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Showing posts from November 18, 2012

How to avoid Thanksgiving disaster (not including awkward hugs with distant relatives)

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This column, like many others, first appeared in The Dallas Morning News and on DallasNews.com . I usually let some time pass before posting them here. -------------- Every year, millions of Americans sit around the table at Thanksgiving and enjoy a delicious meal with family and friends. And every year, someone is cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the first time. So much pressure. So much to do. So much to mess up, even if you’re not trying to create the Martha Stewart-suggested spread that includes chilled oysters with apple-ginger mignonette and dumpling squash served with cream, sage and a condescending attitude. But relax, first-time Thanksgiving cooks. While it’s true that my only experience preparing turkey dinner involves poking the plastic-wrap covering with a fork and heating it in a microwave, I know the biggest key to getting the Thanksgiving turkey right: One hundred and sixty-five. One hundred and sixty-five degrees, that is. The turkey’s internal tempe