa at Cooking Light
8. Fire-Roasted Corn Salsa at High Heels & Grills
9. Homemade Salsa with Canned Tomatoes at Family Balance Sheet
10. Grilled Lime Chicken with Mango Red Pepper Salsa at Family Balance Sheet
11. Grilled Salmon with Peach Mango Salsa at Family Balance Sheet
12. Orange, Grapefruit & Avocado Salsa at Teaspoon of Spice
13. Pear Blackberry Salsa at Jen's Favorite Cookies
14. Pico de Gallo {Copycat Chipotle Inspired} at Mom on Time Out
15. Pomegranate Salsa at Good Life Eats
16. Brie with Raspberry Salsa at Cook the Story
17. Spicy Avocado & Pineapple Salsa at Inspired Taste
18. Strawberry Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips at The Happy Housewife
19. Fresh Tomatillo Salsa {Salsa Verde} at A Cedar Spoon
20. Watermelon Salsa at Onion Rings & Things

What is your favorite type of salsa? If you have a recipe, leave the link or write it out in the comments.

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20 Ways to Use Hard-Boiled Eggs

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Are you stuck with too many hard-boiled eggs the Monday after Easter?

I guess you could just eat them plain, but in case you get bored with that option, here are some interesting recipes that use hard-boiled eggs.

20 Ways to Use Hard-Boiled Eggs

1. Asparagus Salad with Hard Boiled Egg at Coconut & Lime
2. Avocado Deviled Eggs at Mother Thyme
3. Brussels Sprouts & Hard Boiled Egg Chop Salad at With Style & Grace
4. Green Beans, Artichoke and Hard Boiled Egg Salad at The Healthy Foodie
5. Ricotta Crostini (& Hard Boiled Egg) at Honestly YUM 
6. Classic Egg Salad at Martha Stewart
7. Egg Casserole (Using Hard Boiled Eggs) at Paula Deen
8. Hard Boiled Egg & Spinach Stuffed Meatloaf at Saveur
9. Hard Boiled Egg Chocolate Chip Cookie at Plain Chicken - YEP, you read that right!
10. Hard Boiled Egg Oatmeal Toffee Cookies at Plain Chicken
11. Leeks Vinaigrette at Saveur
12. Lentil Salad at Martha Stewart
13. Lettuce Cups with Spiced Corn, Danish Feta, and Hard Boiled Eggs at Two Loves Studio
14. Spanish Chickpea and Chorizo Soup at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
15. Spicy Indian Keema Mince at Samantha's Supper
16. Spicy Sweet Deviled Eggs at My Recipes
17. Spinach Gratin at Simply Recipes
18. Tuna Stuffed Hard Boiled Eggs at Foodista
19. Warm Mustard Potato Salad (No May0) at Naturally Ella
20. Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon, Mushrooms & Hard Boiled Eggs at Brown Eyed Baker

What's your favorite way to use hard-boiled eggs? Let us know in the comments. If you have a recipe to share, leave the link in the comments.

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20 Ways to Use Ripe Bananas

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While I love to eat bananas in their original form, I much prefer them baked, grilled, whipped, blended, and frozen. I love it when our bananas get so ripe that my kids won't eat them because they look funny, because that is when bananas are at their best--ripe & sweet!

