Kids Speak: ‘How to Cook a Turkey’

(Minneota Public School)
Mrs. Dalager's Kindergarten class

Aniyah Campos
"I will go to Walmart to get the turkey. Grandma will take me to Walmart. You have to look in the food space in the fridge section. You get it and buy it and get it in a Walmart bag. Get in the car and drive ... I mean, my grandma will drive to her apartment in Marshall. Now I will need to cook the turkey. It will go in the oven on a pan; you know, the one shaped like a triangle. It stays in the oven for 30 hours at hot temperature. While it is cooking, you wait until it is done. Then you take it out of the oven and put it on a plate and eat it. We are only eating turkey because that is all I am going to cook. When you are done eating, you throw away your plates and sit on the couch."

Hudson Hjermstad
"I am going to make turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner. I need to get it at the store Walmart. I will drive in the car ... no ... my mom will drive me to Walmart. Now find a turkey. Look everywhere because they hide. I think it will be hiding in the fridge. Once I see it I will grab it with my hands. Now I will put it in the back end of the car and drive to my house. I forgot to tell you the turkey was dead already so it can't run from me. I will need to cook the turkey by boiling it. It needs to be really hot like 50 degrees. The beeper will go off when the turkey is done. Now you need to put the turkey on a plate. We are eating turkey and corn. I cooked the corn after the turkey was done. Now we eat it. Mom will clean up the mess always. I don't help because I don't want to help. While she is cleaning up, I am going to watch TV like Rusty."

Andrew Anderson
"I will go buy a turkey from the store Walmart. I need to get stuffing and I will need to get cranberries and that is all. That's all. And then I will bring it home and cook it. I am going to cook the turkey in a pot with water. I don't know how to cook stuffing, though. I can ask my mom and dad to help me. Then I am going to set the table and that's all. I will now the turkey is done because I am going to set the time. It will be set for 20 minutes. Then I will put the turkey on the plates, and the cranberry and the stuffing. Now can I be done? And then we eat it. Then I clean up the dishes. I wash the dishes. Now Thanksgiving dinner is done."

Bennett Myhre
"I will make turkeys. I will burn them. I will get them from the barn. A farm barn. The farm is out in the country. I will get there by having my daddy drive me there. I will use the net to catch the turkey. The people run out to their car because they are going to cook the turkey that they caught. Then they drive back home. They cook him on the stove. I will put the turkey in a pan and turn on the fryer. Now it is ready to eat for Thanksgiving dinner. We need stuffing, too. My dad will make that. Now we start to have a feast with all the grandpas and grandmas. The kid goes to school and start to learn. Now Thanksgiving is done."

Cameron Fier
"Um ... I will bring turkey. I need to catch it. It will be in the field in the grass. The field by my house that is my field. I will shoot the turkey with a shooting gun that I buy from the grocery store. Now I will bring the turkey home and I need to cook it in the oven. To get the oven ready, I will push the buttons. The turkey needs to cook for five hours and the oven should be way hot. Take the feathers off the turkey when it is done cooking. After the feathers are off, I need to wash the turkey. Now I am ready to eat the turkey. I will eat with my brother and sister and mom and dad. When I am done eating, I will make the mashed potatoes. Now I am going to make a sandwich with some meat. Now I eat the mashed potatoes and the sandwich. Then I need to eat a salad. Then I need to sleep. I will clean the plates after I eat. My sister will do the dishes."

Cheyanne Lettau
"I am going to get a turkey at a barn. You know the one in the fields in Marshall. The turkey has to be shot by an adult. My daddy will have to help shoot the turkey because he has a gun that he uses for hunting. I will carry the turkey home while I walk. It is going to be a long walk so it is going to take a lot of days to make this trip. The turkey needs to go on a plate before I can put it in the oven. Now it is ready to be cooked up. It needs to cook for seven hours at a really hot temperature. Then we eat it. My mom will make stuffing with potatoes. We are going to eat at the table with plates. We are using our fingers to eat our turkey. We will use spoon for the potatoes. Now our bellies are full and so mom cleans up. Sometimes I help clean up but I don't know if I am going to help this year. That's it. We are done."

Everly Buysse
"To make Thanksgiving dinner I will need to get some turkey. I better have a gun to shoot it. It is in the forest kind of woods. It is a magical woods where you can find turkey. You will need a camper because these woods are very far away. My daddy will drive our camper. The turkey will be in a little bin at the woods. After my daddy shoots the turkey, we will go home and cook it. We will need to use our stove for cooking the turkey. We need to put salt on it. Before we do that, we need to cut off the feathers and cut off the dead body. When we are done cooking it in the oven, we will be ready to eat it. It was a lot of work to get the turkey so we don't have any energy to cook anything else so that is all we are going to eat. That's it. I am going to bed now because I am so tired."

Lily Swoboda
"First, we start at my daddy shooting a turkey. He is going to find it in the wild. He will put it in his red pickup and bring it to his papa and nana's house. At their house, he takes all the feathers off and he puts it in the oven. He cooks the turkey for like three minutes. The oven is all the way to four hot degrees. After, when it is done, we have stuffing with it and we have some sauce to go with the turkey. And then we start eating. And when we are done, I help my grandma clean up and then we play some UNO cards."

Reese Fier
"I will make noodles for Thanksgiving. I will make turkey, too. I will get it at the store; you know, the one in Marshall. I like to eat turkey. My mom just made a turkey and I eat it. Her cut it in slices and tiny pieces to eat. It can't be big because I can't fit in into my mouth. When I buy the turkey, I will take it home. I will cook it with a cooker. The one over there, it opens and goes down. Yes, in the oven. It has to cook for 20 minutes. My mom said that it cooks for that long. It needs to be cut into slices with a sharp saw. And my dad cuts trees down with that, too. It is loud. It is ready to eat. We will eat a cookie with it. When we are done eating, we will get out jammies on and sleep. I will clean up the mess when we are don eating before I go to sleep. And mom will read books to me."

Titan Fier
"For Thanksgiving dinner I am going to make turkey. I will get it from the turkey farm in the country by my house. I know it is there because I live in the country. I will drive my Ranger to the turkey farm with my dad. I will use a net to catch the turkey. We will have to sneak up on him. Dad will have to put the net with the turkey in the back of my Ranger because it will be heavy and dad is strong. We will bring it home. My dad will cut up the turkey because I can't cut it up because I am too young. He has to stop it from moving by pinning it down. Then he puts it in the oven. Wait. we have to take the feathers off outside. My mom won't want feathers in the house! Now put it in the oven for a little bit like one minute. The oven is 20 degrees. That is really hot! We will know the turkey is done when the oven rings. Now take the turkey out of the oven and put it on the table. We are also going to eat pizza for Thanksgiving. I like cheese pizza. My dad, my sister, my brother, my mom and me are going to eat together. When we are done eating, we will need to brush our teeth. That's it. We are done."

William Buysse
"I am going to make turkey. I will need to get it from the grocery store in Marshall. I don't know how I am going to get there ... maybe my mom could take me. I don't want to walk because that would take too long. The turkey will be in the food section and then I have to drive home. I am not driving ... my mom is. Ha! I don't know if I have to do anything to get the turkey ready but it needs to be cooked. I will put it in the oven for six minutes at five degrees. I think that will be enough. We are not eating anything else. The turkey will be steaming so I will know it is ready. Get a plate and put the turkey on it. Take the plate to the dining room and eat it with everyone. Now we are done. Wait, I will clean up. Now we are done."

Mrs. Hart's Kindergarten class

Rosemary Ascheman
"I will walk on the walking trail and look into the trees. I think the turkey will be lined up on a tree branch. I will use my dad's gun to shoot one., Nobody taught me, but I will figure it out. I'll call Mrs. Hart to get it down from the tree. I will take it home and grill it. Can my dad do this? I don't want to get my hands burned off. It will stay on the grill for 17 hours. When it is done, it will look like a cooked turkey. I'll use a spatula to get it off the grill. Then I'm going to cut it up with a knife. I will be good at this because I can cut strawberries! I will make strawberries, applesauce, pizza and pie ... no cake! I will make chocolate cake and not pie. I like chocolate. Chocolate on the bottom, chocolate in the middle, and strawberries on the top. All the people I know will come over to eat. When all the people are done eating, I will wash the dishes and watch Netflix."

