Thanksgiving safety
Electrical safety in the kitchen should always be taken seriously, but it is especially important on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is filled with family and activity and it is easier to overlook safety on this busy day. You may be surprised to learn that cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and injuries. Thanksgiving has more cooking fires than on any other day of the year. In 2016, fire departments responded to 1,570 house fires on Thanksgiving in the United States and unattended cooking is the leading cause of most home fires.
Turkey Fryers
The NEPA discourages the use of outdoor gas-fueled turkey fryers that immerse turkeys in hot oil.
Turkey fryers pose a significant danger to consumers when oils that reach high temperatures are released during the cooking process NEPA encourages consumers to seek alternate ways of preparing their turkeys that do not use oil are recommended and include oil-less fryers. Turkey fryers that use oil can ignite spilled oil when heated and lead to devastating burns making them not suitable for safe use by consumers, even those who are careful and follow the directions.
NEPA’s 10 Safety Tips
- Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
- Stay in the home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
- Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot, and kids should stay three feet away.
- Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy, or coffee could cause serious burns.
- Keep knives out of the reach of children.
- Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
- Keep matches and utility lighters up high in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children.
- Never leave children alone in a room with a lit candle.
- Keep the floor clear so you do not trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks, or bags.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
- Cooking equipment was involved in almost half of all reported home fires and home fire injuries, and it is the second leading cause of home fire deaths.
The festive holiday season is all about parties, decorations, food, family, friends, and fun and can make us put our guard down about home safety. The Gordon Agency wants to help our clients have a safe and happy holiday season.
Holiday Electrical Safety Tips
Trees, gifts, garland, decorations, and lights can be dangerous when combined with heat, commonly used during the holiday season. Keep your home and family safe this holiday season.
Christmas Tree Safety
Ensure your artificial tree is non-flammable and that your real tree stays hydrated. A wet tree will not be as flammable as a dry tree. Keep all trees away from heaters, fireplaces, and candles. Prevent a fire by looking over electrical lights for broken plugs and bulbs, and frayed cords, which can cause electrical fires. Keep a fire extinguisher near your tree.
Safe Holiday Lighting Tips
Focus on holiday electrical safety when lighting your house. Most outdoor Christmas lights require the reach of a ladder, which should be operated carefully to avoid a fall. Ensure that your lights are rated for outdoor use before hanging them. Do not use nails or staples to hang lights; instead, use plastic clips or hooks to avoid damaging wires. Consider switching to LED holiday lights which do not generate the same amount of heat. Make sure that you always turn off your lights when they are unsupervised.
Classic Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
1 12- to 14-pound turkey (thawed if frozen)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 stalk celery, cut into chunks
3 sprigs sage, plus 1 tablespoon chopped leaves
3 sprigs thyme, plus 1 tablespoon chopped leaves
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons paprika
Classic Gravy, recipe follows
Classic Gravy:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more as needed
Turkey neck and giblets (liver discarded)
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth, plus more as needed
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Turkey pan drippings
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Let the turkey sit at room temperature, 30 minutes. Position an oven rack in the lowest position (remove the other racks); preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and set aside for the gravy. Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels and rub inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the onion, carrot, celery, and sage and thyme sprigs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Put the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat; whisk in the paprika and chopped sage and thyme. Let the paprika butter cool slightly, then brush all over the turkey. Transfer to the oven and roast 1 hour. Meanwhile, make Classic Gravy.
- After the turkey has roasted 1 hour, baste with the drippings. Continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 2 more hours.
- Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving; reserve the drippings for the gravy.
Classic Gravy:
- Prepare the stock: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the turkey neck and giblets; cook, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaves; stir to coat. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, reduce the heat to low and simmer about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; reserve the saucepan. You should have 7 cups stock-if you’re short, add more broth.
- Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in the reserved saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the 7 cups stock; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside until the turkey is done.
- Pour the turkey pan drippings into a fat separator and let stand until the fat rises to the top. Discard the fat (or drizzle on your stuffing). Whisk the defatted drippings into the gravy; season with salt and pepper. Reheat before serving.
The Gordon Agency
The Gordon Agency cares about you and your family’s safety this holiday season. The Gordon Agency offers a broad range of coverage and works with many insurance agencies and can provide quotes from different companies to offer proper coverage at a great price. Price is important, however The Gordon Agency can determine the proper amount of coverage needed for your business and select the option that will save the most money. Using The Gordon Agency ensures you are protected by the best.
This is the home of Florida’s Insurance Professionals. We are a multi-line independent agency that provides insurance solutions for both personal, and commercial lines. Combining decades of relationship building with motivated licensed insurance agents to provide coverage options for all of your insurance needs. Our team of agents relies on our education, integrity, experience, and attention to detail to accurately assess each opportunity and to offer the optimal solutions for all of our clients. We are dedicated to matching the right product for every situation, always at the best price available. Call us at 561-988-3330, visit our website or paste our address in your browser https://tgafl.com/.
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