Technique key to keeping Thanksgiving lean

Homemade, traditional Thanksgiving dinners carry with them the hope for a kitchen filled with the intoxicating aromas of roasting turkey and herb dressing, the earthy fragrance of sweet potatoes yeasty roll's brightened by cranberry's perfume.

This Rockwellian vision can quickly turn into real anxiety on Thanksgiving morning. No one wants the turkey dry, the stuffing overcooked or their gravy looking like a beige sea with island-like lumps floating on an oily surface.

This year adds another level of difficulty: financing the feast.

In years past, I always bought fresh, never-frozen turkey or turkey breast. To me, they taste better, roast faster and can be brined (where self-basting and kosher turkeys cannot). The downside: higher cost; sometimes much higher.

As my food budget has been hammered by rising food costs, I will opt for a less expensive frozen bird. It's been a few years since I've defrosted one, so I turned to the USDA for information.

I learned there are two ways to thaw a frozen turkey: one slow, one quicker. The time for both methods varies based on the weight. If you plan to defrost your turkey in the refrigerator (the slow method) figure 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. A 12-pound bird will take about three days, where a 20- to 24-pounder requires five to six days. Keep the turkey in its original wrapper and place it on a pan to catch any liquid that may leak out.

If you've got room in your sink for a turkey, you can use the faster method: cold water. For this you'll need to make sure that your turkey is securely wrapped so that no water can leak through, and you need a sink deep enough to submerge the turkey. Always use cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. At a thawing rate of 30 minutes a pound, a 12-pound bird will defrost in 6 hours; a 20- to 24-pound turkey in 10 to 12 hours. DO NOT use warm water to speed up the process.

Once defrosted, don't forget to remove the giblet package from the interior cavity. This package contains a gold mine of flavor that I'll simmer (minus the liver) in chicken broth, with celery, carrots and onion to make great gravy later.

Now for the cooking part.

In 2005, Gourmet magazine showcased its high-heat (450 degrees) method for turkeys weighing 16 pounds or less and whole, bone-in turkey breasts. That year, I roasted my turkey the Gourmet way. My 8-pound breast spent just 90 minutes in my oven and received rave reviews. Find the recipe at epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/THE-SIMPLEST-ROAST-TURKEY-232985

If your turkey comes with a pop-up timer, pull it out and throw it away. I guarantee that if you wait for that timer to pop, your turkey will be overcooked and dry. Instead, use your instant-read digital thermometer; it's far more accurate and reliable.

Minds greater than mine have debated the stuff vs. not stuff issue and while that in-the-bird-stuffing may taste good, it is not the safest. In order for the stuffing to be safely cooked (to 165 degrees), the turkey surrounding the stuffing almost always ends up being over-roasted. That means ultra-dry white meat; not a good trade-off in my book.

So I always bake my stuffing in a casserole dish and make great almost fat-free gravy from giblet broth and the juices in the bottom of the turkey roasting pan thickened with cornstarch.

I've had great success making my own bread cubes for stuffing from good quality, whole wheat, whole-grain bread. Give it a try.

• Don Mauer welcomes questions, shared recipes and makeover requests for your favorite dishes. Write him at Don Mauer, Daily Herald Food section, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or don@theleanwizard.com.Oven-baked Thanksgiving Stuffing2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth1 packet (.25 ounce) Butter Buds butter-flavored mix, dissolved in 1/2-cup hot fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth1 large egg2 large egg whites1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)1 tablespoon olive oil1 large onion, chopped (about 11/2 cups)3 medium celery ribs, diced medium (about 11/2 cups)11/2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, minced11/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper2 ounces finely chopped pecans1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves12 cups dried 1/2-inch bread cubes from 1 pound whole-wheat, whole-grain French bread (see note)Place the oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray the interior of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter-flavored oil.Add chicken broth, dissolved Butter Buds, egg, egg whites, and salt to a large mixing bowl, whisking together until combined. Set aside.Place a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add olive oil. When hot, add onion and celery and saut#233; until softened, about 7 or 8 minutes. Stir in sage, thyme, marjoram, black pepper and pecans; saut#233; for 2 minutes. Add parsley and saut#233; for 1 minute.Stir onion mixture into chicken broth mixture. Add bread cubes and combine, stirring and tossing gently to evenly mix the dry and wet ingredients. Spoon stuffing into prepared dish, spreading it out evenly. Lightly spray the stuffing with butter-flavored oil. Cover tightly with foil (see note), and bake about 25 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a golden brown crust forms on top. Serve warm. Serves 10.Cook's notes: To dry and make bread cubes: Slice French bread into 1/2-inch slices; lay slices in a single layer on the racks in a 225-degree oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until brittle but not browned. Cut the slices into 1/2-inch cubes.This stuffing may be prepared the day before cooking. Cover and refrigerated until needed; allowing 30 minutes for it to begin warming up at room temperature before placing in the oven.LeanNotes: One pound of reduced-fat bulk breakfast sausage may be browned lightly in a small amount of olive oil, drained and added to the stuffing mixture at the same time everything is combined.@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving: 183 calories (31 percent from fat), 6.3 g fat (0.6 g saturated fat), 1.5 g fiber, 6.5 g protein, 24.6 g carbohydrate, 21 mg cholesterol, 545 mg sodium.