Happy Thanksgiving! ("Hearticle" & Recipe)

This Thanksgiving, Stratastic is thankful for all the key players that have been supportive since well before its official startup, and that especially includes Douglas Carney, the guest writer of this "Hearticle". Douglas has extensive experience in condos and other residential settings, gathered from a multitude of roles ranging from Security to Superintendent to being a Resident Manager - he's done it all!

We'd also like to express our gratitude to those who have already joined us on this journey and are supporting Stratastic's effort! You all inspire us to keep going every day! We hope everyone will enjoy Douglas' "Hearticle" below, including his recipe for "Split Gravy". Speaking from experience, his recipes are always delicious.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

-Stratastic Inc.

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"Hearticle"

Thanksgiving Tips & Tricks for All

(Especially Condo Residents)

Thanksgiving dinner was extremely important to my Grandparents. It was a way to gather the entire family under one roof to break bread, spill gravy and create memories that last a lifetime. It worked. I remember everything from the layout of the dining room to the smells of turkey and all of the trimmings cooking in the kitchen. I remember the sharing of stories and the house being filled with laughter. When I look back, I can hear my Grandmother’s voice reciting the rules that she lived by.

“You don’t need a giant bird, but you need enough to feed your hungry family and maybe a little extra for unexpected guests”. That would happen quite often. Having extra folk over for dinner because my Grandparents door was always open and there was always a spare chair and a full (heaping) plate on the table.

“Butter not Margarine”, “a basket of hot biscuits, not bread”, ”fresh not frozen”, “stuffing made from scratch never from a box”. You would be surprised how much of an impact Thanksgiving dinner with my Grandparents changed the way that I cook in general, not just for large gatherings and festivities. These things that you may consider small and not worthy of casual mention, end up being the building blocks that shape your adult life.

I moved away from the small town life and lived and worked in Condominiums for almost a decade. Cooking and entertaining in a Condo is a little different from my Grandparents family house but I have made some of my best Turkey dinners this way. You just need to consider a few things:

(1) How big is your oven? That determines both the size of the bird that you need to get and the size of the roasting pan. If I needed more than what I had, I would utilize slow cookers, a buffet warmer and a portable cooktop. That way I could have six burners going at the same time and not have to worry so much about timing of multiple dishes.

(2) How many people can you have over for dinner? I would setup the counter top as a buffet area, and put the food out with a stack of clean plates and cutlery. Line up, dish it out and then find a place to sit down and eat.

(3) Can you book an amenity space? The Party Room is a convenient way to entertain more guests if your Condo is a tight squeeze or if you want the whole family to come for a visit!

Remember, it isn’t so much where you are but who you are with, that makes Thanksgiving a memory making moment.

- Douglas Carney,

Guest Blogger of "Hearticles" for Stratastic Inc.

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Recipe for "Spilt Gravy"

The details:

Ready in: No Time!

Serves: An Army.

Calories … Don’t tell me what’s healthy!

Ingredients:

• Drippings

• Half Cup of Butter

• ¼ Cup of Flour (unbleached, all purpose)

• Sea Salt

• Cracked Pepper

Instructions:

1. Drippings. I put everything in that pan. Giblets, neck and bits and bobs. It makes the drippings rich. I butter my bird so there is plenty of extra fat to harness as well. I also put the veggies in the same pan with enough water to cover it. Some people use chicken stock, I do not.

2. Make a Roux: Slowly melt the butter over medium to low heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add in Sea Salt and cracked pepper to taste. As the butter melts, pour in the flour and whisk continuously to make a roux. Cook 2 minutes.

3. Slowly add in the turkey drippings or broth. Whisk constantly while it thickens.

4. Cook 3-5 minutes or until gravy reaches desired consistency.

5. Serve in an overfilled gravy boat.

6. Gobble everything right up!

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Updated on April 13, 2024.