How the Turkey Survived (Food-Know-It-All)

Ok, I know the title sounds like the beginning of a bad joke but it's the only thing that would come to my mind. So, it stuck. The holidays are coming up and many of us will have turkey as the featured meat during a meal.

Turkey is synonymous with the holidays, Thanksgiving & Christmas. No rule says we must have it. Our history books tell us that was fish, shellfish, venison, & waterfowl along with Turkey on the 1st Thanksgiving. So, why is Turkey the only protein survivor? Who said "Christmas Turkey"? Ok, Let's talk Turkey!

Turkey became the choice because of historical influence & economically pragmatic reasons. By the time Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving in 1863 as a national holiday in the USA, many eminent figures in the country's past gave high praise to the turkey. William Bradford's diary, Of Plymouth Plantation, included turkey in the first Thanksgiving meal.

Before turkey farms, turkeys were caught in the wild. So as Thanksgiving started becoming a celebration, there were more turkeys to catch than the other animals. Turkeys are not serviceable as other animals. They aren't used for a milk or egg source. Turkeys are also uniquely American. It is a native bird to the USA, Canada, & Mexico. Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey as the country's bird over the bald eagle. So for many years, turkeys were talked about especially. Even Alexander Hamilton is documented saying "No citizen shall refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day". So, the turkey "seed" was planted with the founding of the country. So before the November holiday became major, turkey was already center stage.

Winter holidays have been pricey for generations. Turkey is large enough to feed a table full of hungry guests. The bird is thought to be the most cost-effective protein. They are cheaper per pound than chicken. And it is also cheaper & easier to raise than geese, the former traditional yuletide bird. Turkeys (farm raise & wild) are born in the spring and eat a diet of worms, insects, corn, & nuts to make them grow 10+ pounds in 6-7 months.

Those big birds can feed the multitude. Many food chroniclers feel like the iconic status of the turkey yuletide meal was popularized by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol, published in 1843 (20 years before American Thanksgiving became a national holiday). It is believed that Scrooge's gift of a turkey was to help Mrs. Cratchit with meals to feed the family. Many sneer their noses at leftovers these days but then they were needed. That leftover turkey could make soup for a few days to warm the kids after playing in the cold while on school break. Bob could have a few sandwiches for lunch. And though the Crachits are fictional, that kind of poverty was(is) not. A lot of real people were (are) making those meals for that reason.

So, that is how the turkey survived. Unlike deer and seafood, that big bird is a beloved native that helps lessen a hit or two to our bank accounts.

Ok here's a question, who makes the best turkey, for you? You? Your Grandmother? Your Mother? A Mom & Pop Diner? A Luxury Department Store? In my opinion, my cousin, blog name Cha-Cha makes the Best turkey.  I think my whole family agrees. It is moist, tender, and very flavorful. And with her permission, I am sharing her recipe. It is her take on Ree Drummond's(The Pioneer Woman) recipe. Her recipe takes out the salt, butter, and cooks it in a bag. We are a roasting bag kind of family. We don't stay up to baste anything. LoL

Cha-Cha's Roasted Turkey
Turkey "Brine"
Ingredients

• 3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
• 2 gallons Cold Water
• 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
• 2-1/2 cups Garlic Powder
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 3 Tblsp Peppercorns
• 5 whole Bay Leaves
• Peel Of Three Large Oranges

 Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until garlic powder and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover. 
2. Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in "brine" solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. 
3. When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside. 
4. Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

Roasted Turkey Method
Ingredients

• 1 whole Turkey, Brined 
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 1 whole Orange
• 2 whole Fresh Rosemary Sprigs, Leaves Stripped And Minced
• 1 teaspoon Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper

• Roasting Bag, Turkey Size
• 1 Tbs Flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Remove the turkey from the "brine" Pat the turkey dry and place in a sink. 
3. Using a vegetable peeler, shave off thick slices of orange peel and slice them very thin. Combine with oil, rosemary, garlic, and pepper. Smear the oil mixture all over the skin, in crevices, etc so that it is fully covered. 
4. Shake flour inside the roasting bag and place in a large roasting pan that is at least 2 inches deep.
5. Carefully slide turkey into the oven bag, breast side up. Close oven bag with the included nylon tie and cut six 1/2 inch slits in the top of the bag.
6. Baking time varies depending on the size of your turkey. (Times are at end of recipe)
7. When your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 180°F in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, remove it from the oven and let stand in the oven bag for another 15 minutes. Cut open the top of the bag and carefully remove turkey from the bag, and place it onto a cutting board
8. Cover loosely with clean aluminum foil until you're ready to carve!