20 Ways to Use Ripe Bananas

1. Banana Oatmeal Muffins at Family Balance Sheet
2. Banana Walnut Baked Oatmeal at Family Balance Sheet
3. Grilled Banana Splits at Family Balance Sheet
4. Banana Nut Pancakes at The Happy Housewife
5. Banana Daiquiri at The Daily Noff
6. Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies at OMFG So Good
7. Banana "Ice Cream" at Whole Living. Just TWO ingredients!
8. 3 2 1 Custard at Greenbacks Gal. Just 3 ingredients! Also a Paleo recipe.
9. Eatmore' Fudge Squares at Chocolate Covered Katie
10. Banana Blueberry Swirl Popsicles at Martha Stewart
11. Banana Pops at Bakers Royale
12. No Bake Banana Sundae Cheesecake at The Messy Baker Blog
13. Dark Chocolate & Banana Truffles at Love and Olive Oil
14. Bananas Foster Bread Pudding at Confessions of a Baking Queen
15. Back Yard Bananas Foster at The LoveBite
16. Barbecued Stuffed Bananas at The Paleo Mom
17. Roasted Banana Cake at The Faux Martha
18. Slow Cooker Honey Bananas at skinnyms.
19. Butterscotch Banana Blondies at Hungry Rabbit
20. Coconut Lemon Banana Bread at Good Life Eats

Did you know you can freeze ripe bananas? I do it all the time when I don't think I'll use them up before they get too bad. I just unpeel them and stick them in a freezer bag. When I want to use them, I thaw in a strainer, unless I'm using them for smoothies, to allow them to drain a bit before using them in recipes. You can also freeze in their peel, but I think it's easier to peel before freezing.

For even more Ripe Banana recipes, check out my Pinterest Board, "Ideas for Ripe Bananas". I'm always adding to it. If you have a recipe you'd like me to include on the board, leave the Pinterest link in the comments.

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20 Different Ways to Use Original Dawn Blue

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Did you know Original Blue Dawn isn't just a dish washing liquid?  I've been using Dawn for years to wash my dishes and also to clean our windows and mirrors (for just pennies), but what I didn't realize was that Dawn can also be used to control dog fleas, clean soap scum in your bathroom,  remove spots on your laundry, and make amazing bubbles. And that's just a few of its uses.

And bonus, these new uses will also cost much less than the store bought version.

20 Ways to Use Original Blue DAWN

(Note: I have not personally tested all of these recipes for their effectiveness.)

1. Wash Your Windows for just pennies

2. Clean Your Make-Up Brushes

3. Control Fleas on your Dog

4. Tub & Shower Cleaner and a great storage/dispenser tip

5. Remove Permanent Ink

6. Clean Your Car Mats

7. Yellow Armpit Stain Remover

8. Spot Remover

9. DIY Ice Pack

10. Stinky Dog Shampoo

11. Weed Killer

12. DIY Laminate Floor Cleaner

13. De-Icer for Steps and Sidewalks

14. Deer & Rabbit Repellent

15. Non-Toxic Lubricant for Doors and Windows

16. Remove Cooking Stains from Clothing

17. Remove Paint & Grease from Hands

18. Homemade Bubbles

19. Ant Repellent

20. No-Grate Homemade Laundry Soap

Apparently, there is a difference in effectiveness between the non-concentrated Dawn blue (in the picture above) and the Ultra blue version (in the picture below)? I didn't even realize there were two variations until I read the comments of one of these posts and a reader claimed that the non-concentrated version works better than the Ultra.  Personally, I don't know. Unknowingly, I've been buying the Ultra version and it's worked just fine on my dishes and windows. I did go searching for the non-concentrated version and the only store that carried it was Walmart. It is much cheaper per ounce than the Ultra, 6 cents per fluid ounce vs. 11 cents per fluid ounce, but whether it is any better, I'll have to test it out.

Are you an Original Blue Dawn fan? What have you used it for? Let us know in the comments.

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Batch Browning & Freezing Ground Meat and Sausage

For years, I've been buying the larger packages (3+ pounds) of ground turkey and sausage, because the sale price per unit is so much better than the smaller packages. I would divide the raw meat into 1 pound portions and freeze individually.

I'm not sure why it took me so long to figure out that browning ground meat and sausage in one big batch will save time in the future. I've changed my ways. Now, I'm still freezing in portions, but I'm browning the meat in one big batch first. This step is saving me so much time with meal prep. Lasagna, tacos, sloppy joes are all meals that I've recently made by using cooked meat from the freezer.

