There will be many first-time Thanksgiving cooks this year as small groups stay home, if media reports prove to be accurate.
In addition to the wealth of information available on the internet and experienced family and friends who are just a phone call away, there are hotlines to turn to no matter the question or the time of day.
The oldest and most popular is the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, which has been covered by staff cooks since 1981. The talk line can be reached at 800-BUTTERBALL with more than 50 experts who answer a wide variety of cooking questions. You can text 844-877-3456. The talk line operates through November and December, between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thanksgiving Day, or as late as 9 the night before.
The USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline is available in English and Spanish answering questions about the safe handling and consumption of raw poultry. Dial: 888-674-6854 year-round Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST.
The folks at Ocean Spray have their own hotline where they answer questions about cranberry sauce. Call 800-662-3263 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST the day before Thanksgiving, or between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. EST on the holiday.
After you cook and eat the feast you can relax and think about what you can do with the leftovers besides make hot and cold turkey sandwiches. There are vast numbers of recipes for soups, casseroles, frittatas, stir-fries, enchiladas, shepherd’s pies, potpies, tetrazzini and this recipe for an easy quiche from Foodnetwork.com:
Turkey and Stuffing Quiche
Crust:
One 9-inch frozen pie shell
Filling:
1 cup crumbled leftover stuffing
1 cup chopped leftover turkey
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
¼ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Custard:
1¼ cups half-and-half
3 large eggs
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Par-bake the crust according to package directions. Let cool slightly before adding the filling.
For the filling:
2. Sprinkle the stuffing and turkey in the par-baked shell. Top with the Cheddar and parsley. Season with a little salt and pepper.
For the custard:
3. Whisk together the half and half, eggs, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.
4. Pour the custard over the filling. Adjust the oven temperature to 350°F and bake until set, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.
Have a warm and safe Thanksgiving.
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
