Friendsgiving

FOR BOTH:

Mix all the ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Serve straight from a blender or from a pitcher into juice glasses or mason jars and garnish with a lime wedge or strawberry.

Reusable straws optional.

In a large stockpot on the stovetop, warm the apple cider on high heat until it starts to bubble, 8 to 10 minutes.

Once the cider begins to bubble, turn the temperature down to low and add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, and orange slices.

Cover and simmer on low for 1½ hours or more to allow the flavors to meld, creating a smooth, balanced drink.

If adding alcohol to the mixture, add the rum and continue to cook on low for another 30 minutes. Alternatively, let your friends stir the rum into their own mugs.

Ladle into mugs while hot. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or orange slice.

The first order of business when roasting a turkey is to clean and dry it thoroughly. To save time, do this the day before you plan to cook it. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity and save them for later if you’re going to use them; otherwise, discard. Then, place the turkey in a roasting pan and season it on all sides with the salt and pepper. For crispier skin, chef Ina Garten recommends leaving the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. As she explains in her recipe for Make-Ahead Roast Turkey, this will allow the skin to dry out and turn a little translucent.

When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F and set the turkey in the pan on the counter. The turkey will be moist after being in the fridge, so dry it completely by blotting it with paper towels, top, bottom, inside, and outside.

Slice the celery crosswise into half-moons. Peel the carrots and cut them into chunks. Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Set the vegetables aside.

In a small bowl, stir the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, sage, and paprika to make a paste.

Put the turkey on a work surface and, using your hands, rub the paste over the turkey to completely coat that baby! This is important—you want to slather the paste over and under the skin thoroughly, but without ripping it.

Gently place the fresh thyme and sage inside the cavity, along with the quartered onion. Don’t stuff them!

Add the stock or water and the chopped veggies to the bottom of the roasting pan.

Put a wire rack in the roasting pan and set the turkey on the rack, so no part of the turkey touches the bottom of the pan. This will allow the turkey to crisp on both the top and bottom. If you’re feeling confident in the kitchen like Monica, tie the legs together with butcher’s twine and tuck the wings under the breasts.

Roast, uncovered, for about 2 and a half hours or more, basting every 30 minutes. (If your bird is larger or smaller, figure about 13 minutes per pound.) Whenever you baste, make sure there is always some liquid left in the bottom of the pan so the vegetables don’t burn. Add more stock or water if needed.

Start checking for doneness during the last 45 minutes of roasting. The turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted mid-thigh reads 165°F, per Ina Garten (and Mark Bittman). Place the pan on top of your stove and carefully tilt the turkey, still on the rack in the pan, to let the juices run out of the cavity and mix in with the vegetables.

Transfer the turkey to a platter but don’t carve it until it has rested for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to set. Serve with Friendsgiving Gravy.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray a 13 × 9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.