Jennie-O Turkey Store Provides Tips For Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining

WILLMAR, Minn., Nov. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Every November, Americans gather with family and friends to give thanks and celebrate with a decadent spread featuring a delicious turkey as the iconic centerpiece.

With food prices continuing to climb, Thanksgiving specials offer a once-a-year opportunity to find value in discounted whole turkeys.

"One way to stretch your grocery budget during the holidays is to purchase an additional whole turkey around Thanksgiving," said Chuck Meath, vice president of retail sales, Jennie-O Turkey Store. "Leading up to the holiday, retailers often offer turkeys at the lowest prices of the year. An extra turkey can provide a family with a full week's worth of wholesome, high-protein meal options."

This year, Jennie-O Turkey Store is on a mission to show how easy it is to eat well on a budget with delicious turkey and is offering simple tips to make this Thanksgiving a stress-free affair.

Remove the Worry from the Main Course
As any host can attest to, between cleaning the house, grocery shopping and preparing the high-stakes Thanksgiving meal, the holiday can quickly become muddled with stress.

With loved ones to feed (and impress), preparing a tender, mouth-watering turkey is essential to a memorable Thanksgiving. Choosing the right turkey is the first step. A general rule of thumb is to purchase a whole turkey that will provide a 1 lb. serving for each guest. This portion size will allow enough turkey for the Thanksgiving meal and still leave plenty of meat for tasty leftovers.

Once back in the kitchen, some home chefs may be concerned about cooking their Thanksgiving turkey. However, one easy-to-use kitchen tool erases the worry.

"Meat thermometers build confidence for home cooks by taking the guesswork out of preparing the Thanksgiving turkey," said Renee Cool, product manager, Jennie-O Turkey Store. "This tool gives a true sense of assurance and piece of mind that your whole turkey will come out tender, delicious and fully-cooked."

To find the target temperature for whole turkeys, simply consult the directions found on the product's packaging.

Plan for Extras with Creative Leftover Meals
In the wake of the Thanksgiving feast, hosts are often faced with one pressing question: what do I do with all this leftover turkey?

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121112/CG10117)

Jennie-O has a variety of fun and delicious post-Thanksgiving recipes, which families won't even recognize as leftovers, including JENNIE-O^® Mediterranean Pizza:

Ingredients: Makes six servings

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• About 18 oz. leftover JENNIE-O^® turkey, cut into strips
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (12 inch) pre-baked thin pizza crust
• 2 large ripe tomatoes or 4 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup ripe olives, pitted and halved
• 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced

Directions: Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat; add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add turkey strips; sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes. Place pizza crust on a large baking sheet; top with tomatoes, cooked turkey mixture, olives, and cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with basil leaves; cut into wedges.

For more leftover recipe ideas, information on JENNIE-O^® products and more tips to make this Thanksgiving a success, visit JennieO.com/thanksgiving or SwitchToTurkey.com.

About Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc.
Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc., based in Willmar, Minn., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) and one of the largest turkey processors and marketers in the world. It offers an array of more than 1,500 high quality fresh, frozen, refrigerated and deli turkey products that are distributed throughout the United States and 27 countries worldwide. Jennieo.com

Contacts:
Renee Cool
Jennie-O Turkey Store
(320) 214-2821
[email protected] 

Bob Ringer
Carmichael Lynch Spong
(612) 375-8548
[email protected]  

SOURCE Jennie-O Turkey Store