How to Batch Brown & Freeze Ground Meat and Sausage

1. Heat your largest pan (I used my big dutch oven) over medium heat and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add the ground meat or sausage to the pan.  If cooking sausage, remove the casings before putting in the pan. If your package of meat is too large for the size of you pan, you'll have to brown the meat in several batches.

2. Cook over medium-low heat and break up the sausage while cooking. Allow the sausage to brown a bit on the pan and then scrape the brown bits on the bottom of the pan to add flavor.

3. Once the meat is cooked through (no pink), you can drain any fat if you'd like and then allow to cool.

4. Divide up and store in freezer containers or bags. Stretch your dollar and store in 1 1/2 cup portions, but approximately, 2 cups of cooked meat will equal 1 pound of uncooked meat.

Think about how you will use the meat that you just cooked. Personally, I divide bulk sausage into smaller 1 1/2 cup portions, because I know that I'll likely use it in spaghetti sauce, pasta dishes, and egg casseroles where the meat is not the main star of the dish. While, I divide ground turkey into 2 cup portions, because I use that for tacos and sloppy joes where the meat is the main ingredient.

Do you buy meat in bulk and then cook it in one big batch? Let us know in the comments.


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This One Technique Helped a Single Mom Save $312 on Food

Guest post from Karen of MoneySavingEnthusiast.com.


You’re about to see how teacher, Jessica G., used my Receipt Reference Technique to save money on food and plan for her future purchases in three easy steps. And then I’ll explain exactly how she did it so that you can potentially get similar or better results.

1. Jessica posted the receipt on her fridge.
Jessica says, “We use it to figure out what we should be eating for the week. I also try to spend a set amount on groceries.”

Action Step #1: After putting away items from the grocery store, put the receipt right on the fridge. Place it in a spot where you will see it every time you open the fridge, so it can serve as a reminder.

2. She used the receipt to plan what she would eat in an effort to not waste her groceries.
Jessica says, “We are vegetarians and it's easy to forget what you purchased (since veggies go in the drawers of the fridge). Sometimes I take a bag of vegetables from the freezer versus the fresh vegetables which go bad a lot sooner. We try to use them and then cross off what we ate on the receipt. It’s a handy checklist. It helps us easily plan our meals and we eat healthier.”

Action Step #2: Refer to the receipt to remind yourself what to eat, especially if you have items that will spoil sooner than others.

3. Jessica checked off items she used.
Jessica says, “It helps us determine what we have left. It reminds me to go grocery shopping if I see that many of the items are checked off. We even keep the receipt and use it as our list. If I need to buy the same items, I don’t have to write a new list. Also, I like to vary our diet, so I can buy different types of vegetables. So rather than searching through the fridge and freezer to see what we have, we just look at previous receipts that serve as lists.”

Action Step # 3: Look at the receipt whenever you eat. Check off items you finish eating to determine what is left. This way you are sure not to waste what you bought and it will guide your meal planning to finish food before it expires.

It all adds up!
Jessica says, “I thought the Receipt Reference Technique by Money Saving Enthusiast was very useful. It helps us maintain a healthy diet and we no longer throw out food that we should have eaten. This saves us a great deal of money. A few dollars here and there may not seem big but it adds up over time. Avocados typically cost 1.50 each. I would buy four which is $6.00. That may seem small but if I were to throw out 6.00 worth of food a week, that would equal $312 a year. I could buy more groceries with that money or even save for college for my children. This was a quick and easy technique for a busy, single mom to do. I highly recommend this for those who want to save money. I know I will at least save $312 alone just by eating my avocados. That doesn’t even include other items that we throw out on a regular basis.”

Karen has been a lifelong Money Saving Enthusiast with an MS in Education. She shares her knowledge on her website and as a contributor to Mamiverse where she was able to interview Peter Walsh, the organizational guru. She was also recently featured on a Fox News Website. She also work as a tutor and freelance writer. In her spare time, Karen enjoys travel, photography, and reading finance books. For tips like this, check out her website www.MoneySavingEnthusiast.com.

