Ann's Entitled Life

How to Make Turkey Gravy

October 17, 2017 By Ann Leave a Comment

What to do with all those wonderful pan drippings from that tender and juicy turkey you just made!? Why make turkey gravy, of course! There is nothing better than homemade gravy, and this turkey gravy recipe really packs a flavor-wallop. Easy to make (really!) this wonderful turkey gravy is the perfect pairing to your roasted turkey.

How to Make Turkey Gravy

It is that time of year – the holiday season, and I bet turkey is on your table at least one in November or December. So many people eat turkey as their main holiday entree for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day! According to the National Turkey Federation – “in 2016, more than 219 million turkeys were served for meals in the United States. We estimate that 44 million of those turkeys were enjoyed at Thanksgiving, 22 million at Christmas and 19 million at Easter.” That’s a lot of birds!

Turkey gravy goes hand and hand with roasted turkey. Instead of buying canned or jarred turkey gravy the next time you make a bird, why not make your own? It is easier than you think!

Note:

• The amount of pan drippings that the turkey will yield will depend on how much the turkey itself gave along with the 1 cup of broth added during cooking. • This amount of roux should thicken approximately 2 – 2½ cups of gravy, using the rough ratio of 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour to 1 cup of liquid.

Turkey Gravy Ingredients:

• 2 cups Turkey Pan Drippings
• ¼ cup Butter
• ¼ cup Flour (you can substitute Wondra)
• Pinch Garlic Powder
• Pinch Onion Powder
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• ¼ tsp Poultry Seasoning

Turkey Gravy Mise en Place:

• Frying Pan
• Strainer
• Spoon or Whisk
• Measuring Cup
• Measuring Spoons

Turkey Gravy Directions:

• Strain the pan drippings to remove the solids (this step is optional); set aside.

• In a fry pan, melt the butter and flour to make a roux. Mix the flour in with the butter and cook this mixture until it turns golden in color.

• Add the pan drippings to the roux in small ½ cup portions, bringing it to a low boil, and incorporating the drippings into the mixture until it thickens, and then add another ½ cup of pan dripping, continuing this until you have added all the drippings.

• Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Taste with a clean spoon and add more seasonings according to your taste buds.

• When you have used all the pan drippings, if you feel there is not enough gravy, or the gravy is too thick, you can add turkey broth in the same increments as the drippings.
• Serve hot.

How to Make Turkey Gravy
By Ann
Turkey gravy goes hand and hand with roasted turkey. Instead of buying canned or jarred turkey gravy the next time you make a bird, why not make your own? It is easier than you think!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Turkey Pan Drippings
• ¼ cup Butter
• ¼ cup Flour
• Pinch Garlic Powder
• Pinch Onion Powder
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• ¼ tsp Poultry Seasoning

Directions:

• Strain the pan drippings to remove the solids (this step is optional); set aside.
• In a fry pan, melt the butter and flour to make a roux. Mix the flour in with the butter and cook this mixture until it turns golden in color.
• Add the pan drippings to the roux in small ½ cup portions, bringing it to a low boil, and incorporating the drippings into the mixture until it thickens, and then add another ½ cup of pan dripping, continuing this until you have added all the drippings.
• Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Taste with a clean spoon and add more seasonings according to your taste buds.
• When you have used all the pan drippings, if you feel there is not enough gravy, or the gravy is too thick, you can add turkey broth in the same increments as the drippings.
• Serve hot.

Makes 8 servings Turkey Gravy

• To print the How to Make Turkey Gravy recipe click here.

• Disclosure the links in this post may be affiliate links.

• For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

• If you enjoyed this post, be sure to sign up for the Ann’s Entitled Life weekly newsletter, and never miss another article!

Filed Under: How Tos – Freezing, Storage, Ingredient Preparation, Recipes, Side Dishes

How to Cook a Turkey

October 16, 2017 By Ann Leave a Comment

Making a delicious turkey for the holidays is easier than you think. By following this simple step by step turkey roasting tutorial even the most novice cook will produce a tender, tasty and juicy bird sure to impress your guests!

