apologies.

this is rapidly becoming my food photo blog apparently.

i didn't manage to write a novel this november. instead, i appear to have channeled most of my creative urges into cooking things.

i'm not sure if this is good or bad.

turkey update, day 2.

the turkey, i think is a success. here is a picture of it just after it came out of the oven yesterday. the pan, as you can see, is too small. those strange dark/red dots on the skin are dried cranberries that simmered in the pan drippings, since i didn't have any dry sherry or madeira to flavour the gravy with. the green clumps are herbs that i mixed with melted butter to pour over the turkey while the skin was browning, since i was not about to stick my hands under the skin of a raw turkey and smear butter over the flesh. ew.

the orange thing is the pop-up thermometer that was included with the turkey, which, although counsidered by many to be cheating worked just as well for me since i don't have a meat thermometer. since i am still here and not suffering food poisoning, i think we did ok. the breast meat is possibly a little dry, even. i overcooked it just a tad. if i ever do this for real people, i will have to invest in a meat thermometer. this was totally unplanned; i had already given away my free turkey certificates from the supermarket to a local food cupboard when he came home with... a free turkey. it was a gift from one of his clients, and it seemed a shame to waste a fresh turkey by putting it in the freezer. so i did the best with what i had in the house *grin*

the bird has since been carved up and is wrapped in foil packets in the fridge. for those of delicate constitution, i will here omit a description of carving the turkey, but let it suffice to say that it is a singularily primeval act.

what is left of the carcase is currently in the stockpot being simmered. i don't get to make a homemade stock that often, so i wasn't going to pass this opportunity up. it will be good when i inevitably come down with the flu this winter.

turkey update.

the little built-in thermometer thingy has popped. as i do not have a meat thermometer myself, and i do not want to get salmonella poisoning, i am leaving the turkey in the oven a little while longer, although i have removed the foil.

i do not have a turkey baster, so i am doing the best i can with a metal spoon and a measuring cup.

also, the pan is too small. i will have to clean my oven after this.

i'm not sure about the stuffing either, but i figure since the pan juices are boiling, it can hurt to spoon them over the stuffing.

i got up this morning to make cornbread for stuffing. i only used half of the cornbread because i ran out of carrots. so the turkey is i guess about 2/3 stuffed.

i will go baste it again.

slight delay.

i'm cooking a turkey!

more updates to follow.

eeeeeeek.

happy thanksgiving.

yes, it's slightly early. but i'm not a dedicated enough blogger to work a post into my schedule tomorrow, which will involve waking up, taking a shower, and then driving to my aunt's in northern new jersey for turkey and so forth.

this is also the weekend where i have mostly finished my nano in past years. yeah. that's not going to happen this year. i'm stuck just past 13,000 words and i haven't written for days :( too much shit going on this year.

he also got a turkey from one of his clients this year. we have a 14lb turkey in a box in our fridge. i am thinking i might actually try to cook it. then it will feed us for weeks and weeks. such a benevolent turkey.

i got off work early today and spent most of the afternoon looking up thanksgiving recipes. luckily, i don't have to actually bring anything tomorrow. ha.

i should probably bring a book. he'll disappear to play whatever latest 360 game my cousin bought, and i will probably feel pretty anti-social after a few hours tomorrow. what book goes with turkey?

mmm... fooooood.

waah.

guess what's coming out of the sky!

i'll give you a hint: it's cold, white, and frozen.

this sucks.

also, i am so far behind in my nano, it's not even funny. this may be the first year i don't finish.

this also sucks.

i think i need more tea.

documentation.

if i'm not careful, this photoblogging thing is going to become a habit.

anyway. i have made apple pie.

i have now fulfilled my quota of patriotic activities for the quarter. or something. but i had apples, and i had to use them up before they went bad. it is no longer sizzling. i believe i shall have to taste it. mmm... pie.