TURKEY LESSONS.......

Carve that turkey!!!! 

Did I ever mention that I buy one turkey a week during November?
I have an elaborate system of storing and defrosting them that requires that I don't buy them all at one time.
The whole process can be quite stressful, trust me.  In other words----I drive myself effin crazy over the entire thing.....
I'm sure I told you all about it at some point during.   If I didn't.....now you know. 
I'm excessive and maniacal......(no wonder I needed a Lap band!)
Why do I buy so many turkeys?
Because I cook so many turkeys.  There's the traditional turkey on  Thanksgiving day.  Then, there's the brined and roasted Turkey and the fried turkey and the not-brined traditional turkey (yes 3 turkeys!) on the Saturday after Thanksgiving (when we host our annual Turkey fry for a group of assorted family members and several cousins and out of town friends that we only see once a year).  
Plus, I must have massive amounts of leftovers.....right?   
Last year, at the last minute, I panicked...thinking I would not have enough turkeys....and I ended up with 5 turkeys plus enough leftovers from the other turkeys that I was able to send both kids and my sisters and my dad and my cousins away with nice care packages.
Still, the Monday after Thanksgiving, I found myself with one fully cooked, uncarved turkey. 
As you will note if you click on that link....I was offering it to anyone on my blog (and I did have a taker!!!)
So, I made sure to put notes in my menu log and on my 2013 calendar to remind myself----YOU DO NOT NEED A 5TH TURKEY! 

Now that I am fully immersed in my self-imposed turkey frenzy, I find myself at that familiar place of having to restrain myself from buying just one more.   Last night, as I was doing one of my turkey runs.....after I put one turkey in my cart, I found myself reaching for a turkey breast.....rationalizing that it wasn't another turkey, it was a turkey breast.  
Suddenly, I was stopped by someone calling out to me......seems like I always run into someone at Giant Eagle....
"So, what are you doing?  Buying your Thanksgiving turkey already?"  she asked
Did I dare tell her that I was 2 weeks into my turkey buying program?
"Yeah, I like to do it early...."   I heard myself say. 
"I am surprised  YOU don't buy a fresh turkey!"  she said.
Did I dare tell that  I am only on my 2nd turkey and that the last turkey I buy is a fresh, organic, free-range, yadda, yadda, yadda turkey?
"Oh, yes, I buy a fresh one too,"  I found myself embarrassed into admitting....I felt like I was being judged for buying a frozen (OMG!) turkey....
I was turkey shamed......right there at the Giant Eagle. 
"How many turkeys do you buy?  That one you have there looks pretty big!"  she said, pointing to the 22 pound frozen turkey in my cart.
"Oh, we like turkey..."  I sheepishly explained.
"Do you buy a turkey breast too?"  she asked..... 
Oh shit, she must have seen me reaching for a frozen turkey breast....
"I was just looking at them.....I am never sure if we will have enough breast meat", I stumbled... 
She had to know I was lying.... 
"Well, you can always keep it in the freezer if you don't use it.  The price is good."  she advised.
Why do I shop in this part of town????  
"Yeah, we'll see....."  I said, longingly looking into the freezer filled with turkey breasts.

I know there's a lesson in there somewhere.......