Classic Roast Turkey


1 (8-24) fresh or frozen Honeysuckle White Turkey thawed if frozen 1 tablespoon olive oil or other vegetable oil Optional garnishes: Fresh basil, parsley, or thyme sprigs Follow preparation instructions on Honeysuckle White bag as follows: Preheat oven to 325 F. Remove thawed turkey from bag. Remove giblet package from neck skin area. With legs facing away, press one leg down near leg clamp to release. Release other leg. Do not remove clamp from turkey. Remove neck from body cavity. Rinse inside and outside of turkey with cold water. Drain well and pat dry. If stuffing turkey, allow 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey. Bake any extra in casserole dish. STUFF IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ROASTING. Retuck legs in clamp. Roast immediately. Place turkey in roaster or in shallow pan with rack. Brush turkey with vegetable oil. Roast at 325 F according to chart. It is not necessary to baste your Honeysuckle White turkey and opening the oven door will slow cooking time. Using a meat thermometer is recommended. Insert into the thickest part of the breast without touching the bone. Thermometer should read 170 F when turkey is done. Start checking pop-up timer and meat thermometer 1 hour before turkey is due to be done according to chart. When turkey is golden brown, cover with a loose tent of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning. When timer stem pops up, your turkey is perfectly cooked (meat thermometer should read 170 F). Alternative checks for doneness: leg joint moves freely when the drumstick is rotated; or, when a fork is inserted into the deepest part of the leg joint, the juices are clear. Remove turkey from pan to serving platter, reserving dripping in pan for gravy, if desired. Let turkey stand 10-15 minutes before carving, to allow juices near the surface of the skin to be redistributed, for juicier meat and easier carving. Make gravy during standing time and garnish turkey with fresh herb sprigs, if desired.

Bread Stuffing (and variations)


Allow 3/4 cup stuffing for each pound of ready-to-cook turkey. What follows is a recipe with enough for a 12 lb turkey.
9 cups soft bread cubes
3/4 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups chopped celery (stalks and leaves)
1 cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
In a large skillet cook and stir onion and celery in butter until onion is tender. Stir in about 1/3 of the bread cubes. Turn into deep bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Stuff turkey just before roasting.

Favorite Green Beans


2 slices bacon
1 16 oz. can green beans, undrained
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. dried minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
Fry bacon until crisp in large skillet. Remove bacon and crumble for topping. Add minced garlic and onion, sauté for 1 min. Add green beans and sugar. Sauté until heated through. Serve topped with crumble bacon.

4 servings. Recipe can be halved or multiplied by 2, 3, 4, or 5.

Pumpkin Pie

I can tell you that it is the best pumpkin pie that I have ever tasted.

pie pastry for a 9 inch pie plate
3 eggs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup toasted pecans (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until they are light and frothy. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and beat until they are well incorporated. Mix in the spices. Beat in the pumpkin puree and cream and mix until smooth. Fold in the pecans if desired. Pour the batter into the prepared pie crust. Bake for 1 hour and cool on a rack. Serve with the whipped cream.

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