(I thought this info might come in handy.)

From: https://shorturl.at/TpTlY (theepochtimes.com) [paywalled]

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The Most Common Thanksgiving Cooking EmergenciesΓÇöAnd How to Fix Them

Here are last-minute solutions for the most frequent holiday cooking
disasters, no matter whatΓÇÖs on your menu.

Savannah Hulsey Pointer
11/26/2025|Updated: 11/26/2025

Thanksgiving dinner is a high-stakes endeavor that has caused
many a seasoned cook to crack under the pressure.

Award-winning chef Ricardo Jarquin was quoted by Southern Living as
saying of Thanksgiving: ΓÇ£ItΓÇÖs totally fine to cheat a little on Thanksgiving. ... Over time, IΓÇÖve learned that some shortcuts donΓÇÖt take away from the experience, they just allow you to spend more time
focusing on what really matters.ΓÇ¥ With that in mind and just days before
the Super Bowl of family dinners, here are some of the most common
Thanksgiving cooking emergencies, and how to fix them.

The Prep Work
Teamwork may make the dreamwork, but prep work makes the finished
product flawless.

In addition to buying the major ingredients for your recipes, make sure
you check which of your spices and herbs are low or expired.

Some staples, such as baking powder, can lose their efficacy if theyΓÇÖre
past their expiration date, and olive oil can go rancid if itΓÇÖs been
hanging around the kitchen for a while. Broth and stocks are also often forgotten ingredients that many recipes canΓÇÖt go without.

DonΓÇÖt forget to ensure you have plenty of foil, parchment paper, pie
plates, and a good, working thermometer for checking your meat. Also,
make sure to clear space in your refrigerator for the cool items and
leftovers, if youΓÇÖre hosting on the big day.

Making desserts a day or two ahead is also a great way to lower stress
when crucial cooking and oven time are valuable. Home chefs can also
chop aromatics such as onions, celery, and carrots ahead of time and
seal them in an airtight container.

Additionally, many casserole sides can be prepped and refrigerated, then
baked the day they are meant to be consumed.

The Turkey
Making a good Thanksgiving turkey starts days ahead of Thanksgiving,
with buying and defrosting the turkey.

If defrosting a turkey in the refrigerator, plan 24 hours of thaw time
for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. This is considered the safest method
and should be done with the bird in its original wrapper, on the lowest
shelf of the refrigerator.

Cold-water thawing is a faster method that takes about 30 minutes per
pound, but it requires careful attention. It needs to be in leak-proof packaging. If the original packaging is torn, place it in a sealed bag.

Then, submerge the turkey in cold tap water at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or
below, and change the water every 30 minutes. It should be cooked
immediately after thawing.

Should things not go as planned, and the microwave is your only option, understand that it only works for smaller turkeys. All wrapping and
metal clips must be removed, and the bird should be put in a
microwave-safe dish. Use the defrost setting, and rotate the bird
regularly.

As with the water method, the turkey should be cooked immediately after defrosting, as some parts will begin to cook in the microwave.

A frozen turkey can be cooked safely, but it will take at least 50
percent longer than a thawed bird. When cooked, the internal temperature
must be 165 degrees Fahrenheit at three places: thigh, wing, and breast.

Because a turkey is bigger than what many home chefs typically cook,
ensure that you have a roasting pan big enough for any main dishes
youΓÇÖre providing.

If your everyday baking dishes arenΓÇÖt big enough for the turkey or ham
of your Thanksgiving dreams, a heavy-duty disposable foil roaster pan is
a good, cheap option.

Should all else fail, and youΓÇÖre really stumped, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL is a toll-free hotline that offers expert
advice on cooking any turkey, even non-Butterball brands. The line is
staffed through November and December and available by phone and text.

The late chef and cookbook author Anthony Bourdain once said:
“Thanksgiving is not the time for innovation… Give the people what they want, and make sure it’s consistent with what they remember.”

All Sides Welcomed
The Thanksgiving turkey may get the limelight, but the sides are many AmericansΓÇÖ favorites, and ruining them would be a major faux pas.

Potatoes
For potatoes that came out gluey, gummy, or pasty, overmixing
or using the wrong tool, like a food processor, could be the culprit.

Making a new batch and mixing with the objectionably textured spuds
should help, as well as adding more butter or warm cream.

