PURCHASE, N.Y. and QUINCY, Mass., Nov. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help Thanksgiving hosts manage the planning and preparation for the holiday feast, The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company is launching their Thanksgiving Ambassador program starting Saturday, November 22nd through Wednesday, November 26th.   An ambassador in each Stop & Shop store will help shoppers with their selection of fresh, frozen, natural & organic and kosher turkeys at great values, easily locate holiday items, provide cooking tips and even offer recipe inspiration. 

"With the busy schedules that we are all faced with many of our customers may not have time to find innovative, fresh and impressive recipes," said Arlene Putterman, Manager, Public & Community Relations at Stop & Shop New York Metro Division.  "Stop & Shop's Thanksgiving Ambassadors will be on call during designated hours to provide tried and true recipes and also offer some new suggestions that will be welcome additions to the Thanksgiving menu. The Ambassadors will also be able to provide shoppers with tips on how to properly prepare and cook the Thanksgiving turkey."

The Ambassadors will be on hand to help shoppers from 1PM until 7PM on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday and from 1PM until 5PM on Sunday on Wednesday and will hand-out catering brochures, complimentary refrigerator magnets with cooking instructions (while supplies last).

In addition to assisting our Thanksgiving shoppers' needs for the holiday in our stores we invite them to view our Pinterest page (http://www.pinterest.com/stopandshop/thanksgiving-feast-for-all) that provides visuals, ideas and recipes for main courses, side dishes, desserts and appetizers. Stop & Shop's Own Brand products are also a great way to add flavor as well as provide a cost effective way to add to Thanksgiving entertaining and meal planning. The Simply Enjoy line of gourmet products can enhance recipes as well as provide additional meal planning ideas.  They are a great way to not only add something extra to the holiday preparation but are great for everyday meals as well.

Stop & Shop Ambassadors will offer suggestions on how to prepare the turkey:

• Tuck wing tips under the shoulders of the bird for more even cooking.
• Add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. 
• If your roasting pan does not have a lid, you may place a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the turkey for the first 1 to 1.5 hours. This allows for maximum heat circulation, which keeps the turkey moist, and reduces oven splatter.
• To prevent overbrowning, foil may also be placed over the turkey after it reaches the desired color. 
• If using an oven-proof food thermometer, place it in the turkey at the start of the cooking cycle. It will allow you to check the internal temperature of the turkey while it is cooking.
• For turkey breasts, place thermometer in the thickest part. For whole turkeys, place in the thickest part of the inner thigh. Once the thigh has reached 165 degrees F, check the wing and the thickest part of the breast to ensure the turkey has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F throughout.

Stop & Shop Ambassadors will offer suggestions on storing leftovers:

• Discard any turkey, stuffing, and gravy left out at room temperature longer than 2 hours.
• Divide leftovers into smaller portions.
• Refrigerate or freeze in covered shallow containers for quicker cooling.
• Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within 3 to 4 days.
• Use gravy within 1 to 2 days.
• If freezing leftovers, use within 2 to 6 months for best quality.

Below are a few recipes the Stop & Shop Thanksgiving Ambassadors will share with our customers:

TURKEY VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP

1 turkey carcass

4 qt. water

12 peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 lb. pkg frozen vegetable medley (peas, carrots, beans…)

1 lb. pkg frozen corn

1 cup barley

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. parsley flakes

pinch thyme

Bring turkey carcass to boil in large pot (4 quart) of water. Add peppercorn and bay leaves. Simmer for 2-1/2 hours skimming the scum that floats to the top. Add lost water. Strain resultant broth. Pick meat off of the bones. Shred and return to broth. Add vegetables, corn, barley, salt, pepper, parsley, and thyme. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 45 minutes. Skim as required.

GIBLET GRAVY

While the turkey is roasting, rinse the giblets and neck and simmer in salted water about 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until tender, adding the liver the last 30 minutes. Save the broth. Remove the meat from the neck and chop fine along with giblets to use in making the gravy.

To make lump free gravy, pour 1 cup of cold milk into a jar that has a tight lid. Add 1/2 cup of flour on top of the milk, cover quickly and shake well to smooth mixture of the milk and flour.

Use the broth from the giblets and enough milk to make 3 cups of liquid. Pour into roasting pan, heat and scrape to the loosened brown bits. Slowly add flour mixture. Add salt and pepper. Stir and cook until thickened. Add chopped giblets and heat to serve.

About Stop & Shop

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC employs over 59,000 associates and operates 395 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. The company helps support local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer and promote general health and wellness – with emphasis on children's educational and support programs. In its commitment to be a sustainable company, Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA's Smart Way program and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold company. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit www.stopandshop.com or www.facebook.com/stopandshop.

SOURCE Stop & Shop