Making the Turkey -Part 2

1:30 First time basting the turkey, all the juice was dried up. Probably should have started basting sooner.I think maybe putting that chicken stock in probably wasn’t a good idea. Added 4 cups of water.
2:00 Basted again. I think it’s going to work. Kept basting every 20 minutes.
3:40 Took aluminum foil off. Put meat thermometer in Bird.
3:45 Realize I forgot to put the lifting chain under the bird. It’s a chain with handles and when it’s time to take the turkey out of the pan you can lift it up like it’s handles on a tote bag. Not this year, I’m going to have to lift it out by the rack under the bird.
4:25 Realize turkey will be done soon. Start making the potatoes & squash and gravy. One of the burners is out so I have to light it but I can’t turn it off without having to relight it. I make the gravy in the roasting pan. I add water, flour, salt, pepper and this time I added the giblet juice. I boiled up the neck and giblets and saved that and threw it in with the rest of the stuff to make the gravy.
5:00 Dinner ready , on table. I took pictures of the turkey & the casserole pan of stuffing. If I can figure out how to post a picture from my phone, I will.
SO, in conclusion, the meal was very good. The turkey came out great . Mum & I only each had a piece about the size of a slice of bread-off a 12 pound turkey. The stuffing was even better than I thought possible. The gravy. .. was okay. I bought a pie from Petsis , which was also great but I should have let it get to room temperature first. The meal was just my Mother and I . I proved to myself that I could cook a turkey. I really enjoyed doing it. I was glad I was by myself and not having a house full of people. Maybe I’ll do it again next year. I think I’m just going to get a ham for Christmas . . . . .