Turkey Cooking Times

• 1.5-2 hours for 8-12 lb turkeys
• 2-2.5 hours for 12-16 lb turkeys
• 2.5-3 hours for 16-20 lb turkeys
• 3-3.5 hours for 20-24 lb turkey

Pair that with the actual food star on our family's table, my mother's green bean casserole, and my plate is complete. LoL I need to do some sit-ups just thinking about it.

No matter what you have on your table remember those who are less fortunate and be grateful for whatever you have. Not to sound cliche, all of it is truly about the reason for the holiday season. It is about the peace, happiness, joy, & love that we are blessed with. If material things are how you define the word Blessed, then your dictionary is wrong. Be Thankful! Be Joyful! Be Blessed!

As Always Talking To You In Adult Terms

When the Things You Do Speak For You (October Awareness)

Death came by the Pink & Purple Love sides of my world. It took me a most of this month to type this post. One reason is because these deaths were actually personal & close to my loved ones & me.

The other is because both deaths made me react on both ends of the grief spectrum. It something I had to process. It was wild, I couldn't think of one bad thing for one and one good thing for another. I've never felt that way about people I know when they die.

Yeah, the purple side was the person I couldn't find anything good about this person. This person was an abusive perpetrator but I didn't know that for a long time. I didn't know that when the victim left the relationship, years later.

So when this person died, I felt a tinge of guilt for ragging on them when I got the news (pray for me). So, I decided to think on the good things about them. I know other people who were/are abusive and I seen them do some good. The only thing I could think of was this person's laugh. They laughed like the cartoon dog, Muttley and my cousin, DD & I (ages 6 & 8) determine that was weird & crazy, a long time ago. So, I waited until after the person's services & learned it was a quiet & short affair of mostly family. I did learn that person taught someone I know how to fish. Fishing is Very relaxing to the person I know. I decided to take that point and let that be that person's good. In the end, it between their God and them anyway.

The person on the pink side didn't passed away from breast cancer. This person is the one who first to introduce part of my world to Breast Cancer Awareness.

This person brought info, drives, seminars and screenings (other diseases also) to my world. Breast Cancer Awareness was just something others did until this person presented to us. This month, a few programs have been dedicated to the memory of this person. I saw photos of the event. People were styled & smiled in their pink. The fight may have lost a solider but their work still lives on.

The song featured was play at the funeral of the person on the pink side. I was thinking about the lyrics and we all should incoporate them to our lives. If we took the time to think about what the things we do actually spoke for us, we wouldn't do most of the stuff we do. When we are resting in our graves, would you want people to think long about your goodness or your goodness outshine everything that could be said?

Well, it's time for me do something that will speak for me. I have on purple & pink and hopefully that speaks volumes.

As Always Talking To You In Adult Terms

All I Can Tell You Guys Is...

Don't Boo, Vote!!!

Have a vision? Make the right decision! Vote!

You can’t complain if you don’t VOTE!

Vote: It’s your right

Go Vote! Go Vote!! Got Vote!!!

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Hgh School Crushes, Would You Date Them As Adults?

I swear I watch a lot of shows that make me happy I am older. Black & Sexy TV has a show, Hello Cupid Reboot that does this very thing. The premise of the show includes two best friends (Baron & Derick) from high school, an unrequited high school crush (Mo), a dating app (Hello Cupid) & a bet.

Oh & the backdrop is a few days, maybe weeks before a 10 year high school reunion. Yep, the shenanigans are hilarious.

But the part that best friends don't know that we, the Black & Sexy TV fans know is their high school crush as an adult has a high strung attitude when she gets mad. We've seen her go off on her last boyfriend on a previous show called Chef Julian Since midway episode one, I've been waiting on her to go off. Heck, I would and I think I am much more level headed than Mo.

But the show got me to thinking, would anyone really want to date their high school crushes as adults.

Look at those roller prints

Changing Faces Inspired

Most people change at least a little bit as they get older. One of the very reasons why, I probably wouldn't date anyone I had a crush on in high school, they aren't the same. They changed. We all did, I hope. I did. I don't wear foam rollers to bed every night. I did in high school. Thanks to Facebook telling me I might know people, I think most of my crushes are married. Only 2, that I know of are single.

