Grandpa's Turkey Dinner

My dad loved turkey dinner (in fact he loved it so much), we had turkey dinner multiple times during the year. Every year when November rolled around and grocery stores put their turkey's "ON SALE", dad would buy 15-20 turkeys and put them in his freezer. Then whenever he got the hankerin (for turkey dinner), he'd pull out a turkey from the freezer, allow it to thaw and we'd have turkey dinner all over again. I think my sister and I can safely say, "Grandpa's Turkey Dinner" has been part of our heritage. Smile

Oven Roasted Turkey

OVEN ROASTED TURKEY
11-15 lb turkey (bake time will vary)
Salt & Pepper (inside & outside of the bird)

Flavored Butter
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 Tbsp. olive oil (not extra virgin) + more to drizzle top
4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (1 lg lemon)
+ 1/2 Tbsp. lemon zest
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 c. freshly parsley, chopped
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Stuffing
1 large onion, quartered (no peeling)
4 garlic cloves, halved (no peeling)
1/2 bunch parsley
1 lemon, quartered

Instructions

Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine: 2 sticks softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.
Mash /stir with a fork until well combined (the lemon juice doesn't easily stir into butter but keep mixing and it will happen after a few minutes).
Take a whiff of it; you'll fall in love with how fresh it smells!
Separate the skin from the turkey breast by pushing your fingers under the skin.
Do this from the front and the back of the turkey; being careful not to tear the skin.
Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under skin then spread the butter around by massaging over the top of the skin.
This butter keeps the turkey breast tender, juicy and provides rich flavor.
Rub remaining butter over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, wings).
Drizzle all over the top of the turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper; I just love a crisp, salty skin.
Stuff turkey with quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch parsley and quartered lemon.
Tie turkey base and legs together; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity, plus it looks extra fancy on the table.

How to Roast Your Turkey

Pre-heat the oven to 430˚F on the bake mode. Place oven rack in the lower part of your oven. I place mine on the second level from the very bottom.

Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You'll apply this shield later in the roasting process.
Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the bird; beneath the drum stick; deep into the dark meat. Start roasting uncovered at 430˚F for 20 min.
Remove from oven; quickly baste with butter from the bottom of the dish. You can use a baster or tilt one side of the pan and collect drippings with a large spoon. Now apply prepared foil triangle to turkey breast area.
Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it's fully cooked through then remove from the oven (keep in mind the turkey temp continues to rise slightly after it's out of the oven).
Transfer turkey to serving platter and cover loosely but fully with foil. Let turkey rest for at least 1 hour. It will become more tender and easier to carve, the longer it sits. Keep the drippings from roasting pan for gravy. Now you can decorate around your turkey and make it festive. I used kale for my greens, then added small apples, sliced oranges and quartered lemons.

RECIPE TIPS

If using a frozen turkey, defrost it in its plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 days prior to roasting.
Remove turkey from fridge about 30 minutes before you start working with it.
If the turkey is closer to room temperature, it will bake more evenly.
Remove the neck and bag of giblets from the turkey.
Pat dry turkey with paper towels.
Let turkey sit in a roasting pan lined with paper towels to soak up any excess water from the turkey.
Fold the wings behind the turkey; if you don't they are the quickest to scorch and dry out.

Turkey Stuffing

MARLENE'S TURKEY STUFFING
8-10 c. croutons (@ 2 loafs "day old" bread) see below
1 c. white rice
1 c. wild rice
2 sticks butter, melted
1-1/2 c. celery, diced (about 1/2 bunch)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. sage
1 Tbsp. rosemary
1 Tbsp. thyme
Salt & pepper (to taste)
2 eggs
2 c. chicken broth or water (divided)

Instructions

Croutons
Make your croutons (see below) and set aside.
Cook rice according to package directions.

For the Stuffing

Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium/high heat; add onions, garlic and celery.
Stir often until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add to bowl with bread; stir in herbs, salt, and pepper.
Drizzle in 1-1/4 cups broth and toss gently. Let cool
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk 1-1/4 cups broth and eggs in a small bowl
Add to bread mixture; fold gently until thorough combined. Transfer to prepared dish, cover with foil, and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes.

To Make Croutons

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Cube 2 loaves of "day old" bread from the grocery store.
Place in a bowl, drizzle olive oil over the top and season with: garlic & onion powder, salt and pepper.
Mix up your cubed bread and repeat the oil and seasonings.
Transfer to a jelly roll pan (baking sheet) and bake for about 1 hour, until the bread cubes start to turn lightly brown.
Occasionally stir them while in the oven, until they become dried out.
Allow to cool and transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Optional
Any one of the following can be added to the above recipe to create a truly sensational dish.

1 lb. sage sausage, cooked
2 apples, diced & sauteed
1 c. cranberries
2 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 (15 oz.) can mushrooms, drained
1/2 c. slivered almonds

Cranberry Relish

MARLENE'S CRANBERRY RELISH
1 pkg. cranberries
2 apples
1 orange
1-1/2 c. white sugar

Instructions

Wash cranberries and process thru either a meat grinder or a food processor.
Wash apples, core and process thru either a meat grinder or a food processor.
Peel the skin off the orange, and process thru a meat grinder or a food processor.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and add the white sugar, mix well.
Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
This helps all the flavors to incorporate with each other.

Irish Mash Potatoes w/ Gravy

GRANDPA'S IRISH POTATOES
8 to10 medium potatoes, peeled
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
(secret ingredient)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
(secret ingredient)
1/2 c. butter
1 clove garlic, mined
1/4 c. chopped chives
2 tsp. salt
Dash of paprika

Instructions

Cook potatoes in boiling water about 30 minutes or until tender.
Drain potatoes and mash.
Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add potatoes and remaining ingredients except paprika, beat just until combined.
Spoon mixture into a lightly buttered 2-quart casserole: sprinkle with paprika.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before baking.
Uncovered and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Makes about 8 to servings.

Sweet Potato Casserole

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
3 lbs. sweet potatoes peeled & cut into cubes
½ c. brown sugar packed
⅓ c. butter, softened
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¾ c. pecans chopped, divided
¼ tsp. cinnamon or to taste
Salt & pepper to taste
2 c. miniature marshmallows (topping)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.
Place sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling water.
Simmer for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain.
In a large bowl (or in the pot the potatoes were cooked in), mash the sweet potatoes with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla and salt & pepper.
Fold in half of the pecans and spread into prepared pan.
Sprinkle with the marshmallows and the remaining pecans.
Bake for 25 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown and potatoes are heated through.

Green Bean Casserole

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
1 (10-1/2 oz.) can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. soy sauce
4 c. green beans, cooked & cut
2/3 c. French's French Fried Onions
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. French's French Fried Onions (topping)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Bake for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir the bean mixture.
Sprinkle with the remaining 2/3 cup onions.
Bake for another 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Pumpkin Pie

PUMPKIN PIE
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs large eggs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. salt
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth.
Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool.
Garnish as desired.
Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Egg Nog w/ Rum

EGG NOG w/ RUM
4 c. milk
5 whole cloves
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
12 egg yolks
1-½ c. white sugar
2-½ c. light rum
4 c. light cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Instructions

Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes.
Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil.
In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar.
Whisk together until fluffy.
Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs.
Pour mixture into saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick.
Do not allow mixture to boil.
Strain to remove cloves, and let cool for about 1 hour.
Stir in rum, cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla, and nutmeg.
Refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.