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Homemade Taco Seasoning

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Recently, I had a hankering for some tacos. I had all of the ingredients for leftover pork tacos, except for the taco seasoning, a crucial ingredient. What I didn't have a hankering for was to drive to the grocery store for one item.

So I did a quick search and discovered that taco seasoning is really easy to make at home, because the ingredients are most likely staples in your spice cabinet. It's also easy to adapt to your family's taste, heat tolerance, and what you have on hand. Try this recipe and once you have perfected it to your family's taste, make it in bulk and store in a air tight container.

Store bought taco seasoning isn't too outrageously priced at .50 - $1, but I made this recipe in bulk for zero cents, because I had all of the ingredients on hand. Another reason to make your own blend is that you are avoiding the fillers and preservatives found in store bought versions.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt - Use ⅛ teaspoon if using table salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - optional, depending on your heat tolerance

Mix together and use in place of store bought taco seasoning with 1 pound of meat and ⅔ cup of water or stock.

You may add 1 teaspoon corn starch or flour to thicken the dish, but it’s not necessary.

If making in bulk, use 3 tablespoons per 1 pound of meat.

Print recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning. Also, try my Homemade Fajita Seasoning.

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I'm Doing a Pantry Challenge in February

In an effort to find some extra money to fund our Christmas Savings Account, I'm doing a pantry challenge in February. My goal is to plan February's menu around what is currently in my pantry and freezer and fill in any needs at the store, but reduce my overall monthly grocery expenses.

I took an inventory of my freezer tonight and I started plotting our meals for the month. I usually plan my menu once a week, but I have almost 3 weeks of meals planned so far for February with what is currently in my freezer. Our schedule might change slightly, but I have enough meals planned that I can make some minor adjustments and avoid any last minute calls for take-out.

My goal is to reduce our grocery bill by $200. I'll be posting my progress through out the month.

Have you ever done a pantry challenge? Was it a success for you?

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35 Money-Saving Grocery Tips | Kitchen Economics

One of my goals for Family Balance Sheet for 2013, is to get back to posting more money saving tips to help my readers (and myself) reduce our grocery bills.

A couple of years ago, I coined the term, Kitchen Economics, after I read a dictionary definition of the word "economics": "the science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, or the material welfare of humankind." Doesn't that sound familiar? On a daily basis, home cooks produce, distribute, and consume in our kitchens for (and with) our families. My job as my household's kitchen manager is to ensure that my family is eating healthy and delicious food without blowing our budget.

Here's to a low-cost, yet delicious New Year!

35 Money-Saving Grocery Tips to Help You Reduce Your Grocery Budget

Produce Tips

• Revitalize Dried Out Baby Carrots
• U-Pick local, seasonal fruit
• How to Freeze herbs, How to Freeze Basil
• Freeze your garden harvest - green beans, hot pepper
• How to Save Money at the Apple Orchard

Organizing Tips

• Know Your Buy Price
• Organize your pantry and your spices
• My grocery list/menu clip board
• Plan your weekly menu
• Make one night a week, "raid the fridge night".
• Buy/Use store brands
• Utilize your freezer.
• Compare unit price.
• Have an emergency back up meal in freezer or pantry at all times.
• Shop your freezer/pantry

Meat Tips

• Don't shy away from meat markdowns
• Make your own chicken stock on the stove top OR in the crock pot
• Create vegetable freezer bags for making chicken/turkey stock

Batch/Portion Control Tips

• Freeze cookie dough.
• Make brownies in a muffin tin rather than a pan.
• Batch griddle extra pancakes and freeze for later.

Organic

• Become a member of a CSA.
• Use your grocery store's private label organize brands.
• Compare price per unit.
• Stock up on organic meat that has been marked down.

