My Best Holiday Turkey

Ok guys am going to toot my own horn, seriously this is My best Holiday Turkey Recipe It is so good and easy you’ll be making it more than just for the Holidays.

I’ve make a lot of turkeys through out the years. I’ve tried a few recipes and methods, from brining to cooking it up side down

to basting every 30 minutes and I have to say this recipe is the best.

The turkey is melt in your mouth moist with a hint of fresh citrus taste. I couldn’t believe how crispy and beautifully colored the skin was.

My husband who normally isn’t as impressed by food as am, couldn’t stop raving about how good the turkey was. It was so good that even after three days of turkey everything I was still craving more.

3 Tips when making My Best Holiday Turkey

First, when you make My Best holiday Turkey use a the right roasting pan with a lid it’s important to keep the turkey covered until the last 30 minutes to prevent drying the meat.

Second, oven temperatures vary and can effect cooking times if in doubt use a meat thermometer. A turkey is safe to eat when the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Third, this temperature guide is for an unstuffed turkey, stuffed turkeys are cooked longer at 15 minutes per pound.

I always bake my stuffing in casserole dish along side the turkey, it’s easier for serving and just as delicious. One more thing no need

for basting in this recipe, the turkey self bastes from the citrus and butter.

I hope you try My best holiday Turkey recipe and it becomes your Best Holiday Turkey. And when it does be sure to tell me about it, I love hearing from you.

Ingredients

15 lb. turkey
1 stick butter
1 tablespoon each chopped together Italian parsley, thyme, sage and rosemary
3 Tablespoons chopped garlic
1 onion cut into quarters
2 lemons sliced medium thick
2 oranges sliced
2 apples quartered
2 stalks celery
Salt and pepper

Instructions

If using a frozen turkey defrost in the refrigerator 2 to 3 days before cooking
Preheat oven to 425
Bring Turkey to room temperature
Remove the insides from the cavity and neck
Mix the herbs and garlic in the soft butter until well incorporated
Pat the turkey dry rub the whole turkey even under the skin with the butter mixture
Salt ant pepper the outside and cavity of the turkey
Stuff the cavity with the cut onion, apples, lemons and oranges
Stick some lemon and orange slices under the skin
Tie the legs together with kitchen twine or skewers tuck the wing tips under the turkey
Roast in 425 oven covered for 30 minutes
Lower the heat to 375 and roast 10 minutes per lb. longer for a 15 lb. turkey that’s about 3 hours remove the cover the last 30 minutes
Let the turkey rest 20 to 30 minutes before slicing strain the drippings into a medium pan:
For the gravy simmer the dripping over low heat mix 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 cup water slowly pour into simmering drippings stirring continuously

Baked Chicken Rigatoni

This baked chicken rigatoni pasta dinner will let us know what Italians knew all along, that pasta is easy to prepare, versatile and good for you.

By having just a few basics, you can trow together a satisfying dinner ready to serve in less than a hour.

Virtually anything, yesterdays left over chicken, that’s what I used, some fresh vegetables, a handful of cheese can be turned into a simple quick pasta dinner.

Pasta is an ideal main course it’s high in complex carbohydrates and low in fat, making it a staple in our house two to three times a week.

It’s not often you find a meal the whole family will like, when you do you’ll want to make it often. And because pasta is so versatile you can serve it two to threes a week, without repeating the same dish. What’s not to love? Nothing!!!!

Pass The Pasta

This chicken baked rigatoni recipe uses pantry and refrigerator staples, that I had on hand. Pasta is so versatile, you can change this recipe up by leaving the mushrooms or the spinach out, or changing the pasta shape, without changing the flavor much.

Talk about different shape pasta, did you know there are more than 500 distinct commercial pasta shapes.

Pastas are now made in a variety of flavors and made with many different flours. The most important thing to remember when selecting, cooking and serving dried pasta is that they are interchangeable.

If you can’t find a particular type called for in the recipe, simply use a pasta of similar size and shape.

If you make this recipe please leave me a comment, let me know your experience with the recipe, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Hearing from you is my favorite part.

Ingredients

1/2 Lbs. rigatoni
2 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 Lbs. sliced mushrooms
2 cups chopped spinach
1/4 cup flour
2 cups low fat milk
1 cup diced swiss cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta el dente reserve 1 cup of pasta water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a sauce pan in 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil saute chicken until brown
Push chicken to side of pan, add Mushrooms and garlic saute until golden…..salt and pepper now.
Mix the flour with 1 cup of the milk whisk until smooth
Slowly add the flour/milk mixture to simmering pan
Add remaining milk, cheeses, spinach, nutmeg and drained pasta and re severed pasta water
Transfer to a heat proof casserole dish, sprinkle with additional cheese and Italian Parsley
Bake covered for 20 minutes uncover and bake 10 minutes longer
Serve and ENJOY!!!!