If the glueness canΓÇÖt be overcome, turn them into a loaded baked potato casserole with cheese, sour cream, bacon, and bake for 20 minutes.

If theyΓÇÖre too thin and runny, adding instant mashed potatoes a
tablespoon at a time helps soak up the wet ingredients. Additionally,
folding in cream cheese or sour cream can add structure.

If youΓÇÖre working with sweet potatoes as a filling and theyΓÇÖre too
watery, stirring in 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and baking them
uncovered can help them reach the desired stiffness.

Dressings and Gravy
For stuffing thatΓÇÖs too dry, try adding some warm broth or melted
butter, then cover with foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Conversely, if itΓÇÖs too soggy, bake it uncovered for 10 to 20 minutes at around 400 degrees Farhenheit to crisp it. The cornstarch hack mentioned
above also works for soupy green bean casserole. Once mixed, bake for 10
to 15 minutes more, and add extra fried onions on top to help absorb
moisture.

For gravy, if itΓÇÖs too thin, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with cold
water and whisk it in, and simmer for another 5 minutes. If itΓÇÖs too
salty, use unsalted broth to dilute, or add a spoonful of mashed
potatoes to absorb the salt.

Just Desserts
Desserts are the last thing your guests will remember from the holiday
meal, and getting them right could make you a Thanksgiving legend. A pie
crust stretched too thin or not chilled long enough could shrink in the
oven. If this happens, cover the exposed edges with whipped cream, or a decorative rim of crushed cookies, or something that looks intentional.
Avoid this altogether by freezing the pie crust for around 15 minutes
before baking.

For a pumpkin pie that cracked at the top, again, whipped cream will
cover the unsightly opening. But that is usually due to cooling too
quickly. To avoid the problem, when baking is complete, turn the oven
off and leave the door slightly ajar, allowing the pie to cool slowly in
the oven.

For no-bake desserts like pudding, if itΓÇÖs too loose, chill it for
another hour. For chocolate that has seized or turned grainy, whisk in 1 teaspoon of hot water at a time until it loosens. Alternatively, heavy
cream can smooth it out.

But most importantly, as cooking legend Martha Stewart is fond of
saying: ΓÇ£So the pie isnΓÇÖt perfect? Cut it into wedges. Stay in control,
and never panic.ΓÇ¥

Substitutions for the Win
Even with the best laid plans, accidents happen. A dish is dropped, a
bagger forgot to add something to your order, or you discover another would-be-chef used up what you needed. Here are some handy substitutions
if you find yourself elbow-deep in a recipe and without a crucial
ingredient. For buttermilk, 14 tablespoons of whole milk and 2
tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice will replace 1 cup of buttermilk.

Baking powder can lose its effectiveness over time. Test it by touching
a bit to your tongue; if it tingles, itΓÇÖs good, and if not, you need a substitute. For 1 teaspoon of baking powder, substitute 1/2 teaspoon
cream of tartar, plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

Run out of brown sugar? One cup of regular sugar and 2 tablespoons of
molasses will make 1 cup of brown sugar.

One teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice can be replaced with 1/2 teaspoon
ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger, ground allspice, and
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Evaporated milk is common in holiday recipes. If you run out, for every
cup of evaporated milk, substitute 2 and 1/4 cups whole milk, simmered
and reduced down to 1 cup.

For sweet chocolate, 4 ounces of sweet baking chocolate can be replaced
with 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon
butter. Unsweetened, 1 ounce of chocolate is equal to 3 tablespoons of
cocoa powder, plus 1 tablespoon of butter.

Corn syrup can be replaced cup-for-cup with sugar, adding 1/4 cup of
water for every cup of sugar.

Salted versus unsalted butter: This can feel like a bigger problem than
it is, but if your recipe calls for salted butter and you only have
unsalted, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup (or two sticks) of butter. Conversely, if it calls for unsalted and you only have salted butter,
hold back 1/2 teaspoon of the recipeΓÇÖs salt.

For any dish that gets out of hand, always remember that culinary
educator Julia Child famously advised, ΓÇ£With enough butter, anything is good.ΓÇ¥
===

-- Sean

... Cooking rule: if at first you don't succeed, order pizza.
--- MultiMail/Win
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (618:618/1)