I didn't know those people

And they aren't "my type", now. One is now Muslim. Yeah, that an easy no. I'm a Christian. And the other guy, I've seen at an event in the recent past. He was very unnecessarily dismissive. He wedged himself in a conversation and the only thing he said to me was to smugly justify his intrusion. He wasn't rude high school. Well, I didn't think he was.

That is another thing to realize about crushes, the perceived fantasy. How many of our high school crushes were based off of known non-physical personality facts? My guess is very little.

Yep, I believed the movies
LoL

The guy who is Muslim now, was so cute to me. A classmate of mine told him I liked him and he came and introduced himself to me during lunch. He so was nice & courteous to me when in each other's presence. But one day I sat and thought over an incident where his buds jokingly told him I was a few table near at lunch, he didn't stop them.

Actually, he kind of snickered at some of the jeers. Then later on he saw me and pleasantly spoke. I, like a dumb butt in lust greeted him back. He was just being cordial but for some naïve reason I heard a R&B love ballad. His reaction with buds became a lesson later in life. And trust me, unrequited crushes teach you lessons for a lifetime.

Matter of fact, finding out a few of my crushes thought I was "too much of a good girl", "ugh" or "my buddy, here" was a lifesaver. Back then phrases like those stung my feelings or confused me.

My Favorite School Picture

Now, I feel like a guy saying I'm "too much of a good girl" means he didn't want to do a lot of work to get in between my legs. And that's alright. That "diss" was protection from heartbreak, teen pregnancy, STDs, & a reputation I didn't need & want. And I thank God for giving me the mind not to show that guy how "wrong" he was, but one to move forward & later learn from those moments. Moments that help me handle life as an adult now. *sigh* Isn't it good wisdom is not wasted on the young.

Maybe two of the characters are still stuck in the fantasy of their high school crush. Oh but I will have my popcorn ready for when the adult truth hits. Oh high school crushes, may they forever stay the pure imagine of love & light, we thought we wanted.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Probably The Most Expensive French Fries Ever

This food news is not a my business but I am talking about it any way. I was listening to The Black Geeks podcast and this story came up. I had to find some articles(Here & Here) because what I heard was so unbelievable. 

Most Expensive French Fries' On Sale For $12.99

On the night of Sept. 7, an allegedly drunk woman in the Washington D.C restaurant, Italian Kitchen on U Street took three French fries from a plate that weren't hers. The person she stole from was a uniformed police officer. She took 2 fries and the officer didn't like that. He told her not to do that again. She was stealing from his plate. She then took another French fry and the officer arrested her. She has been charged with 2nd degree theft. Theft of property in the 2nd degree in some places is a Class C felony. In DC, when property stolen used or obtained has some measurable value, punishable by fines not more $1,000 or imprisoned for not exceeding 180 days, or both.

$3.49 could possibly turn into all of that. I hope not. Actually I doubt it will. But it could.

But the this story also bring out an occurrence that is common but we rarely talking about it until it is happening to us. "Keep your hands in your plate". "Get off of my plate".  People who help themselves to the food your plates are weird. It's bad manners to say the least. It's also a problem with being over familiar or comfortable with others. I know a few of people who complain that their spouses do that. I was watching, maybe a web show where a girlfriend purposely order something different so her boyfriend & she could "share" but the guy didn't see it that way. She waited for him to leave the table for a moment and took a bite too many. And yes, he noticed. I can't even imagine a stranger eating off my plate. I understand the police officer's frustration. If the laws fully gave the residents to do seize offenders, Citizen's Arrests would increase with a comical percentage of people apprehending those stealing off of other's food plates.

So, let's just make a great habit Not to Eat Off of Other's Plates. Whether you are sober or inebriated, leave other's food alone. It could cost you. And trust me that small bite is not worth the trouble. Just Ask!!!

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Southern USA 1 - Disney & Cooking Panda 0

It is a part of my profession to keep up with food news & trends. I have never heard a Frank Ocean tune but I know about a whopperito. I'll listen to Frank Ocean before I ever eat a whopperito but I know what it is. It's my job & this week my job made my Southern mind itch. Disney & Cooking Panda's take on Southern classics were the comical irritants. It is okay for them to be inspired by the classics but Never call a thing a thing if it's not that thing.

