Thanksgiving Recipes

• Mega Turkey
• Thanksgiving Cheese Ball
• Home-style Turkey
• Rosemary Roasted Turkey
• Perfect Turkey
• Gourmet Pumpkin Pie

Mega Turkey Recipe

• PREP TIME - 25 Min
• COOK TIME - 4 Hrs
• READY IN - 4 Hrs 25 Min
• SERVINGS & SCALING - Original recipe : 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups toasted bread cubes
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 apples, cored and halved
• 2 cups apple juice

COOKING DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).


2. Gently loosen the turkey skin on the breast by sliding your hand between the skin and bird. Insert pieces of butter between the skin and breast.


3. In a medium bowl, toss together the celery, bread cubes, and onion. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stuff this mixture into the cavity of the turkey, and place the apple halves inside with it. Place the turkey into a roasting bag, and pour the apple juice over the inside and outside of the turkey. Close the bag, and place turkey into a large roasting pan breast side up.


4. Bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) when measured in the meatiest part of the thigh. Open the bag, and remove turkey to a serving platter. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving.

Thanksgiving Cheese Ball

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 tablespoon diced onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 tablespoon seasoning salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together the cream cheese, pineapple, onion, bell pepper and seasoning salt.


2. Form into a ball and roll in chopped pecans. Chill and serve with butter crackers.

This variation on a classic appetizer, two bricks of cream cheese are transformed into a slightly sweet spread for crackers by the addition of pineapple, green pepper and spices.

Home-style Turkey, the Michigander Way

• PREP TIME -10 Min
• COOK TIME - 5 Hrs
• READY IN 5 Hrs 10 Min

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (12 pound) whole turkey
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 cups warm water
• 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 2 tablespoons seasoning salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse and wash turkey. Discard the giblets, or add to pan if they are anyone's favorites.


2. Place turkey in a Dutch oven or roasting pan. Separate the skin over the breast to make little pockets. Put 3 tablespoons of the butter on both sides between the skin and breast meat. This makes for very juicy breast meat.


3. In a medium bowl, combine the water with the bouillon. Sprinkle in the parsley and minced onion. Pour over the top of the turkey. Sprinkle seasoning salt over the turkey.


4. Cover with foil, and bake in the preheated oven 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). For the last 45 minutes or so, remove the foil so the turkey will brown nicely.
   

Rosemary Roasted Turkey

• PREP TIME - 25 Min
• COOK TIME - 4 Hrs
• READY IN - 4 Hrs 45 Min

"This recipe makes your turkey moist and full of flavor. You can also use this recipe for Cornish game hens, chicken breasts or roasting chicken. Select a turkey sized according to the amount of people you will be serving."

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• salt to taste
  
• 1 (12 pound) whole turkey

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).


2. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set aside.


3. Wash the turkey inside and out; pat dry. Remove any large fat deposits. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick, being careful not to tear the skin.


4. Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.


5. Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).
   

Perfect Turkey

"A perfectly seasoned and juicy turkey. My friend from France taught me to cook turkey like this, but she never measures anything so use your own judgment for vegetable amounts, etc. I usually err on the side of 'more is better'!"

• PREP TIME - 30 Min
• COOK TIME - 4 Hrs
• READY IN - 17 Hrs
• SERVINGS & SCALING - Original recipe yield: 1 (18 pound) turkey

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 2 cups kosher salt
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.


2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.


3. Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.


4. Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Gourmet Pumpkin Pie

• PREP TIME - 10 Min
• COOK TIME - 55 Min
• READY IN - 1 Hr 5 Min
• SERVINGS & SCALING - Original recipe yield: 1 -9 inch pie

INGREDIENTS

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 3 2/3 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).


2. When making your favorite pastry for pie shells add 1/4 cup of the finely chopped pecans to the flour before mixing.


3. Blend the egg, pumpkin and condensed milk. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell.


4. Combine the brown sugar, flour, chopped pecans, butter and cinnamon with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle streusel mixture on top of pumpkin mixture.


5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in near the center comes out clean. Let pie cool before serving.