Misc

• Homemade buttermilk substitute.
• Cut out the crap, save the dough.
• 10 Paper Products to Cross off your grocery list.
• Stock up and save with pre-holiday grocery sales.
• Stop wasting food.
• Shop at bread outlets.
• Make homemade bread crumbs from bread heels.
• Reuse glass jars.
• Homemade window cleaner for just pennies.
• After-Holiday clearance sales aren't just about gift wrap. 

What's your #1 way to save money on your grocery bill? Let us know in the comments.

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Homemade Turkey Stock

If you've gone to the trouble to roast the turkey for Thanksgiving, then you might as well take the next step and make homemade turkey stock.

Homemade Turkey Stock

Ingredients

• Turkey carcass and reserved neck
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2-3 celery stalks
• 2-3 carrot sticks
• 1 garlic head, remove some of the white papery cover, cut in half crosswise
• 10-12 sprigs of fresh parsley and sage
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients in a large stock pot and cover with water about 2 inches above the ingredients.

2. Cover. Bring to a boil. Uncover and reduce to a simmer for 2 - 3 hours. Stirring occasionally.

3. Allow to cool. Carefully, spoon or pour the stock, veggies, herbs through a sieve into a big bowl. Press juices out of veggies and herbs. Discard bones, veggies, herbs. Stir well and allow to cool down completely. Remove any fat that rises to the top.

I have found turkey stock to be more gelatinous than chicken stock once it has cooled down. Do not be alarmed. That is a good thing. It thins out when cooked in dishes or soups.

The stock will last a few days in the fridge. I like to freeze in 1 cup and 24 oz freezer containers.

Before:

After 3 hours:

Pour the stock through a seive:

You can also make turkey stock in the crock pot.

Do you make homemade turkey stock?

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How {NOT} to Carve a Turkey

How hard can it be to carve a turkey?

I found out one Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago when I was preparing for Turkey Week. I asked my husband to photograph me while I carved the turkey I had just roasted. There was some mild eye-rolling, but he is generally game to play with his Nikon.

I took the turkey and what I thought was a sharp knife to our sunroom so we could capitalize on the natural light. And I started to carve.

So far so good...

But my knife began to fail me and I needed to twist.

...and pull...

...and tug...

And when it looked like this...we bagged the photo shoot...

I mean, really, how hard can it be to carve a turkey?

Apparently it's not hard for Alton Brown. And I'm sure it won't be hard for you either. Although, I would recommend a sharp knife. Check out his video on How to Carve a Turkey.

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How to Safely Thaw a Frozen Turkey

There are two ways to thaw a frozen turkey.

1.  Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator.  
Leave the frozen turkey in its packaging and place in a pan. (Trust me on this.  A few years ago, I simply put the frozen turkey in the fridge without placing in a pan.  When I removed the thawed turkey from the fridge, I had a stream of blood from my fridge to my sink before I realized what had happened. YUCK!)

Place the pan in the refrigerator.  It takes about 1 day for every 4 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. This online calculator will also tell you how long you need to thaw the turkey in the fridge depending on size of turkey.

2. Thaw the turkey in cold water.
If you forget to get the turkey out of the freezer in time, you can thaw the turkey in cold water. Leave the turkey in its packaging and place breast side down in the kitchen sink and cover completely with cold water. Change the water frequently as it starts to warm. It takes about 30 minutes per pound to thaw this way. Use this online calculator to determine estimated time for thawing.

REMEMBER it is not safe to thaw the turkey at room temperature due to bacterial concerns.


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How Much Turkey Per Person Will I Need?

Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner? Then you might be wondering just how much turkey you'll need to feed your family and friends.

The USDA recommends 1 pound per person for a fresh or frozen turkey.

Happy Planning!

My mother is always in charge of the turkey and there are usually 20 - 25 people at dinner. What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Let us know in the comments.


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