I love gravy at Thanksgiving and Christmas or any time that I have turkey and dressing. I cannot stand at the stove long enough to brown the oil and flour. I don't need a lot of gravy. The mixes and bottles of store gravy are just not getting it for me.
Remember how well Tommy makes white sauce? Well, a little bit of oil and some flour are all I need along with ground sage and some pepper. So, this is the plan. He can sit on his walker and stir the gravy, making sure it is smooth and that it does not brown. I don't even care if it is smooth! Lumpy gravy works.
In my state, I must plan ahead! Food is a big part of most holidays. I don't cook as many things as I did for holiday meals in the past. I do have a turkey breast in the freezer gotten the first of the year and a bag of Ocean Spray Cranberries in the freezer. I can have Thanksgiving dinner with no shopping. Of course, I will shop for good prices, but that might be after the holidays.
So, that is the plan--homemade gravy. I have not made gravy in years. I will freeze the flour and oil mixture and finish it just before eating it.
There are other plans that I will share with you later. Now, I am going down for a nap.
Okay, I took a short nap.
Tommy was eating his dinner he heated. Well, Microwave Man may have learned something. I asked how was his steak. He said he thought he reheated it too long in the microwave. He said it was tough. I did not say "I told you so" or remind him of what I have told him. I am having chicken breast, with cheddar and broccoli with carrots.
Today, other than a lack of sleep last night, I feel better. This is how allergies go with me, causing me to end up ill and needing an antibiotic.I awoke Tuesday with malaise and no symptoms of illness.
Once upon a time, not too many years ago, I was capable of starting on Wednesday, and by Thursday, I had cakes, pies, turkey and dressing, gravy with giblets, potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce and half a dozen other sides ready to eat. Now? Not so much. I don't have energy. Of course, over the years I got smart and cooked a few things ahead, like cakes and pies.
This is a new plan, making the roux for gravy and freezing. It is the first time I have ever had anyone do the stirring and browning. And, it is the first time Tommy has made gravy. Of course, I will add broth and pan drippings and diced, boiled eggs for the final product.
Do you have any long-term plans for cooking ahead of time for Thanksgiving Day? Do you cook differently now than you did years ago?
Other than cooking less, I do not cook much differently than I did before. Of course there are just two of us now and that makes a big difference.
ReplyDeleteAnne,
DeleteI do make less. But, I am not getting up at 6 am to get it all done by early afternoon. And, as you know, I don't have that kind of energy and body would not last.
The week before thanksgiving I make one or two things each day, so I cam have my energy saved up for the big day. Have you thought about getting a stool to sit on and cook at the stove? I’ve done that for years now.
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteCooking a bit each day for about a week is my plan. I will either freeze or store things that will last that long. I thought about a stool. However, my back hurts too much perched on a stool. Plus, Tommy and I could not move about at all. It may happen one of these days. Still, I could not work much.
I do cook Thanksgiving dinner much differently from years ago.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived at home, on Thanksgiving morning Dad and my brothers would go out deer hunting before sunrise. Mom and I would spend the entire forenoon making turkey, dressing, potatoes, green bean casserole, pies, & gravy. The guys would come home at noon and that's when we ate our big meal. Supper (dinner for fancy folks) that night was leftovers.
As a young wife/mom, my kids never really liked any typical Thanksgiving foods. So I just made meals they liked, and it was fine.
Now, as an older, cranky tired beeyotch, I'd like to order a full meal delivered from one of the local, higher-end grocery stores (like Whole Foods). To hell with the cost; I think I deserve the day off. Maybe this year is the year to do it! :^)
The only things I would make (ahead of time) are my incomparable cranberry chutney, with mashed cauliflower and a veggie-only casserole that I can stuff my face with and not worry about carbs.
Sue,
DeleteI do think ordering a meal is a splendid idea! Mama cooked the whole meal on Thanksgiving Day, too. Your idea is the best!!!
PS I do make gravy, but with butter, not oil.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of that until I read Leanna's post.
