[1] Roast turkey is a year-round treat, especially when all you have to do is put a frozen turkey in a bag in the oven (photos #1 and #2 © Jennie-O).

[2] The turkey is packaged in an easy-to-carry bag.

[3] Sweet potato salad made summery with corn and tomatoes. Here’s the recipe (photo © Averie Cooks).

June is National Turkey Lover’s Month.

There are turkey burgers and turkey hot dogs, ground turkey for meatballs or meat loaf, and turkey sandwiches from turkey breast or [far less appealing] turkey roll.

But the turkey everyone looks forward to is the Thanksgiving turkey (well, except a few folks like our friend Terry’s dad, who doesn’t like poultry).

So why is a roast turkey on the table only once a year?

How about a turkey for July 4th. (After all, it was almost our national bird.)
 
 
> The history of turkey.
 
 
JENNIE-O: THE EASIEST ROAST TURKEY YOU CAN MAKE, ANYTIME

You can have a delicious turkey (photo #1) year-round with very little effort, with an oven-ready frozen turkey from Jennie-O. It’s our best discovery so far this year.

The turkey comes in a bag with a handle for easy carrying (photo #2). Thanks to whomever thought of this (and other turkey producers, take note).

Just take the turkey from the freezer, remove the outer bag, and place the frozen turkey, housed in an inner bag, into the oven.

That’s it: There’s nothing to baste or watch over. It cooks up super-moist and juicy. And clean-up is minimal.

We received our Jennie-O Oven-Ready Whole Turkey as a sample. We couldn’t believe it would be as easy as described, or produce as good a turkey as the typical frozen turkey, thawed before roasting.

But it is! Jennie-O has a new customer in us, and we’ll have whole roasted turkey much more often, and soon (see the next section).

We also will likely forgo our annual heirloom bird at Thanksgiving, because Jennie-O Oven Ready is just too easy to pass up. (And who likes to scrub a roasting pan?)
 
 
TURKEY FOR JULY 4TH

We’re having a roast turkey on July 4th. Turkey was almost America’s national bird, after all. As for those burgers, franks, chicken and steaks: We have them all the time. They’re not exactly a celebration.

There won’t be stuffing or cranberry sauce. We’re making summer sides: sweet potato salad, and a farmers market green salad with a dried cranberry vinaigrette.

We have three bags of cranberries in the freezer, and are planning cranberry sorbet for dessert.

Some participants have been asked to bring potluck dishes that complement a summer roast turkey. We know two of them: corn salad and zucchini ribbon “pasta” salad. We can’t wait to see what the others bring!
 
 
BACK TO JENNIE-O…

Jennie-O Oven Ready Whole Turkey is also available with Cajun seasonings. Both come with a packet of gravy.

The gravy included with our turkey is not the greatest; but we added Gravy Master, and then bourbon, which helped.

Truth to tell, the turkey is so moist and flavorful, no gravy is necessary. Or, you can make gravy from the drippings in the bag.

Check out the line of Jennie-O turkey products including fresh, natural turkeys; cutlets; franks and brats; burgers and ground meat; tenderloins; sausages; meatballs, bacon; even turkey pot roast!

Need turkey tips? Visit Jennie-O for:

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

We have the bad habit of collecting recipes. Not making them, mind you, just collecting them.

Whether torn from magazines or saved digitally, we have so many recipes, we could publish a cookbook series called “Recipes We Never Tried.”

Yesterday, we tore from The New York Times the this recipe for namoura, a Lebanese semolina pan cake, soaked in a flavored sugar-syrup and garnished with almonds.

It sounded delicious and we wanted to try it, but we wondered if we’d ever get around to making it. And then we created a tip for ourselves:

A Really Good Idea

Once a month, go through the collection of Recipes We Never Tried and make one, just one. At the same time, toss 10 recipes we’re not likely to make anytime soon, if ever.

If you do this on a Friday night or Saturday morning, you have the weekend to cook the chosen recipe.

Following the accounting principle of FIFO—first in, first out—we’re making namoura on Saturday. If we don’t get to Kalustyan’s for lavender extract, we’ll use rose water.

What We’re Tossing Today

Digging through the pile, we came across the recipe below, from Whole Foods. We’re not sure why we saved it; we make crostini with goat cheese and strawberries often.

But since it’s summer and strawberries are a nice summer crostini topping, before we hit the delete button, we share it with you, adapted from the original.

More Summer Crostini Suggestions

Try this BLT guacamole crostini recipe with juicy summer heirloom cherry tomatoes.

For entertaining, set up a DIY crostini bar (or if you’re outdoors near a grill, a DIY bruschetta bar.

The difference between crostini and bruschetta starts with the bread: crostini is toasted; bruschetta is rubbed with a garlic clove, brushed with olive oil and grilled.

RECIPE: GOAT CHEESE & STRAWBERRY OR TOMATO CROSTINI

Ingredients

 
Preparation

[1] and [2] The crostini recipe (photos courtesy Whole Foods) with [3] strawberries (photo courtesy Good Eggs). Or, [4] substitute tomatoes for the strawberries (photo courtesy Sunset Produce).

2a. DRIZZLE with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with basil and a generous amount of black pepper.

2b. VARIATION: Instead of drizzling, toss the diced berries and basil in oil and vinegar.