How to Cook a Turkey

• Making a turkey can intimidate some people. For many people (my mother included), the “worst” part is sticking your hand inside the bird’s cavities. May I suggest a disposable latex (or non-latex) glove? It can help you get past the ewwwwww-factor.
• This is a basic recipe with a bit of flavor. To get a REALLY basic recipe, simply use butter (and I suggest upping that to 1/2 a cup) to coat the bird.
• Some people swear by basting every 15 to 30 minutes the last hour of cooking. I am not one of those people. However, there is nothing wrong with that.
• If you are looking for a “different” turkey recipe, check out this how to deep fry a turkey tutorial.

And turkey for dinner is on the rise! According to the National Turkey Federation – America Gobbles up Turkey! “Turkey consumption has nearly doubled over the past 25 years. In 2016, per capita turkey consumption was 16.6 pounds compared to 8.3 pounds in 1975.”

Time to make the bird…

How to Cook a Turkey Ingredients:

• 1 Turkey, 10 – 12 lbs. (defrosted or fresh)
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup Butter
• ½ tsp Poultry Seasoning
• ½ tsp Garlic Powder
• ½ tsp Onion Powder
• ½ tsp Parsley (flakes or finely chopped fresh)
• 1 cup Turkey Broth (or water)
• 1 Lemon

How to Cook a Turkey Mise en Place:

• Roasting Pan (large enough to hold your bird)
• Non-stick Spray
• Measuring Cup
• Measuring Spoons
• Bowl
• Silicone Basting Brush
• Thermometer
• Aluminum Foil

How to Cook a Turkey Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Spray your roasting pan and pan-rack with non-stick spray.
• Remove neck and giblet bag from inside the turkey cavities. Reserve if making giblet gravy. Discard if not making giblet gravy.
• Wash the turkey inside and out, pat dry.
• Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine butter, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley. Mix well and set aside.
• Place the turkey in the roaster you will be cooking it in, breast side up.
• Pour in the turkey broth into the bottom of the pan.
• Try and tuck the turkey wings underneath the back. Sometimes they will stay and other times not. This is an attempt to prevent prevent the wings from overcooking.
• Place the whole lemon on a solid, flat surface and roll it a few times to loosen the inside. Prick with a fork or knife.
• Place the whole lemon inside turkey cavity.

• Take the flavored butter mixture and, using a silicone basting brush, spread the mixture all over the breasts and thighs.
• When the oven is heated to temperature place the turkey in the oven and let it roast for approximately 3 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.
• Remove the turkey from the oven.

• Being very careful, move the turkey from the roasting pan onto the serving dish and place a sheet of foil over the bird to “tent” it. This is so the cooked turkey can rest, and the juices can redistribute throughout the turkey. You can tent it for up to 20 minutes before cutting, and it will still be hot. It does continue to cook a bit while under the aluminum foil tent, so be aware of that.

• Reserve the juices at the bottom of the roasting pan to make turkey gravy.

How to Cook a Turkey
By Ann
Making a delicious turkey for the holidays is easier than you think. By following this simple step by step turkey roasting tutorial even the most novice cook will produce a tender, tasty and juicy bird sure to impress your guests!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 3 Hours
Total Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Turkey, 10 – 12 lbs.(defrosted or fresh)
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup Butter
• ½ tsp Poultry Seasoning
• ½ tsp Garlic Powder
• ½ tsp Onion Powder
• ½ tsp Parsley (flakes or finely chopped fresh)
• 1 cup Turkey Broth (or water)
• 1 Lemon

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Spray your roasting pan and pan-rack with non-stick spray.
• Remove neck and giblet bag from inside the turkey cavities. Reserve if making giblet gravy. Discard if not making giblet gravy.
• Wash the turkey inside and out, pat dry.
• Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine butter, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley. Mix well and set aside.
• Place the turkey in the roaster you will be cooking it in, breast side up.
• Pour in the turkey broth into the bottom of the pan.
• Try and tuck the turkey wings underneath the back. Sometimes they will stay and other times not. This is an attempt to prevent the wings from overcooking.
• Place the whole lemon on a solid, flat surface and roll it a few times to loosen the inside. Prick with a fork or knife.
• Place the whole lemon inside turkey cavity.
• Take the flavored butter mixture and, using a silicone basting brush, spread the mixture all over the breasts and thighs.
• When the oven is heated to temperature place the turkey in the oven and let it roast for approximately 3 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.
• Remove the turkey from the oven.
• Being very careful, move the turkey from the roasting pan onto the serving dish and place a sheet of aluminum foil over the bird to “tent” it. This is so the cooked turkey can rest, and the juices can redistribute throughout the turkey. You can tent it for up to 20 minutes before cutting, and it will still be hot. It does continue to cook a bit while under the aluminum foil tent, so be aware of that.
• Reserve the juices at the bottom of the roasting pan to make turkey gravy.