DeleteEqual parts butter and flour: 2 tbs of each should do the trick!
DeleteSue,
DeleteThanks. I will keep those proportions in mind. Some day, I will make gravy with butter.
Gosh, I haven't even thought about Thanksgiving yet! You are good to plan ahead.
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeleteI have to plan ahead or there will be no Thanksgiving...lol. I cannot do it all in two or three days.
I make my Thanksgiving or Christmas gravy with butter. So much tastier than oil and it browns better too. Make the gravy with 1/2 cup broth and 1/2 cup milk. It makes it creamy.
ReplyDeleteAlso a day ahead when you make the cranberries, try adding only 1/2 cup of white cane sugar to 2 cups cranberries and one tablespoon of orange zest as the cranberries cook on low flame. Then I pour the cranberry mixture into a plastic container with an airtight lid and refrigerate overnight. This cranberry mixture is good on vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Leanna,
DeleteI add very little sugar to the fresh cranberries, otherwise, they are too sweet. I guess we both like them tart. I prefer no orange. Someday, I will make gravy with butter, just not this Thanksgiving. I like to have fresh and canned cranberry sauce.
I have always planned long term for my Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. The Thanksgiving turkey is almost always purchased at the post-holiday sale, for under $1.00/lb. In fact, this year's turkey is in the freezer. I rarely have to shop for the supplies for Thanksgiving dinner. I am freely admitting that our cranberry sauce comes from cans, and those cans are from our pantry, which are typically dented cans, purchased at $0.49. Stuffing is boxed or bagged, but I make it the day before, sautéing onions and celery in butter, and using chicken broth and herbs. It gets put in a buttered casserole dish, and popped in the refrigerator. I do a similar thing with the sweet potato casserole my husband loves. (It's not Thanksgiving unless I forget to take the dish out of the broiler before the marshmallows are blackened.) Actually, our Thanksgiving dinner is probably one of the easiest I make. Pretty much everything is done in the oven, it just goes in at different times. The only exceptions are the mashed potatoes. As for gravy, I simply thicken the pan gravy with flour--sometimes I have my husband pour the gravy from the roasting pan in the saucepan, other times I simply make it right in the roasting pan, after the bird is removed to the trenched cutting board to tent. (I have a roasting pan similar to this which makes it easy to take the turkey out of the pan once it's out of the oven. It was worth every penny!)https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-7117-16UR-Classic-Stainless-Rectangular/dp/B003YLJZ6M/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=385PLDVRTN2ZU&keywords=cuisinart+roasting+pan+with+rack&qid=1695832144&sprefix=cuisinart+roas%2Caps%2C356&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
ReplyDeleteMeg B,
DeleteThat sounds like a good plan. Daddy wanted his gravy brown and we put diced, boiled eggs in ours. A plan that works is always good.
No, because I hate to cook! I cook, and actually I'm not a bad cook, I'd just rather be doing something else. Call me a lazy cook!
ReplyDeleteI'd rather bake goodies!! :-)
SusieQ,
DeleteLazy is fine! I actually like to cook. I only like to bake certain things, so I suppose it all comes out in the wash.
if you want some easy, homemade tasting gravy, buy a jar of Heinz gravy and add 1/2 stick of butter (not margarine) and a cup of wine. it tastes like homemade
ReplyDeleteJulia2343,
DeleteThen, I would have to buy wine...lol. That might be delicious. What kind of wine?
Considering your health limitations, I think I'd go to a restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner. I now live in an independent living facility so we have a very nice T'giving dinner that I go to when I don't have other plans. When my husband was alive sometimes we would go to a restaurant for the occasion if we had no other plans. In my more active days, I enjoyed preparing the dinner.
ReplyDeleteCarole,
DeleteI love leftovers too much! That is the only reason I cook Thanksgiving dinner. However, it is a good idea and option. My health limitations are also why I start so early. I may even bake the turkey breast in October and freeze it until then.