Two are better than one...turkey that is...

Turkeys have been on sale most of this month. I am pretty sure you grabbed one, but why not grab yet another while they are on sale. Cooked turkey is great in nearly every recipe that calls for cooked chicken and is typically much cheaper. At this point if you are baking a turkey, you are likely cleaning your house, making up guest bedrooms etc and don't really want the added headache of adding another "to do" item to the list, but let me tell you what I do to help this holiday become less stressful. If you can use any of it to help make your life a bit easier...my job for today is done.

1. Buy at least 2 turkeys when they are on sale for under $1 per pound
2. Use a baking bag so that I you don't have to open the oven to baste. Basting not only eats up your time, but your oven will have to re-heat to ideal temp each tiem your open it, costing your extra money.
3. Bake two turkeys at a time (if your oven will fit them). This will save the cost of fuel and simply give you more leftovers.
4. Bake your turkey the day before your big dinner. Allow to cool then pull the meat off the bone and toss it in a crock pot. Cover the meat with some chicken broth and put in the fridge till the next day. Then simply turn the crock on to warm the day of your big meal. Since every crock heats a bit different, allow some extra time to be sure it can reach a palatable temperature before the meal starts. This will allow you more time to prepare side dishes and deserts which will make it less tempting to buy the expensive ones in the store (saving you money) and allow you a bit more time to visit with your guests.
5. Leftovers? Package them in "recipe" sized portions and freeze. This will cut your "prep" time down at night making it less tempting to order pizza or stop for fast food. This is exactly why I bake two turkeys instead of one....to fill my freezer with pre-cooked meat on a budget.

Pic pulled from Siriously Delicious blog