news & notes
Spice up
your sipping
Amidst the rush of back-to-school season and busy fall schedules,
it’s a smart idea to make time for regular breaks. Here’s a great
way to begin the day or to re-energize midafternoon.
Homemade chai tea
Makes 1 1/2 cups / Spicy chai tea, called
masala chai in its native India, is a simple
blend of black tea, milk, sugar, and spices.
You can buy it in many guises (loose leaf,
powdered, and concentrate), but making
your own is easy, too. This warm, aromatic
brew—which is full of antioxidants that help
reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and
stroke—makes a wonderful pick-me-up.
2 teaspoons black tea,
such as Darjeeling
1/4 teaspoon spice mix (equal
parts ground ginger, cardamom,
cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg)
1/2 cup whole or reduced-fat
( 2 percent) milk
1 cup water
2 teaspoons natural
cane sugar
1. Place milk, water, and sugar in a
medium pot. Boil for 30 seconds,
then add black tea and spice mix.
Remove from heat. Steep for 5 min-
utes and strain.
PER SERVING 77 cal, 15% fat cal, 1g fat,
1g sat fat, 6mg chol, 4g protein, 12g carb, 0g
fiber, 59mg sodium –Kazia Jankowski
Turkey talk
+ More turkey tips
With the plethora of labels showing up at meat
counters these days, buying a bird for your hol-
iday dinner can seem a complicated business.
Never fear: Read on for common terms defined,
plus buying and cooking tips.
Kosher
Kosher turkeys are slaugh-
tered by a certified specialist
“as humanely as possible,”
checked for disease, then
soaked, salted, and prebasted.
Organic
The USDA’s National Organic
Program requires that animals
be fed organic feed, mainly corn
and soybean meal, and given
outdoor access. They are never
given antibiotics or animal
byproducts in their feed. The
FDA prohibits the use of
hormones in all turkeys, certified
organic or not.
Frozen vs. fresh
Flash-frozen birds have
a longer shelf life and lower
price tags, but require
defrosting. (Here’s how:
24 hours per five pounds in
the fridge, or 30 minutes per
pound in cold water, which
should be changed every 30
minutes.) Fresh birds tend
to cost more but some meat
experts say they cook faster
and deliver moister, more
flavorful results.
Oven time
Commercially raised turkeys
are often injected with saline
solution, which means they
can stand a bit of overcooking.
Leaner naturally raised turkey
need closer attention to be
sure they don’t overcook,
or cook unevenly. Roast
turkeys at 325 degrees for
about 15 minutes per pound;
add 30 minutes to total cook
time for stuffed turkeys.
WAVE / PHOTOLIBRARY
Natural
Poultry labeled “natural”
contains no artificial ingre-
dients or added color, according
to USDA guidelines.
How much
Buy at least a pound per
person, or up to two if you
want plenty of leftovers.
Double up
Take advantage of holiday
pricing: Buy an extra turkey and
freeze it for an affordable feast
in the new year. –Emery Cowan
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