TURKEY INSPIRATION

My very favorite all-time fall centerpiece in my all-time favorite dining room. I will share more in another post. That chandelier! I have spent countless hours looking for it and when I found it I was crushed, if I recall it was $10,000 or so... Photo courtesy of Seasons of Cannon Falls

We made a turkey last weekend. Yes, I know Thanksgiving is next week but we were in the mood... call it a test run if you will... A few years ago we discovered how amazing a turkey is when cooked in a convection oven. In less than 2 hours a 10 lb turkey is done! We ended up with one of the most flavorful and moist turkeys we have ever done. If you are doing Thanksgiving for the first time or looking for simple give this a try.

-Preheat convection oven to 325 degrees

-Rinse and dry the turkey

-Rub with extra virgin olive oil and sprinke with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper

-Place in roasting pan on a rack with 4 coups of water and one can of chicken broth

-Baste from the pan often (every 30 minutes or so)

We took our 1o pound bird out after 2 hours but it probably would have been ready in an hour 45. Usually we rub the turkey with butter, sage, and salt which is also good. Our new recipe is amazing. If you give it a try let me know. I have had turkey that has been marinated, brined, roasted with vegetables and this was by far the best! I am sure it would work in a conventional oven if you increase the temp, time, and baste more often. There are tips all over the internet.

Reserve the dripping and juice from the pan to make gravy. Tip: We always have a jar of gravy on hand just in case! Some of our best gravy's have been when we have combined homemade and jar gravy. This time we didn't need to add anything but better safe than sorry.

For the a simple stuffing try:

- 2 Bags Peppridge Farms Cubed Breadcrumbs (1 Herb Seasoned and 1 Sage and Onion - used together you get great flavor) - I like to reserve a half bag or so until the end in case it gets too moist.

- 1 stick unsalted butter (salted is fine if it is all you have) - melted (you can use more if you like)

- I like to add a bit more sage, a matter of taste

- A generous amount of onion flakes (minced onions are fine too, my mom doesn't like onions so we use the flakes for the flavor)

- 1 1/2 cartons (32 oz each) chicken broth. I start by pouring one carton in and letting sit for a few minutes so that the bread can absorb the juice. I then continue to add broth and the remaining crumbs until it is a desired texture. We like it when at least some of the cubed breadcrumbs still hold their shape and some are mushy.

-Bake uncovered in a buttered caserole in a regular oven heated to 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. I like when the top is a bit crispy and it is moist underneath.

Super easy and delicious!

What are your Thanksgiving food traditions? We are pretty basic, turkey, dressing, cranberry (jellied from the can), sweet potatoes of some kind, a vegetable, and dinner rolls.

Best wishes,

Tammy