Makes 8 servings Turkey

• To print the How to Cook a Turkey recipe click here.

• Disclosure the links in this post may be affiliate links.

• For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

• If you enjoyed this post, be sure to sign up for the Ann’s Entitled Life weekly newsletter, and never miss another article!

Filed Under: Entrees, How Tos – Freezing, Storage, Ingredient Preparation, Recipes

How to Make a Christmas Cupcake Tree

October 12, 2017 By Ann Leave a Comment

This simple step by step tutorial will help you put together this wonderful Christmas cupcake display. Great as a holiday party dessert display, for a centerpiece at the children’s table, or for a Christmas buffet, this Christmas cupcake display is easy to put together and oh so cute!

How to Make a Christmas Cupcake Tree

This easy to put together Christmas cupcake tree is fabulous for your holiday party or get-together. The cupcake stand is simple to dress up, and the cupcakes take hardly any time at all to decorate, yet everyone will think this easy-peasy snack/decor tree took you hours to put together. Nothing could be further from the truth!!

• This Christmas cupcake display was actually part of a children’s Christmas table. There is nothing fancy about it, it comes together easily, and yet it looks great!

• If you’d like you can add strings of popcorn, dollar store lights or knot together licorice for garland.

Note: the star at the top is made out of a Tootsie roll fruit chew. If it is warm in your house, it is going to fall over. The difference in the star shape from cutting it to a few hours later is amazing (it will wilt). Prop it up with the same colored fruit chew behind it (or eliminate the Christmas tree star).

Christmas Cupcake Tree Materials:

• 24 Baked Cupcakes (23 if using the stand shown) using green cupcake liners
• Grass Tip 233
• Frosting Bag
• Spatula
• Cupcake Stand

• Candy. Lots of different candy! Gumdrops, spearmints, peppermint stars, life savers, fruit chew tootsie rolls, jelly beans for lights… the possibilities are endless!

• Green frosting: I used this recipe: Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe (one batch) with a TON of green colorant (enough so your frosting is vibrant or dark green) + ½ tablespoon of meringue powder
• Meringue powder will stiffen to your frosting. If you are transporting and the frosting is touched, instead of smearing, the frosting will just dent (once dry).

Christmas Cupcake Tree Directions:

• Insert a Grass Tip 233 into the end of a pastry bag.
• Load the pastry bag with green frosting.
• Frost the cupcakes by stipling (bouncing up and down) for a pine needle look. Simply squirt from the pastry bag through the Grass Tip 233 and lift. It goes quite quickly, so do not let the tip intimidate you.

• Decorate tops of cupcakes with candy. Since these are your “ornaments” you can go for a theme, a color scheme, or just place random candies on the cupcakes.
• You can decorate all at once before placing the cupcakes into the tree, or do them one-by-one. If you do them all at once, count the cupcakes per row and stagger the height if that is your plan. You want the taller ones on the bottom, a little less tall next shelf, shorter on the top, and maybe one very tall item at the very top. If you decorate a cupcake and place it on the tree, you can easily see what height should come next. You can also have them less “matchy.” These are all one height, but nothing says you have to follow what we did.

• Flatten one fruit chew tootsie roll and cut out a star shape.
• Place it in one cupcake, and that is the tree topper.

• Place cupcakes in the tree stand.
• The tree in this tutorial was done all at once. However, my niece has done this tree many times over the years, so she knew exactly what heights for the candies. If it is your first time making this Christmas Cupcake Tree, and you staggered the heights, I would suggest the one-by-one approach.
• And that’s it. It took about 45 minutes to do this fun little Christmas cupcake tree, and that includes the cupcake baking time!! A fast, easy way to dress up a Christmas party table.

• Disclosure the links in this post may be affiliate links.

• For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

• For more Holiday on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

• If you enjoyed this post, be sure to sign up for the Ann’s Entitled Life weekly newsletter, and never miss another article!