The variation makes the crostini less drippy than if they were drizzled with oil and vinegar; and it better integrates the strawberries and basil. The net taste remains the same.
FOOD 101: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPETIZERS & HORS D’OEUVRE

These terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference:

Hors d’oeuvre, pronounced or-DERV, a French term that refers to finger food(s) served with drinks prior to the meal. The name means “outside the work,” i.e., not part of the main meal.

Hors d’oeuvre were traditionally one-bite items, artistically constructed, like canapés (a subgroup of hors d’oeuvre). Today, in the U.S., the category of has expanded to include such bites as mini quiches and tarts, skewers, baby lamb chops, stuffed mushrooms, etc.

Note that in French, there’s no extra “s” for the plural: It’s the same spelling as the singular form.

An appetizer is a first course, served at the table and, in larger portions than hors d’oeuvre.

While you can plate multiple hors d’oeuvres as an appetizer, an appetizer can be many things—from a crab cake to a plated slice of quiche to a salad (in the U.S.—the French serve salad after the main course).

What about crackers and cheese, crudités and dips, salsa and chips, and other American snack foods served with pre-dinner drinks?

Since they are finger foods, technically you can call them hors d’oeuvre. Or, as the French might say (sneer?), American hors d’oeuvre.

[2] Fish tacos with mango. Here’s the recipe (photo © How Sweet It Is).

[3] Tacos with black beans and fried chicken (photo © Karen Culp | Burst).

[4] Bean and chicken tacos (photo © Racool | Free Range Stock).

The 2017 summer solstice falls on Wednesday, June 21st at 12:24 A.M. If you’re having a midnight dinner tonight, you can officially have summer tacos.

What are summer tacos? Tacos with lighter ingredients: chicken, fish, and vegetarian instead of beef; summer vegetables used as a garnish or in vegetarian tacos.

Bonus: These ingredients are more bountiful in the summer; hence, better priced.

Beyond summertime, check out these taco holidays:

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

One individual commenting on the Burpee website had success in Zone 6.

Here’s the USDA map of hardiness zones.

Tea, Camellia sinensis, is a perennial plant. The same plant yields black, green and white tea. The difference is in the processing; basically, how much heat is applied to dry the leaves.

At $16.95 per plant, it’s a fun opportunity to grow what you drink; and if you have younger children, a nifty project.

You harvest and dry the tea leaves in a wok or pan.

Buy the plants now and harvest them in the fall. Send some as gifts to tea-loving friends with green thumbs. Here’s where to order.

Different states have particular shipping restrictions. For example, you can’t ship lemongrass plants to California or Colorado, or potato plants to Florida or Montana.

Check here to see if tea plants can be shipped to your state.
 
 
PREFER HERBAL TEA?

Herbs can be grown anywhere! Read our article on growing herbal tea at home.
 
 
TEA TIME: TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TEA

A Year Of Tea Party Ideas

Black Vs. Green Vs. White Tea

Brewing The Perfect Cup Of Tea

Have An Iced Tea Party

The History Of Tea

Pairing Tea With Food

Tea Glossary: All The Tea Terms You Need To Know

Drink it.

Enjoy it! (Photo #1 courtesy Burpee, photo #2 courtesy Chateau Rouge Fine Foods, photo #3 courtesy Republic Of Tea._

[1] A pumpkin naked cake with a filling of whipped cream and fresh raspberries (photo courtesy Driscoll’s Berries. [2] A white chocolate cake filled with whipped cream and chopped dried apricots. Here’s the recipe from Epicurious. [3] Chocolate cake with red velvet cake filling, based on cream cheese. Here’s the recipe from Cook The Story. [4] Three different fillings: key lime, raspberry and blood orange. Here are more from Brides.

Add something fun and tasty to the filling between layers.

FOR MORE CAKE FUN, CHECK OUT ARE CAKE GLOSSARY

TYPES OF CAKE FILLINGS

Common cake fillings include:

 
The asterisked* cake fillings are easier to flavor, with anything, from fruit to Nutella to rum.

Additionally, each filling can be made more complex complex with the addition of:

 
ADD SOME CANDY TO YOUR FILLING

You don’t have to be a kid to appreciate a bit of candy in your cake.

 
FILLING, FROSTING, ICING: THE DIFFERENCE

Filling goes between the layers of a cake. Each layer can have a different filling; for example, one layer of ganache and one layer of custard. The frosting of a cake can be used as the filling as well.

Frosting is used to cover the top and sides of a cake, and often as a filling between the layers. It is typically made from sugar plus a fat such as butter and/or milk or cream. Frosting is generally flavored with vanilla extract or other flavoring—cocoa powder, coffee, lemon, lime, orange, strawberry, etc. A vanilla frosting can be colored with food coloring, which adds gaiety without additional flavor.

Icing is technically different from frosting. Icing is made with confectioner’s sugar, also called icing sugar. Most consumers aren’t aware of this technicality, and use the words interchangeably.
 
LIQUOR & LIQUEUR: THE DIFFERENCE

Liquors are distilled spirits; that’s why they’re also known as spirits.

They are made of grains or other plants that are fermented and distilled into high-proof alcoholic beverages. Bourbon, gin, rum, scotch, tequila and vodka are examples.

The distillation process separates the water from the alcohol, increasing the alcohol content to at least 20%/40 proof. Japanese shochu is an example of this. Western spirits are typically distilled to 40% alcohol/80 proof, although some rums are distilled to a higher proof.

Liqueurs are sweetened spirits. with with various extracts, oils and other flavors added. Brandy, rum and whiskey are common base spirits for liqueurs.