Healthy Living in Austin, Texas

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. If you haven’t already put together your shopping list, you still have some time. For those that are ahead of the curve like me, here are some Thanksgiving tips to use in the kitchen to save you time and from stressing out. More time to spend with your friends and family!

1. Add a little baking powder to make mashed potatoes extra fluffy. Apparently, the heat of the potatoes triggers the baking powder’s chemical reaction, and the CO2 produced = extra fluffiness.

2. Freeze rolled out pie crusts so they hold their shape in the oven. Just pop them in the freezer for 20 minutes to an hour while you make the fillings, then bake (without thawing). This will let the gluten in the dough relax and minimize shrinkage during baking. This is mainly for single-crust pies like pumpkin and pecan; if you’re adding a top crust you don’t really have to worry as much about shrinking.

3. Slow roast your turkey overnight. Sounds crazy, but apparently it works like a charm: Put the turkey in before you go to bed, turn the heat down, and wake up to a falling-off-the-bone tender bird in the morning.

4. Prep all your vegetables a day before. You can peel potatoes and carrots, chop onions, wash greens, and do basically any other prep steps called for in the recipes you’re using. This is the kind of thing that will feel crazy when you’re doing it, and AWESOME the next day when you realize you already did.

5. Use rice to weigh down pie crust for pre-baking. Most people don’t have actual pie weights around, and using beans is annoying because they get funny-smelling after baking, and you probably won’t want to eat them.

I hope you found these tips helpful and they help make your Thanksgiving day/dinner that much easier and more enjoyable.

Your Realtor and Friend for Life~ Kathy

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