When you wish upon the Southern star, make sure you never mess up the gumbo. Poor Disney! They tried to debut a healthy "gumbo" to the masses and failed big time.

Tiana maybe a one of their princesses now but nobody is going to let Disney disrespect gumbo. Clearly they didn't consult Leah Chase on this recipe like they did for the movie, The Princess & the Frog. It didn't have a roux. Adding flour & oil in the middle of the recipe is not a roux. That's just thickens the dish. It had quinoa it. My grandfather, who didn't like rice ate gumbo over mashed potatoes.

Quinoa is still a grain & looks better than mashed potatoes. I could deal with that. But the adding of the kale was the true slap in the face. Disney erased the recipe before it gave a reason for adding kale. My guesses are 1) Another vegetable benefit, 2) To make it thicker without the roux calories 3) Just wanting to be different.

Gumbo is already full of amazing vegetables & fruits like okra, tomatoes, & peppers that kale was not needed. Also, there are ways to make a roux that is less in calories than the traditional recipe. I hope Disney is going back to the drawing board on making a healthy gumbo. I don't understand how they fail at modifying it, hey have a gumbo on their menu at one their restaurants in Disneyland. I do have a few suggestions.

• Use canola oil instead of butter with the flour to make a roux
• Instead of andouille sausage use smoked turkey or chicken or smoked paprika for that "rich smoky" taste. Also that lowers the sodium in the recipe
• Use shrimp stock, vegetable stock, or water instead of chicken stock. Sometimes meat stocks still contain small amounts of fat that weren't fully removed

Disney didn't have to erase their recipe. I know gumbo is derived from the West African word kingombo meaning okra. I know of an old Southern Lima Bean & Okra soup recipe that has survived with slapping a gumbo name on it. I feel calling it a gumbo inspired stew or soup may have been more appropriate. Disney, keep the recipe but ditch the name.

I've seen & eaten a few variations of sweet potato pie in my life. I've seen the potatoes sliced like apples instead of mashing them. Sarah Lee & Pappadeux have products & dishes that combine it with pecan pie that people like.

Then there is  the recipe that Cooking Panda has on their Facebook page. At the end of it the video, the recipe is called "Stuffed Sweet Potato Pie". Maybe if they had lead with the name, I might have not been so freaked out about the recipe.

Though my mind would've thought a "Stuffed Sweet Potato Pie would've looked like a "Sweet Potato Pocket", the blow might have been lessened. The first thing noticeable about this pie recipe was the missing of seasonings. September 1st, everybody but me celebrated the beginning of  Pumpkin Pie Spice time.

The only thing I put pumpkin pie spice in is sweet potato pie. It's a money saver. But you at least put cinnamon & nutmeg in sweet potato pie along with the sugar, milk, & butter (that are in the recipe). But that was not the weird thing about the recipe. They put half the filling in the crust then put parmesan cheese on top of that layer before topping it off with the other half of the potato filling.

Yes, I said parmesan cheese. I am still confused. Maybe Cooking Panda should change the name & idea of this being a pie to a quiche. It's cooked in a spring form pan (makes cheesecakes, flourless cakes & quiches) so, it could be could a quiche. That's what Cooking Panda made a Sweet Potato Quiche!

America is a melting pot. Yes, I know. But it is important that we know the proper names of it's ingredients. Non-Southerners, its like calling every apple organic, even though many of them have be treated with chemicals. I guess recipes like these should be expected. This is the land where Basic Cornbread Dressing is still thought to be Innovative version of Thanksgiving stuffing in magazines & websites. The South may never "Rise Again" but All Southerners will Rise to protect the integrity of it's recipes.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

My Weaknesses (But I LOVE Them)

We all like a few things excessively. And those likes get us in trouble sometimes. They can hit our pockets, space, time, & heart hard.

Bookshelf Goals

Books So, in December be prepared to find out how I saved money on books this year. LoL If you ever come inside my bedroom you will see my book weakness. My book shelf is filled so, my dresser contains four neat stacks of books that I like. There are also two boxes set aside for books that I dislike and I can reach in and give away for book drives. My new Kindle, I got for Christmas is already at 85% capacity. I do plan to erase all the free cookbooks that I never use. I always say people will pay for what they want. Apparently, I want books.

