Mmmm... Christmas dinner

Merry Christmas, everyone!

The classics are classic for a reason - they're awesome and you never get tired of them. We made pretty much the same stuff for Christmas dinner this year as last year. Recipes can be found here.

A few notes from this year's feast:

1) My sister made some rumblings about deposing Head Chef..... just before she realized she'd put salt instead of sugar in the cranberry sauce. HA! You might get rid of me someday, Sous Chef, but not today.

2) Turkey: Building on the success of brined, grilled chicken in the summer, I decided to brine our turkey this year. The day before you're to cook it, make the brine in a vessel large enough to submerge the turkey. Tip: Don't stick the turkey in first and make the brine around the turkey, because then you won't be able to taste it. Same goes as with the chicken - salt so it tastes like seawater, then add a touch of sugar so you can barely just taste it, and any aromatics you see fit (peppercorns, herb, garlics, etc.). Cover and stick it in the fridge overnight if it will fit, or anywhere else that cool - including the great outdoors - as long as your vessel is well-sealed and secured. Don't forget to take the turkey out of the brine and let it come fully to room temperature before you cook it.

3) Gravy - I usually use the grocery store powdered packets. I don't know what possessed me, but this year I decided to try a newfangled organic brand. Big mistake not getting my usual as a backup - the organic stuff had a seriously funky aftertaste. No worries - gravy is easy enough to make. Melt about two tbsp of butter and toast 2 tbsp of flour in it. You've just made a roux, which can be used to thicken the pan drippings. Milk and/or store-bought chicken stock can help you stretch the gravy to a few more portions, as well as dilute it if the drippings are too salty. I tend not to like apple cider or brandy in my gravy, but feel free to embellish as you please.

Some suggestions for the leftovers:

Christmas Shepherd's Pie - layer turkey, stuffing and brussels sprouts in a microwaveable container. Pour in a little gravy and top with mashed potatoes. Will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. Nuke it for 3-5 minutes to revive.

Turkey Chop Suey Noodles - Sauté some sliced onion until browned. Throw in some shredded turkey meat (and possibly some leftover veggies as well). Toss in some cooked noodles and splash in a little gravy for sauce.

Turkey Broth - Throw the bones into a stock pot with enough water to cover it. Simmer for at least 2 hours and salt to taste. Turkey broth is amazingly flavorful - you'd swear there was MSG in it. It's good straight up, or for making turkey pho. Once you finish the first pot, boil the bones up in a fresh pot of water for stock to freeze. It'll be too watery to drink as soup, but will still give depth to any soup recipe in the place of water. Freeze it in ice cube trays and it'll keep pretty much forever.