Well yesterday we spent an hour in the elections office learning how to be Information Officers. Apparently we have to be at the station at 8:30 in the morning, yuk, ready to stick up posters and whatever our supervisors tell us to do. Then we were told what to do and what to say to people. Don't tell them, but I honestly don't see the point of an Information Officer. Maybe once I have done the job, I will. We ended up with a lot of paperwork to bring home, some of which has to be returned, some does not. We have to wear name badges of course, I did ours on the computer so they look nice and big and legible. We also have to stay at the end of the voting to help tidy up the posters and such that we had previously put up. Matt came away feeling somewhat less than enthusiastic about the whole deal.
Being Thursday, our shopping day, we went in the afternoon. I did find a
turkey breast, it was fresh, not frozen, so it wasn't cheap, but should be good for Saturday and sandwiches for Tuesday (election day). We were going to buy a fresh loaf on Monday but of course the store will be closed so will have to get one on Sunday. We also bought a bottle of Mouton Cadet Bordeaux (white) to go with it. No pumpkin pie though. Will probably have some ice cream for a dessert.
This morning Matt is off for an ultra sound on his aorta. He found out that it is a good thing for older men to have checked as it can swell and burst without any symptoms. Our doctor agreed he should have it checked regularly too. There are so many things you need to keep an eye on as you get older. For those of you who don't know, the aorta is the largest artery in the body.
I just found a recipe for brined turkey. If you have never had brined poultry, it is great and comes out really moist. I think I will do this.
Best Brined Turkey Breast
Source: Betty Crocker
You've heard about it, now give it a try. This turkey breast is flavorful, moist and delicious!
Makes:8 servings
9 cups hot water
3/4 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 bone-in whole turkey breast (4 to 6 pounds), thawed if frozen
1 onion, cut into eighths
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 dried bay leaves
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1. In 6-quart container or stockpot, mix water, salt and sugar; stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add turkey. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
2. Heat oven to 325ºF. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
3. Place onion on center of rack in large shallow roasting pan; top with rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Place turkey, skin side up, over onion and herbs.
4. In small bowl, mix butter and wine. Soak 16-inch square of cheesecloth in butter mixture until completely saturated; cover turkey completely with cheesecloth. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes.
5. Remove cheesecloth. Place onion and herbs in pan with drippings if using drippings to make gravy (or discard). Insert meat thermometer horizontally so tip is in thickest part of turkey and does not touch bone. Turn turkey skin side down. Roast 30 to 60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 170ºF and juice of turkey is clear when center is cut.
Right, I'm off to brine my turkey. Have a great day.
Well yesterday we spent an hour in the elections office learning how to be Information Officers. Apparently we have to be at the station at 8:30 in the morning, yuk, ready to stick up posters and whatever our supervisors tell us to do. Then we were told what to do and what to say to people. Don't tell them, but I honestly don't see the point of an Information Officer. Maybe once I have done the job, I will. We ended up with a lot of paperwork to bring home, some of which has to be returned, some does not. We have to wear name badges of course, I did ours on the computer so they look nice and big and legible. We also have to stay at the end of the voting to help tidy up the posters and such that we had previously put up. Matt came away feeling somewhat less than enthusiastic about the whole deal.
Being Thursday, our shopping day, we went in the afternoon. I did find a 
turkey breast, it was fresh, not frozen, so it wasn't cheap, but should be good for Saturday and sandwiches for Tuesday (election day). We were going to buy a fresh loaf on Monday but of course the store will be closed so will have to get one on Sunday. We also bought a bottle of Mouton Cadet Bordeaux (white) to go with it. No pumpkin pie though. Will probably have some ice cream for a dessert.
This morning Matt is off for an ultra sound on his aorta. He found out that it is a good thing for older men to have checked as it can swell and burst without any symptoms. Our doctor agreed he should have it checked regularly too. There are so many things you need to keep an eye on as you get older. For those of you who don't know, the aorta is the largest artery in the body.
I just found a recipe for brined turkey. If you have never had brined poultry, it is great and comes out really moist. I think I will do this.
Best Brined Turkey Breast
Source: Betty Crocker
You've heard about it, now give it a try. This turkey breast is flavorful, moist and delicious!
Makes:8 servings
9 cups hot water
3/4 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 bone-in whole turkey breast (4 to 6 pounds), thawed if frozen
1 onion, cut into eighths
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 dried bay leaves
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1. In 6-quart container or stockpot, mix water, salt and sugar; stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add turkey. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
2. Heat oven to 325ºF. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
3. Place onion on center of rack in large shallow roasting pan; top with rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Place turkey, skin side up, over onion and herbs.
4. In small bowl, mix butter and wine. Soak 16-inch square of cheesecloth in butter mixture until completely saturated; cover turkey completely with cheesecloth. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes.
5. Remove cheesecloth. Place onion and herbs in pan with drippings if using drippings to make gravy (or discard). Insert meat thermometer horizontally so tip is in thickest part of turkey and does not touch bone. Turn turkey skin side down. Roast 30 to 60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 170ºF and juice of turkey is clear when center is cut.
Right, I'm off to brine my turkey. Have a great day.
How do you have elections on a Tuesday? Don't people have to work? They are always on Saturday here.
ReplyDeleteHaven't tried a white Mouton Cadet, have enjoyed the red ones though.
ReplyDeleteI imagine the main advantage to being an information officer is that you get paid at the end of the day. :)
Satima, we usually have elections on weekdays here too. People with jobs either vote on their way to work or on their way home at the end of the day - or during a work break if their electoral polling station is nearby.
Jo --
ReplyDeleteWhole turkey breast is something that one does not find here.
In the UK (I think) voting is always on a Wednesday. Not so?
Here in France its on a Sunday, and there is always a second round between the two highest scorers on the following Sunday.
Marilyn
Don't know if the rules have changed or not, but when I worked outside of the house the employers were required to allow the employees time to go out & vote. Gay
ReplyDeleteI remember that being the rule in the UK too Gay, but also, we had three days of early voting about a week ago, one of those days was a Saturday. We ourselves voted on the Friday as we would be working at the polling booth all day and Matt, at least, would not be in his district. We discovered yesterday though that we could apply for transfers to enable us to vote at whatever station we were working in. Only problem there, it might not be your preferred candidate I imagine.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, you don't see turkey breast a lot round here, but we used to get them a lot when we lived in North Carolina. Mine is brining away at the moment LOL
Probably the difference here in Oz is that voting is compulsory, which I gather is unusual. It means that the government has to bend over backward to enable people to vote, so they have provision for absentee voting by mail, voting in advance, and being able to vote for your own electorate anywhere in the country. We have a preferential system, Marilyn, which means that if your preferred candidate does not win, his or her preferred alternative will receive your vote instead. (Or, if the voter prefers, s/he can choose his or her own second, third, fourth etc choices.) The result, I imagine, is not unlike France's system with its second round.
ReplyDeleteIts not compulsory here, but we have provision for absentee voting, and voting by mail too as well as advanced polls.
ReplyDelete