The Best Way to Roast a Turkey

Need to fix a turkey for Thanksgiving this year? No problem! I just made one today for my husband's family and it was a hit! Our turkey was perfectly golden brown, tender, and juicy. My favorite Food Network girl, Giada de Laurentis, wrote this recipe. You can find her recipe and a how-to video on the Food Network site.

I made a slight modification - al la Paula Deen - by rubbing herb butter under the turkey's skin. To make the herb butter take 2 TBS of room temperature butter and mix with 1 TBS Herbs de Provence. Use your hand to separate the skin from the breast meat and rub the herb butter between the layers.

Herbs de Provence is something that you can't just run and pick up at your local grocery store. I bought my jar at TJ Maxx for around $5. I know, I know, I should be buying a handbag or jeans at the Maxx, but they have random gourmet foods and spices in the housewares section. Check it out, you might find a treasure or two!

My 21-lb bird took about 4 hours to roast. Make sure you thaw your turkey 3-5 days in advance by putting it in the frig. If it's still slightly frozen, place it in room temperature water to help it defrost quickly. Rinse and pat-dry your bird with paper towels. This helps your basting stick to the bird. Oh yeah, this is important, make sure you pull out all the livers, gizzards, neck, etc. from the inside. One year I forgot to pull out the liver/gizzard packet and baked it inside the bird...oops!

Here is what the turkey should look like before it hits the oven.


You can't make turkey without cranberry sauce, right? And I'm not talking about that gross jelly stuff out of a can. If you really want to wow your family, make this cranberry salad. My Grammy Van has been making it since the beginning of time.

Grammy Van Dyne's Fresh Cranberry Jello Salad
1 lb Fresh Cranberries
2 Apples
1 Orange
1/2 c. Celery
2 c. Sugar
1- 3 oz. Lemon Jello

Make Jello according to directions. Let Jello come to room temperature and then put in frig for 2 hours.

In a food processor pulse cranberries until they are course. (Make the texture whatever you prefer, I like mine course.) Core apples and pulse in food processor until you have reached the desired consistency. Quarter the orange and pulse in food processor along with 2-3 stalks of celery. Add sugar to the cranberry, apple, orange, and celery mixture and let sit in frig until Jello is ready.

Combine fruit and sugar mixture with Jello until combined. Refrigerate for another 2-3 hours until Jello is set.

My Grammy always makes pretty designs on top with shelled and halved pecans. Almonds or walnuts are good too.

Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!