Add giblet gravy to turkey for a classic Thanksgiving fare

When you have had your fill of offbeat Thanksgiving dinner variations, and want to revisit something all the family will recognize as holiday tradition, the place to go may well be the new "Good Housekeeping Great American Classics Cookbook" (Hearst Books, 2004).

The 300 recipes in the book are selections "that have become a living part of our nation's history," editor in chief Ellen Levine says. Each heirloom recipe comes with a story of how it became part of our heritage, she points out.

So, in these pages we can read all about such special items as Texas cheese straws, country captain, Denver omelet and black bottom pie -- how they came to be, what they are, where their names came from and the recipes to make them.

At this time of year, cooks will most likely want to check out the old-time turkey with its giblet gravy, and country sausage and corn bread stuffing.

And yes, as much as we know of the Thanksgiving story bears repeating: The cookbook reminds us that the original feast in 1621 included roast duck and goose, venison, clams, oysters, eel, leeks, watercress, corn bread, popcorn, wild plums and sweet wine. Wild turkey may or may not have been served -- but turkeys were definitely on the menu at the next recorded Day of Thanks in 1623, along with cranberries and pumpkin pie.

"Colonial America had an affinity for the turkey," according to the cookbook. "Some Native Americans caught wild turkey; others domesticated it. The name appears to be a corruption of the word 'furkeee,' which is Native American for 'turkey."'

Here are the recipes for turkey and trimmings, for a Thanksgiving Day when we want to keep tradition as best we may.

Note: For a moist bird, the editors say they prefer to bake the stuffing separately.

Old-Time Turkey with Giblet Gravy

(Preparation 1 hour, roasting time 3 hours 45 minutes)

Country Sausage and Corn Bread Stuffing (recipe follows)

1 turkey (14 pounds)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Giblet gravy (recipe follows)

Prepare country sausage and corn bread stuffing and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for making giblet gravy. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold running water and drain well; pat dry with paper towels.

Loosely spoon some stuffing into neck cavity. Fold neck skin over stuffing; fasten neck skin to turkey back with one or two skewers.

Loosely spoon remaining corn bread stuffing into body cavity (bake any leftover stuffing in small covered casserole during last 30 minutes of roasting time; if preferred, bake all stuffing that way). Fold skin over cavity opening; skewer closed, if necessary. Tie legs and tail together with string; push drumsticks under band of skin, or use stuffing clamp. Secure wings to body with strings, if desired.

Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in large roasting pan (17-by-11 1/2 inches). Sprinkle salt and pepper on outside of turkey. Cover with loose tent of foil.

Roast about 3 hours 45 minutes. Start checking for doneness during last hour of roasting. Place stuffing (in casserole) in oven after turkey has roasted 3 hours. Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.

To brown turkey, remove foil during last hour of roasting; baste occasionally with pan drippings. Turkey is done when temperature on meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh, next to body, reaches 180 degrees and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with tip of knife. (Breast temperature should be 170 degrees; stuffing temperature 160 degrees to 165 degrees.)

While turkey is roasting, prepare giblets and neck for giblet gravy.

Transfer turkey to large platter; keep warm. Let stand at least 15 minutes to set juices for easier carving. Prepare giblet gravy.

Serve turkey with stuffing and gravy.

Makes 14 main-dish servings.

Nutrition information per serving, without skin, stuffing or gravy: about 143 calories, 25 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 65 milligrams cholesterol, 145 milligrams sodium.

Country Sausage and Corn Bread Stuffing

1 pound pork sausage meat

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

1 large onion (12 ounces), coarsely chopped

1 red pepper, coarsely chopped

14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth or 1 3/4 cups homemade chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 cup water

1 (14-ounce) package corn bread stuffing mix

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add sausage meat and cook, breaking up sausage with side of spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Discard all but 2 tablespoons sausage drippings.

Add butter or margarine, celery, onion and red pepper to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, black pepper and water. Heat to boiling, stirring until browned bits are loosened from bottom of skillet.

Add vegetable mixture, corn bread stuffing mix and parsley to sausage in bowl; stir to combine well. Use to stuff turkey; or, to serve in baking dish, spoon stuffing into greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Cover with foil.

Makes about 12 cups stuffing.

Nutrition information per 1/2 cup stuffing: about 137 calories, 4 grams protien, 15 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 13 milligrams cholesterol, 414 milligrams sodium.

Giblet Gravy

Gizzard, heart and neck of turkey

4 cups water

Turkey liver

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

In 3-quart saucepan, combine gizzard, heart, neck and water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add liver and cook 15 minutes longer. Strain giblet broth through sieve into large bowl. Pull meat from neck; discard bones. Cover and refrigerate meat and broth separately.

To make gravy, remove rack from roasting pan. Strain pan drippings through sieve into 4-cup glass measuring cup or medium bowl. Add 1 cup giblet broth to hot roasting pan and heat to boiling, stirring until browned bits are loosened from bottom of pan; add to drippings in measuring cup. Let stand until fat separates from meat juice, about 1 minute. Spoon 2 tablespoons fat from drippings into 2-quart saucepan; skim and discard any remaining fat. Add remaining giblet broth and enough water to drippings in cup to equal 3 cups.

Heat fat in saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour and salt. Cook, stirring, until flour turns golden brown. With wire whisk, gradually whisk in meat-juice mixture and cook, whisking, until gravy has thickened slightly and boils; boil 1 minute. Stir in reserved giblets and neck meat; heat through. Pour gravy into gravy boat.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups gravy.

Nutrition information each 1/2 cup gravy: about 70 calories, 7 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 0 grams fiber, 63 milligrams cholesterol, 140 milligrams sodium.