You
made it! As an empowered cook, you now have skills that can be applied
to more challenging cooking projects. This final lesson provides information
for future culinary adventures. You will learn to:
-
Evaluate nutrition information.
-
Incorporate vegetables in your meals
in creative ways.
-
Use a meat thermometer.
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Prepare a safe and delicious holiday
meal.
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Store your turkey leftovers safely.
What’s Cooking?
Look over the publications in this lesson.
Files are in this format
| Activity 1: Get into a Web Site.
If you have a computer, take some
time visit some of these sites.
They contain reliable information.
Think about how the
information differs from that of less credible sources.
Click on the file type of your choice.
More nutritional information is contained in this
document of resources.
Resources for Further
Study |
Research has shown that a diet rich
in fruits and vegetables and low in fat can help prevent some life-threatening
diseases. How many servings of vegetables do you eat in a day? Three to
five servings of vegetables are recommended per day; each serving should
be one-half cup. If you find you are not eating enough vegetables, try
the ideas in Veggies Alive,
Quick-to-Fix Vegetables, and
Quick-to-Fix Salads to boost your consumption.
| Activity 2: Try a Veggie.
Select your favorite vegetable and
try it in a new way. The more adventurous can purchase a vegetable they
have never tried before. For preparation information, consult a cookbook
or call your Extension office. |
Meal du Jour
If preparing a holiday meal strikes
fear into your heart, repeat after me: “I am an empowered cook, and I can
do it!”
Volunteer to bring Orange-Glazed
Sweet Potatoes to your next holiday get-together. Take your bows for this
tasty dish — and then volunteer to cook a turkey for the next holiday meal.
After recovering from the gasps of amazement, admiration, and perhaps fear,
take time to feel smug.
One of the best-kept secrets of accomplished
cooks is that the turkey is the easiest part of the meal, especially if
you ask someone else to bring the stuffing and the other side dishes. If
you feel insecure about your turkey skills, “apprentice” with an experienced
“bird” cook before flying solo.
Decide whether to purchase a fresh
or frozen turkey. You will need to purchase one pound of turkey for each
person you are serving. The frozen variety can be purchased a week or more
ahead of time and kept in your freezer. Read
Turkey Basics: Safe Defrosting
to determine how and when to defrost the turkey. If you have purchased
a frozen turkey, it is important that you thaw it according to the instructions
in the fact sheet. This means planning ahead. You can’t cook a frozen turkey,
even though some have tried.
Or you may choose to order a fresh
turkey from the meat department of your supermarket one to three weeks
before your meal. Pick up your fresh turkey one to two days before you
will prepare it. Keep your fresh turkey in the refrigerator until it is
time to begin cooking.
Make sure you have an accurate meat
thermometer or select a bird that has a “pop-up” thermometer. The fact
sheets Kitchen Thermometers and
Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking
and Turkey Basics: Stuffing give instructions on how to use
these devices. Read these publications carefully before you plan on using
a meat thermometer and cooking a turkey and stuffing for the first time.
You will find that a thermometer is an indispensable kitchen tool.
Whether you have a fresh or a frozen
turkey, it is important that you follow the roasting instructions exactly!
Read Store Those Turkey Leftovers Safely while your turkey is roasting
and follow the instructions to help ensure a safe celebration.
| Activity 3: Prepare Orange-Glazed
Sweet Potatoes.
Prepare this recipe and you’ll have
a tasty dish you can take to Holiday gatherings and one you can use with
other meals, as well. |
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| Activity 4: Prepare a Turkey
or Other Roasted Poultry.
Select a frozen or fresh bird and
prepare it according to the instructions in this lesson. |
Tips
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Turkeys should be roasted in a 325ºF
oven or higher. Lower oven temperatures may increase your risk of food
poisoning.
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Remove the bag of giblets from the bird
before roasting. (Check the neck cavity or the body cavity for the giblets.)
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Giblets can be rinsed in cool water
and placed in a one-quart sauce pan with 1 cup of water, 1 small onion,
1 carrot, and 1 stalk of celery, salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer 1-1/2 hours. Strain the giblets
from the broth. Use the broth as part of your gravy or use as a soup. (A
cook’s treat — sip away!) The giblets can be chopped and added to the stuffing
or gravy or eaten on the spot. (Another cook’s treat — munch away!)
-
Wash the bird inside and out in cold
water before putting it in the roasting pan. Pull off anything, such as
pin feathers, that may have been missed in the cleaning process.
Roasted Turkey
Stuffing in Casserole
Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Cranberry Sauce
Other Family Favorites
Milk
|
 Meal
du Jour Recipe
Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4
1 pound sweet potatoes or yams, peeled,
and cut into slices 1/2-inch thick
nonstick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon brown sugar or honey
1 cup orange juice
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spray
casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place potato slices in the
dish. Combine cornstarch and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add orange juice.
Stir well. Pour mixture over potatoes. Cover and bake for 40 minutes or
until potatoes are tender and glaze is thickened.
A few bits of walnuts or pecans may be sprinkled
on top. This is optional. Variation 1: Use pineapple or apple
juice or cider in place of orange juice.
Variation 2: To cook in the microwave,
combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe dish. Cover. Cook on high power
8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice and turning dish. Let stand,
covered, for 5 minutes.
Nutrients per Serving
Calories 167
Fat - Total 3 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 63 mg
Total Carbohydrate 35 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 15 g
Protein 1 g
Source: Sharon Coplin, Extension
Associate, Human Nutrition and Food Management, Ohio State University Extension,
2001 EFNEP Calendar, November 2000. Used with permission
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