Thanksgiving Dinner for Bachelor Cooks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2009

When an old college friend asked if he should cook his Thanksgiving dinner for his kids by throwing the turkey in the microwave I suggested this method instead!

Look in the plastic bag section of the grocery store for "cooking bags".
Usually it is Reynolds who makes them.
They come in sizes small to large... you'll probably want the large.
It gives instructions on the flyer inside the box.

When using an oven-cooking bag, preheat the oven to 350°F.

You basically put 1 tablespoon of flour in the bag before you put the turkey in and shake it all around.

The pan holding the turkey in the bag must be large enough so the bag does not hang over the sides. Allow ample space for the bag to expand during cooking so that it does not touch the top or sides of the oven or it will melt.

Roll back the top of the bag a few times to get it ready to put the turkey in, breast side up.
Tie it with a tie provided in the box.
Put about 6 tiny prick holes in the bag to let the steam escape.

Check the chart depending on how many pounds the turkey is.

I didn't tell the old college friend this part but you may use a meat thermometer inserted right through the plastic into the innermost part of the thigh. A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. For reasons of personal preference, you may choose to cook the turkey to higher temperatures.

Save the broth from the bag at the end of the cooking time.
I snip off one corner of the bag (a tiny snip) and let the juice drain into a pan.
Then I take the turkey out of the bag.

Cook some noodles with the broth. Mmmmmm.
I have an excellent recipe for homemade noodles too but that takes a little practice.

Homemade Noodles

Generally, homemade noodles are made to be cooked and eaten fresh. Occasionally, you may want to keep freshly-made noodles for future use. Freshly-cut noodles can be left out to dry for one to two hours (until dry, but still pliable) then placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated for two days, or frozen for up to two months, for best quality. Don't leave them out for hours and hours un-refrigerated. The quality and safety deteriorates.

The ingredients are simple. The technique is important. With practice the noodles are quick, delicious and easy. You don't want heavy, compact, fat, tough and dry noodles. If you work too much flour in--- that is what you will get. You want them to be thin, light, and tender. They firm up in cooking. It makes it much easier if you see a demonstration but written directions follow:

Smaller recipe:

1 beaten egg Combine:

½ tsp. salt

¼ c. milk

1 c. flour Add to the above mixture (add only enough flour to make dough hold together (1 cup). Dough will appear sticky. DO NOT KEEP ADDING FLOUR. This is where beginners make their mistake. You want to work in as little flour as possible. The dough will be very tender.

1… Heavily flour your cutting board or table surface. Take the loose ball of dough and gently roll it once in flour. Do not press "into" the flour" yet.

2… Sprinkle some flour on top of the ball of dough and roll out very thin with rolling pin, about 1/8" . Keep checking to make sure there is enough flour underneath the dough and on top to keep it from sticking to the cutting board and rolling pin.

3… When dough is rolled out to 1/8", sprinkle with more flour but don't work the flour in. The loose flour will not be worked into the dough. At this point it's purpose is to keep the layers separated to enable you to cut multiple layers at once.

4… Fold over into thirds to prepare for cutting. Cut many narrow strips and cut or pull the noodles to the length desired. Leave flour loose with noodles.

5… Your options are

· Cook immediately

· Use within 1- 2 hours

· Refrigerate

· Spread on a cookie sheet, cover and freeze.

· DO NOT store un-refrigerated.

To cook, drop noodles gradually into boiling chicken broth so broth never stops boiling. Cook until tender. Length of time depends on how thick your noodles are. Check for doneness after 10 minutes.

Larger recipe:

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. Salt Combine:

½ cup milk

2 cups flour Add to above mixture. Follow same directions above for

smaller recipe.