Black men that speak grammatical English As I type this section I am actually listening to my YouTube crush(Not Telling), who is one of these guys. I date a lot of code switchers. I'm one and I like dating myself. Some women love a slang talking thugs. In my offline world, guys of all races who speak 75% slang come a dime a dozen. But I have a thing for guys who "speak proper" or "are so articulate". The best examples of these kind of men are black news anchors & Wayne Brady(And you know how I feel about Wayne Brady #bestillmyheart). It's not that I diss guys that speak slang all the time. It just that listening to guys who talk like they paid attention to 80% of Language Arts or English class in school is sexy. A guy who mumbles can still be a good guy. I just wish he enunciated, that's all. And the guy who speaks the King's English can still be a jerk. And that's the downfall. I clearly understand if he is saying crap. Then I feel like I wasted my time lusting after him speaking to me. Grammar doesn't indicate personality. Personality does count higher than speech. But yeah, it's safe to say my dream guy is probably a code switcher

Dress Clothes (Especially Dress Suits) In a world where casual wear is becoming the norm, I actually love dressing up. I have since I was a child. I own two pairs of jeans but I have no clue how many dressy items I own. The ratio to dressy skirts to casual skirts in my wardrobe is 5:2. Nothing screams being "dressed up" like dress suits. I wore a lot of them in high school. Yes, I went to school some days in suits. "Oh it's Tuesday, let me wear my blue & white peplum suit. I remember searching for prom dresses and I saw a formal suit in the JC Penny bridal catalog (telling my age) and I wore it to prom.

My life long suit goal is a cape suit. That goes back to childhood also. Remember the cape outfit Phillis Nefler wore during the cookie fashion show in Troop Beverly Hills, I do. I got close to owning one. I was in college, shopping at a discount boutique. It was pink & brown and it was calling my name. It was an $800 suit marked down to $230. I was working as bookshelver in the school's library making minimum wage. So, I saved to get that suit. It was gone by that time. I just bought another suit. Now, capes are making a resurgence in the fashion world. Yes, all the styles I want are in the higher price ranges but I see some cute ones in my price range too. I Shall Own a Cape Suit!!!

Clutch Purses Yes this summer, I was walking into the rooms, Purse First. In D.C., one lady gave me an approving head nod when I entered a party. It's like Bob, the Drag gave me my own "walking with my clutch" anthem. I just make sure I keep up with mine. Clutch purses are another weakness that stems from childhood. My mother had an everyday purse (a black leather for the cooler seasons & and straw bag for the warmer seasons) and several clutch purses in black, blue, & taupe for Sundays. I knew when I got older I was going to carry those.

My bestie, TT got me that one

Forgot to take
the removable straps off

That day came when I finally felt I was too old to put my money in one side of my bra and my keys safety pinned to the other side when going out on the town. I cut the straps off a free with purchase purse and had a clutch purse. My collection of clutch purse is nice. Some people have even called me to borrow purse because they know I might have the right one. My friends know if they need a gift idea for me, always go with a clutch(or a book gift card). I've even given them as gifts. Why walk around at an event with your bulky everyday purse getting in the way. Just carry the basics in your clutch and enjoy yourself.

Pink Lip Color It shocks me when that I even still wear pink lip color. My mother only bought me pink & red lipstick until I was a senior in high school.

I started wearing lip stick at 12. I didn't wipe it off well on the bus ride home. My uncle's widow called me out as I entered the house. My mother looked at me and asked "Do you want to wear lipstick". I said "Yes" and I got to wear it. I remember it well because my uncle (mother's brother) died the evening before. I knew my mother's grief allowed me to wear lipstick. Grief's spell could only hold so long so, I played by her unspoken "rules" of color purchase. She laughs when I tell her my preteen fear, now. It does sound rather comical. I own a lot of pink lip colors. I looked at the other colors in my Caboodle and it out ranks them all. Purples were what made my pink weakness really stand out. I own one purple lipstick, one purple lip liner, & one purple gloss.

I own pink, fuchsia, mauve, rose, pale pink in lipstick, gloss, & liner forms. One of the liners broke while I was preparing for this post. And that picture is just what's in my Caboodle. There's probably some pink emergency colors in my everyday bag. I guess my lips Think Pink.

So, those are my top 5 weaknesses. Do I want you guys to leave yours in the comments? I sure do! What are they? I wanna know.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms