Happy Clog-less Holiday

Happy Clog-less Holiday

We absolutely love the holidays! We get to see family and friends that we may not see everyday, get to prepare and eat holiday food that we may only eat once a year and we get to make amazing memories. But unfortunately, this is also the busiest time of the year for plumbers because cooks are unaware of the clog-causing foods that can damage a garbage disposal.

Eliminating a few clog-causing food items from making their way into your kitchen drain can keep pipes flowing freely throughout your holiday season.

This year we urge you to use the oils from your turkey to make gravy (check out the great recipe below!) instead of putting it down the kitchen sink, which will eventually cause a clog. Allow fats to solidify or place the grease in the refrigerator to harden, put it into a non-recyclable bottle, and throw it in the garbage.

We recommend you place the following clog-causing foods in the trash and not down the drain: fats, oils, potato peels, celery, fruit, turkey skin, bones, rice, coffee grinds, egg shells and pasta.

Other tips to avoid garbage disposal problems, follow these simple tips:
• Turn on the tap before, during and 15 seconds after running the disposer
• Use only cold water when running the disposer
• Do not fill the grinding chamber with waste and turn on the disposal. Add waste in
small amounts
• If your disposal is clogged, don’t use harsh chemicals to try to unclog the unit as
that might damage the mechanical parts, shortening the life of the disposal
• Don’t put your hand down the disposal
Call a plumber. They will have the knowledge and the tools to service your disposal.

If baking a turkey is in your plans for the holiday, instead of disposing of your turkey fat, make gravy. Try this simple turkey gravy.

Simple Turkey Gravy
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fat from turkey drippings
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup liquid from turkey drippings
• 2 cups turkey stock
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat fat from turkey drippings in a saucepan over medium-low heat until liquefied, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk flour into turkey fat until golden, about 5 minutes.

2. Whisk liquid from turkey drippings and turkey stock into fat-flour mixture; increase heat to medium and cook, whisking continuously, until gravy is smooth and desired consistency, 5 to 10 minutes. Season gravy with pepper.
recipe via http://allrecipes.com/recipe/239434/simple-turkey-gravy/