The goose is getting fat . . . some ideas for new holiday meals

By Ryan Reeder

december 19, 2005 | The holiday season is upon us once again. That means preparation of a lavish meal will be on many of our to-do lists.

Year after year people enjoy the same traditional dishes. USU students like Margarita Pereira and Lindsay West say that their families eat a traditional meal of turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. Instead of the traditional norm, why not try a change this season to spice up your holiday menu? Exciting meals are great for entertaining guests and provide an interesting change of pace for those helping in the kitchen. Provided are some new twists on traditional favorites along with some completely new additions to your holiday recipe book.

Many of us are used to gathering around a tasty oven-roasted turkey or a baked ham at this time of year. If you'd like to continue with these old stand-bys, consider a new method of preparation. The increasingly popular method of deep fat frying turkey is one alternative. Cooks.com suggests frying the bird over a turkey fryer in a large pot using three to five gallons of grease. The turkey should be ready to eat after about one hour of frying. This method has been known to cause grease fires. Beware of combining hot flames and cooking oil. The good people at Underwriters Labratories have done extensive research on the dangers of turkey fryers and have even prepared a lovely safety video to educate the culinary enthusiast. It would be of value to look at these resources if you are considering the use of a turkey fryer.

If you are spending your holiday in a warmer climate you might consider cooking a turkey or ham over a barbecue grill. Barbecuing your holiday meats will give them a rich smokey flavor. This method also gives you a number of options. You can put different flavors of wood chips in the grill to determine the flavor of your meal. You can cook a number of sides and appetizers unique to the barbecue. According to the majority of Google's alt.food.barabecue group, you should cook a large turkey or ham in a barbecue at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the internal temperature of the meat reaches about 165 degrees.

Another interesting method of preparation is the turducken. A turducken will surely peak the interests of your guests because the method of preparation is still somewhat unknown. When asked about the turducken, USU student Jessica Workman said, "I don't know . . . Is it a turkey with duck stuffing?" It is not a turkey with duck stuffing, but that is a close guess. The turducken is a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken. Stuffing is packed between the birds to add flavor and moisture. It is easy to find instructions for this recipe, but the turducken requires a lot of work. You may want to have your turducken delivered. Cajunstuff.com will sell you this monstrosity for $70 plus shipping. Simply take the turducken out of the delivery package and place it in your preheated oven. How simple is that?

If the possibilities of delivery spark your interest, another great idea is a ham prepared and delivered by The Honeybaked Ham Company. The company claims that their hams are unique due to the "crunchy sweet glaze that crackles with good taste." Truly these hams are delicious and a cut above your regular, everyday smoked ham. The Honeybaked Ham Company has stores all around the country where you can purchase one of their products. You can also visit their website and order online. The hams can be shipped anywhere in the United States.

If you dare try something entirely different from the turkey and stuffing norm, there are a number of ideas out there. Sainsbury's in the U.K. provides a number of new ideas for your holiday feast. You can also find many ethnic main courses and desserts that can be enjoyed over the holiday. Margarita Pereira says, "My family always has the Mexican desert flan after our Christmas meal." Another tip comes from japanesefood.about.com. Among other items they suggest a roast teriyaki chicken recipe. After a little research you'll find a number of other ethnic dishes that are perfect for your holiday meal.

One problem we all face is dilemma of what to do with all those leftovers. About.com has a number of solutions for leftover turkey. These recipes include everything from turkey curry to crockpot turkey-corn pudding. These solutions will help you overcome the weeks of turkey sandwiches following the holidays.

No matter what your holiday meal includes, try and be a little different this year. Feel free to use a number of the resources listed throughout this story, or try and come up with something on your own. Surely, an interesting twist will add to your festivities.

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