Let’s talk some Turkey

With schools pretty much closed to outside visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was looking grim for The Purcell Register’s annual Thanksgiving meal prep feature.

We needed access to some first and second graders.

Fortunately, Purcell Elementary School Principal Cindy Stone agreed to be our stand-in, quizzing the chosen children on Thanksgiving turkey cooking basics and other holiday meal staples.

The questions were simple and not unlike those many adults are asking themselves with the feast just one week away. 

Are you looking forward to Thanksgiving? How do you cook a turkey? What else is on the menu at your house?

Everyone is looking forward to the holiday or maybe just the week off from school.

Here is what the kids said:

Gabriel Barger, second grade – “I’ve never actually (cooked a turkey). The best way to cook a turkey is probably deep fry the chicken legs. That’s amazing because at Walmart we used to get their deep fried chicken legs and it’s amazing. It’s like a dream come true.”

As for the rest of the meal, Gabriel expounded, “I’m probably going to have a chicken. What are those little egg things that you boil the shell and take off the shell and put all that stuff on it? Yes, deviled eggs and some things like bacon and chicken and lots of things.”

Asked his favorite foods to eat on Thanksgiving, Gabriel had no doubts – Walmart’s deep fried chicken legs and deviled eggs.

“Deviled eggs is my most favorite,” he claimed, before adding he’s never had a Thanksgiving dessert. But if he did it would probably be “a cake that has icing shaped like a chicken.”

Yeah, I don’t know what that would look like either.

First grader Aubrey Forbes was short and to the point with her answers.

Best way to cook a turkey? “In a pan.”

What do you have to do to the turkey? “Cut it.” And what else? “Put it in the oven.” For 20 minutes.

The menu according to Aubrey – “cupcakes, green beans, ham and corn.”

And when Stone tried to invite herself to the meal, Aubrey had this to say: “NO!”

Another one of few words was Noah Simmons, first grade.

The best way to cook a turkey is “roast it in the oven.” In addition to turkey, his menu includes pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes.

By the way, Noah is certain he will have a great Thanksgiving.

Stetson Backhaus speaks with the wisdom of a second grader when it comes to preparing and cooking a holiday bird.

“I think you just put it in the oven,” he said.

Pre-roasting prep is a simple matter. 

“Take the guts and other stuff out.”

Good call, Stetson.

On the short list for Thanksgiving dinner at his house are “turkey and, uh, that sour stuff, the sour jello thing.”

I hope he’s talking cranberry sauce.

And really, the menu is pretty moot as far as Stetson is concerned.

“Oh, I don’t like to eat any of that stuff,” he said. “I eat chips. I’m not really a fan of meat and the only meat I eat is chicken.”

Lyla Rhodes is in the first grade.

She’s at a loss on how to cook a turkey and can only respond with a vigorous head shake when asked if she’s ever seen someone cook a turkey.

Still, she’s planning on eating “lots on foods and desserts” on the feasting holiday.

Her menu?

“Ham, turkey, ice cream, green beans, mashed potatoes and brownies and that’s all.”

Fellow first grader Bria Norman said the best way to cook a turkey is on a grill.

And what do you do to it?

“Eat it.”

But first remember to turn the grill on and cook that bird for 15 minutes.

Her menu selections include “mashed potatoes, turkey, fruit and that’s all.”

Well, besides the vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Kambree Martin is in first grade.

She favors a stove for cooking a turkey once it is cleaned. Cooking time is 2 minutes.

The menu is simple – turkey and chicken with chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Non-traditional is the way to go for Kylee Resendiz, a second grader.

She wants Chinese. Or maybe pepperoni pizza and fries with ketchup.

But if you are bound and determined to cook that turkey, she’s willing to help with some advice.

“Put it where you put the cookout thing at,” she said. “You put it on that thing that’s on the bottom on the grill. Cook it like 10 minutes or 20 minutes. Check to see if it’s good or not.”

Xavier Steele, a second grader, doesn’t like turkey.

But if you do, he advises putting it in the stove for an hour.

His menu?

“Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans corn and macaroni and cheese – yuck.”

There are also cakes for dessert. No preference there.

“I like them all,” he said.