Kristopher Brandsrud
"I will go to a farm. I will look by the hens. I will chase the turkey when I see one and catch it or maybe throw a knife at it to kill it. I will bring it home. I don't know how to cook, but I think I should cut the feathers off and throw them outside. I'll put the turkey in the stove for 20 minutes. I will check it to see if it is getting done. When it looks brown, I will take it out with the handles. I will cut it with a pizza knife. Everyone will get some. Can I put sprinkles on it? We will have some salt and pepper and mushrooms and chocolate cake with the turkey. When we are done eating, I will play Legos."

Gavin Brewers
"Turkeys live in trees. So, I will climb up a tree with a big net and a knife. When I get close enough to a turkey, I will slice its head off. I will put the turkey into the net and climb down the tree. Next, I will rip the feathers off and peel off the skin. I will take it to my cousin's house to cook it in the grill for 20 minutes on 2 hot. I'll put a monitor in it with a tip and it will tell me when the turkey is done cooking. Then I will use a tray and a spatula to get the turkey off the grill. I will cut it up with a knife and a fork. I will put some on all of the plates with stuffing and cranberries and chicken and ice cream. When we are done eating, we will go to bed. When I wake up, I will wear Christmas clothes."

Cooper Buseth
"I would go to my grandpa's place that has the pigs. I will look in the trees for a turkey. When I see one, I will catch it with a net. I will take it to Grandma's house. Before I do inside the house, I will kill it with a knife. I will take the feathers off. No, I will ask Grandpa to do that because he wouldn't want me to get all messy. I will get a pan and put the turkey in it. I'll put it on the stove and cook it for 30 minutes on 25. When the timer goes off, then the turkey is done. I'll put the turkey on plates with stuffing and carrots and cookies and muffins. My cousins and us will all get to eat the food and the dessert. Then we will watch football. We cheer for the Gophers and the Vikings. And then when football is all done, we will decorate for Christmas."

William DeSmet
"I will look in the trees in my grove. I'll climb a tree and catch a turkey with a net. I will ax off the head because that will kill it. I will bring it to my house and cut off the skin and feathers with a knife. No, wait, we have a turkey plucker. I almost forgot. You have to plug it in and then it will take the feathers off the turkey. We do this to chickens. We put the feathers in the pit or in the ditch. I will put the turkey in a big pan and cook it in the oven for nine minutes. I will use baking gloves to take it out of the oven because the pan will be hot. I will cut it all up. We will eat it with stuffing and grapes and milk and carrots and watermelon. The people that come to the Thanksgiving will all eat it. My dog will take the bones. We will put our dishes in the sink and when we are all done, my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmas, and grandpas will leave because Thanksgiving is all over."

Jesalynn Gillund
"I will go to John's cornfield. The turkeys are somewhere in the back of the field because all the people are in the front of the field. When I find one, I will shoot it with my Dad's gun. I don't know how to shoot a gun. Can my Dad do that part? I will pick the dead turkey up and put it on the plate that I brought with me. I will bring it into my house and cut off the feathers with a knife. I will throw them into the grove. Then I will have to cut off the head because we do not want to eat the beak. Then I will put the turkey into a huge pan and put it in the oven for 15 minutes on 2 hot. The oven will beep when it is done and I will wear bake gloves to take it out. I will set the table with plates and cut up the turkey. We will have beans and peas and mashed potatoes and butter and ice cream with the turkey. When we are all done eating, me and my sisters will play and get ready for Christmas because that is what comes next. I want a mini sled."

Savannah Hegg
"Look for a turkey. Not a cow. Not a sheep. Not a horse. Not a duck. Cook the turkey in the oven and eat it. Mommy and Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa all eat it with me."

