What Was I Thinking?

U.S. Thanksgiving Day - 74 degrees, sunny, great day. 

Turkey Dinner in the clubhouse

Val Vista is having a sit down family style Thanksgiving Dinner.  This is a different approach than we have had at most parks.  Usually it is buffet or potluck style.  There has been a sign up sheet in the clubhouse for tables of 10.  Each sheet has 1 couple doing the Turkey, Dressing, Gravy;  1 couple doing the Desserts, 1 couple doing the Salads, 1 couple doing rolls and pickle dish, mashed potatoes, 1 couple doing the hot vegetables.  So "what was I thinking"?   I signed up for Billy and Rosey to bring the Turkey, Dressing, Gravy.   Ok so now how do I cook the thing?  Back to the clubhouse I go.   The kitchen has electric oven bakers that you can borrow to do the Turkey.  Great...     Dinner is at 1 pm.  So the Turkey needs to be finished by 12:30 to serve.   Wait a second that means it needs to be in the oven by 6 am?  Can I count on this to cook the way a conventional oven works.   Talking around the park I found out best to do it all the day before then reheat for 1 hour in broth on Thanksgiving Day.   Phew !   So glad we found that out.   Wouldn't it be terrible to have a table waiting for Turkey and it not be ready. 

Assistant Chef watching the Turkey cook in the electric oven