A basic brine makes this turkey breast more flavorful, moist, and tender.
Refrigerate the turkey in the brine overnight, then roast to perfection for a fabulous feast.
Ingredients:
- 1 turkey breast, bone-in, about 5 to 7 pounds
- 1 gallon ice cold water
- 1 1/2 cups kosher salt (if you only have table salt, use 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 3 bay leaves, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon allspice berries, crushed
- 1 tablespoon mixed or black peppercorns, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
- Creole seasoning, optional
Brined Turkey Breast
Preparation:
Rinse turkey under cold water.
Place turkey breast in a large cooking bag; place in a large roasting pan or other large container (just in case the bag leaks). Add the brine ingredients to the bag, then close the bag and twist until brine is covering turkey. Use a twist-tie to secure the bag. Alternately, you can use a large, nonreactive covered container. Place in the refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 400°.
Remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Place on a rack, breast side up, in a large roasting pan. Discard brine. Rub the turkey with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, along with a little sprinkling of Creole or Cajun seasoning, if desired. Place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, not touching bone. Roast at 400° for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° and continue roasting until turkey breast registers 170°, about 2 to 3 hours.
Serves 8 to 10.
Classic pumpkin pecan pie
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs, divided
- 1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- dash salt
- 2/3 cup light or dark corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 prepared deep dish pie crust*
Classic pumpkin pecan pie
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°.
*If using a frozen pie crust, do not thaw; preheat a baking sheet in the oven and place the pie on the cookie sheet to bake.
In small bowl, combine one egg, pumpkin, 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Spread in pie crust.
In medium bowl, beat remaining two eggs slightly. Stir in corn syrup and remaining 2/3 cup sugar, the butter and vanilla; stir until well blended. Stir in pecans. Carefully spoon over pumpkin mixture.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until filling is set around edge. Cool pie completely on wire rack.
This turkey is roasted with a mixture of herbs and olive oil under the skin and all over the bird.
Use small amounts of dried herbs along with the fresh herbs for more flavor. Use fresh dill, rosemary, and chives, along with about 1/2 teaspoon each of dried leaf marjoram and thyme.
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 turkey, about 14 pounds
- 3 to 4 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs, such as chives, dill, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 orange, cut in 2-inch pieces
- 1 apple, cut in 2-inch pieces
- 1 onion, quartered
- sprigs of fresh herbs
Herb Roasted Turkey
Preparation:
Heat oven to 450°.
Wash turkey inside and out; pat dry. Combine the chopped herbs with olive oil. Gently separate the skin from the breast and rub a few tablespoons of the herb mixture under the skin as far back as you can reach. Rub the remaining mixture all over the bird. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Put orange, apple, onion chunks, and herb sprigs in the stuffing cavity. Cover wing tips with small pieces of foil. Roast for 10 minutes. Tent foil loosely over the top of the turkey and reduce heat to 325° and continue roasting for about 3 1/2 hours longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°.
Serves 8.