Beckett Nielsen
"If I had to make the turkey for Thanksgiving, I would say 'YES'! I will look in the apple trees because I think turkeys would be hungry for apples. I will throw a light laser onto the turkey and it will make it explode into 129 pieces. Then I will pick up the turkey pieces and take it into the house and put it in the microwave for 100 minutes. Then I will take it out. Then I will put it back in until it is done cooking. When it is all burnt, then I will know it is done. I will make mac and cheese and buttered noodles (those are my favorite) and cupcakes to have for dessert. My Mom and Dad will have mushrooms, but NOT ME! Did you know there are mushrooms in spaghetti? When we are done eating, we will throw the bones outside. I don't want them in the garbage. Then we will get ready for another holiday ... like Valentine's Day."

Gabe Schmidt
"I would go to the Walmart. I will look in the freezer spot. I will buy one for $1. Then I will bring it home and put stuff on it. Stuff like ice cream, and that's it. I will put it in the microwave for about one minute. It beeps. Then I will get it out with a glove that you use to take hot food out. Then I will out some more ice cream on it because it would all be melted. I will make potatoes. Maybe the red kind of potatoes and apples. The real kind of apples and we will have water to drink. Everybody will eat what I made, even Grandma and Grandpa. When we are done eating, we will wash out hands and have fun."

Addilyn Schreiber
"I will dress myself up like a turkey ... like a costume. Turkeys are in the nursery by our garden. My Dad shot a skunk over there once. Don't write that down. I will go over there and say, Boo! After I play a good trick on them and say 'gobble, gobble' like a turkey sound, I will be able to grab one with my arms. I will give them a little food to make them not try to get away from me. Then I will cut the neck off with a knife. I cannot use knives, but I will ask my Dad. Then I will take the turkey to clean its guts out with a hose. I will dry it all off with paper towels. After I take it into the house, I will wash it more in the sink. I will roast it on the stove for like about one minute, I think. Maybe more. Then I am going to open up the fridge and find some hot dogs and chicken and noodles and fries to eat with the turkey meat. My whole family will eat the feast that I made. I will clean up the best that I can when we are done. Then, I think I will go get another turkey and do this all over again."

Abigail Vlaminck
"I would go to a store. Walmart. I would go to the turkey aisle, but Walmart doesn't have any alive turkeys, so I will go to a farm instead. I will go to Grandma and Grandpa's farm and try to find a turkey if that have any. I will look in the turkey bin. So, then I will go inside and pick a turkey that I want. I will get a sword and kill it. Then I will take it home to my apartment. I will put the turkey in the stove for however much time my Mom tells me to put it on. One second? It will get hotter and hotter and hotter and then the timer will start ringing. I will put stove mittens on my hands. You put them on whenever something is hot. I will take the turkey out and dig into it to take all of the bones out. I will make spaghetti and meatballs. Cheesy meatballs. And we will have birthday cake because it will be someone's birthday. Me and Mom and Brittany and Cody and my sister and Grandma and Grandpa will all eat the food. When we are done eating, we will go outside and watch the fireworks. Momma will clean up the food and then we will go to bed."

(St. Edward's School)
Miss Kampa and
Ms. Hohlfeld's students

Liam Hennen
"Go to the store and buy a turkey and put it in the oven. My Mom does that since I am too little to do that. We like chicken instead of turkey and we serve it with bananas and tater and mac and cheese. My Dad helps with the cooking, too."

Kylie Slatko
"We go to the farm and get a turkey and my Mom puts it in the oven. My whole family will eat the turkey and we will eat it with peas and potatoes. If I had to make a turkey I would put salt and sauce on it and bake it for six hours on seven 7 degrees. I have never had pie with my Thanksgiving meal."

Teddy Thomsen
"My Grandma goes to the store and gets a chicken or turkey and it weighs about two pounds. She puts some salt on it and puts it in the oven for 10 hours and 10 minutes. My favorite things to eat with turkey is spaghetti and mac and cheese and carrots. The carrots come from Grandpa Gary's garden and they are delicious. We like to have ice cream for dessert on Thanksgiving. My Uncle Sam comes to the party, too."