Watching Rachael Ray

Got questions about the BIGGEST food day of the year? Rachael has ya covered, with all sorts of tips and tricks today! We start out in the kitchen with a Rach Family Classic - Mom’s Nut and Cheddar Ball.

Today we have a huge all-star team to help answer questions! Rocco DeSpirito, Sunny Anderson, Ming Tsai, and Aaron McCargo, Jr! They all take a spin and then settle down at the Thanksgiving Table - it looks like the Foodie Version of The View. Colby is in the audience, gaterhing questions for the Foodies to answer.

How much turkey do you buy? Rocco says you need at least 1 pound per person, and 1/2 a pound for leftovers. So basically 1 and 1/2 pounds per person. And then Rach says to go for two smaller turkeys - they cook faster.

How do you defrost a turkey? Sunny says 24 hours for every 5 pounds - plan ahead! And defrost in the fridge. It’s safest. Big Daddy Aaron says he puts it in his tub, sometimes, but really - cooler, big sink, and keep the cool water over it, turn it over a little while. Keep it wrapped and water running. If you FORGET to do all that? Quickest defrosting way - Sunny says go Vegetarian with ToFurkey! Ming says Dominos pizza. Aaron says his is the quickest way.

Dry turkey - can you really keep it moist. Ming shows the secret of keeping it moist - BRINE the Turkey. Use a cooler with equal parts sugar and kosher salt in the water with the turkey. Mix it until it tastes like sweet sea water - keep it cool. Ice (bagged - so it does dilute) or in the garage in the winter for cooler climates - 24 hours. It pulls the juice from the turkey, replacing it with the sweetsaltwater - which makes it cook faster, and it’s extremely juicy. Also - fake out? Warm chicken broth next to the cutting board. Cut it, dip it, drop it on the plate and people THINK it’s the juiciest thing ever. Thanks Rachael’s mom. Ha!

Gravy tips - Rocco’s shocking tip. Hienz pork gravy in a jar as a starter… take all the drippings of the turkey, put it in a fat seperater, pour the juice into the pork gravy starter, and you get perfect gravy every time. Ha! Sunny says “Uh….love ya Rocco, but no.” She has a quick gravy without the tricks. She makes it like my mama does - right in the Turkey roasting pan. She shows quickly how to make a Red Wine Onion Gravy.

Next up - some Turkey Carving Tips from Ray the Butcher. Rocco adds that make the presentation, then bring it back to the kitchen and carve it away from prying eyes. Also, use an electric knife, it does a lot of work for you. Make sure the turkey rests, for 20-30 minutes so the juice stays in, Aaron does it one side at a time - and he slices up the leg, so that no one fights over it. Heh.

Alrighty - putting stuffing in the bird. The table agrees that the crunchy stuff is the good part, cook the stuffing outside the bird. If there’s stuffing in the bird - to get it done, will make the turkey itself very dry. Try Stuffin’ Muffins - cook it in the muffin tin! Cute AND crunchy all over. Yum!

Here’s a viewer tip for you - Saving a stained table cloth.

The perfect Mashed Potatoes - to help soupy potatoes Aaron says to help keep mashed potatoes perfect, use a small bit of instant potatoes. Another tip - add sweet potatoes, and Sunny says she’ll recook them, with cheese. Rocco says that if they’re gummy, add chicken stock, runny, add breadcrumbs.

Difference between sweet potato and a yam? They’re two completely different, though they taste mostly the same. Sweet Potato is the most nutrious potato ever - the yam is the complete opposite. Either one will taste good though, and 99% of the time, the sweet potato is what you find in the store, even if they call it a yam.

Is it ok to use canned/jarred cranberry sauce? Big Daddy has the answer - don’t be scared to make it, keep it simple and try Big Daddy’s Cran-Apply-y Basil Cranberry Sauce. You can even cheat a little by starting with canned cranberry sauce. unless you try - you’ll never know.

Viewer Tip - Pumpkin Centerpiece.

Fool Proof Pie Crust? Rach waits for her sister to bring the pie. Ha! Rocco suggests that if you are bringing the pie make sure you make it yourself. It’s 3-2-1 Three parts flour, 2 parts fat, 1 part ice cold water. Easy to remember, add a little salt and sugar, it’s easy. Rach can even remember it. Ha!

What the heck do we do with all the leftovers! Sunny uses the stuffing, roll them into balls, roll them in seasoning and pan fry it and serve it with pesto. Rocco thinks breakfast! Eggs go with everything. He snags the gravy, and makes his Thanksgiving Egg Cake. I may have to try that one - looks YUMMY!

Whew! All of that AND What’s for dinner tonight? Cran-Raisin Barbecue sauce over chicken, and cider sweet potatoes.

Whew. What a PACKED episode of Thanksgiving Tip Goodness! Final thoughts? Sunny, in her interest of going green - if you do paper plate, use BYOP - bring your own plate. They can fill up their plate of leftovers and take it home! Less trees, less dishes. Big Daddy wants crispy skin - 2 pts butter 1 pt mayo, garlic and herbs, under the skin on the skin, wrap it up then 1 hour before it’s done take off the foil and crisp away! Ming - House cocktail! Cranberry juice, reduced with ginger, put it in the bottom of champagne flute - with champagne or sparkling cider. But of course - go get his book! Rocco takes us home with gratitude not attitude, and connect through food. Stay in the moment, do what you can do, cheat as MUCH as you want, you have his permission, enjoy your family and friends. Don’t lose the moment by trying to do too much. And, of course, he has a book too. ha!