Archive for the ‘Healthy Meals’ Category
Roast Turkey
March 20th, 2009 | 
Author: Making a roast turkey is very easy to do. We cook a lot of turkey in our household because it is a good source of protein and it can be used in a variety of dishes. Most of the time is spent cooking. It is not as hard as it looks.
Start by obtaining a whole bird and make sure it is completely thawed, first. Note its weight and plan for a cooking time according to the table below:
| Net Weight | Unstuffed (Hrs.) | Stuffed (Hrs.) |
| 14 – 16 Lbs. | 3 – 3 ½ Hrs. | 3 ½ – 3 ¾ Hrs. |
| 16 – 18 Lbs. | 3 ½ – 3 ¾ Hrs. | 3 ¾ – 4 Hrs. |
| 18 – 20 Lbs. | 3 ¾ – 4 Hrs. | 4 – 4 ½ Hrs. |
| 20 – 22 Lbs. | 4 – 4 ½ Hrs. | 4 ½ – 5 Hrs. |
| 22 – 24 Lbs. | 4 ½ – 5 Hrs. | 5 – 5 ½ Hrs. |
Note: the actual cooking time may vary from this chart. The turkey will be done when the temperature in the deepest part of the thigh reaches 180° and when the juices are clear when the thigh muscle is carved (not reddish pink).
Shown below is a shot of the ingredients that I use to prepare the turkey before roasting: olive oil, sage, thyme, a brush and a cooking thermometer.
I will add about 1/4 cup of olive oil to a small dish (shown above), then I will add about 2 – 3 tsp of thyme and about 1 to 1 1/2 tsp of sage to the dish.
Rinse the cavities of the bird with fresh water and clean them out. Remove the neck and giblet pack. Place the turkey in a roasting pan breast side up and arrange the neck and giblets in a free space in the pan.
Preheat the oven to 325°.
Brush the skin with the oil and spice mix. This will prevent drying of the skin and will add flavor. Optionally, lightly salt the skin after brushing the oil and spice mix.
Insert the thermometer in the deepest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
Shown below is a shot of the prepared turkey, ready to cook. By now, the oven should be ready.
Place the roasting pan and turkey in the oven so the thermometer is visible, close the door and set a timer for about 2/3rds of the amount of cooking time. In this case I am cooking an 18 lb. unstuffed bird, so I will set the timer for about 2 hours and 45 minutes.
After the turkey has been cooking for about 2/3rds of the cooking time, cover the breast with a piece of aluminum foil to keep from overcooking the breast.
Close the door and set the timer for about 30 minutes less than the remaining cooking time. Check it at that time to make sure you don’t overcook. Continue cooking until it is done, checking it every 10 or 15 minutes. When the thermometer reaches 180°, the bird is done.
Shown below is a shot of the finished turkey. It is ready to carve.
After carving the turkey, you can make a delicious soup from the carcass. That way you don’t waste anything.
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Ground Beef with Mushrooms and Onions
This is a very simple recipe with a lot of possibilities. It can be prepared fairly quickly and easily (about 10 – 15 minutes). This dish can given a completely different character by using the various seasoning options.
I like the basic garlic and oregano version, but the other two seasoning options are equally good. One of the unusual ways to season this dish is to use toasted onions. Toasted onions used to be available in most stores in the spice section, but lately I haven’t seen them. You will have to find them either at a store that offers imported foods or you will have to obtain them online. You can add them dry after cooking or you can add them during cooking. I prefer to add them during cooking.
The third seasoning option is to use a little toasted sesame oil during cooking. Toasted sesame oil is available at most health food stores.
Ground Beef with Mushrooms and Onions
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 10 oz Sliced mushrooms
- 1 Medium onion
- Seasoning
Divide the ground beef into 4 parts and make 4 patties. Grill the patties until done. Chop the onion and add to a frying pan. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes over a medium flame. Add seasoning while cooking. Top each patty with a portion of the cooked mushrooms and onions.
Seasoning Options (choose one from the following):
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder (or granulated garlic) and oregano
- Salt plus toasted onions (chopped/minced)
- Salt, pepper and toasted sesame oil
First, divide the pound of ground beef into 4 patties, then grill them.
While the meat is cooking, chop the onion and add the chopped onions to a frying pan. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes or until done. Season the vegetables while they are cooking using one of the seasoning options.
Top each beef patty with the cooked and seasoned vegetables. Serve hot.
