Perfect Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

1 20 to 21 lb whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved.
1 1/2 C (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted plus 4 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Bottle 750-ml dry white wine
2 t salt
2 t freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1.  Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels.  Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.

2.  Place rack on the lowest level in oven.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl.  Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17 inch, four-layer square.  Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.

3.  Place turkey, breast side up, on roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan.  If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it.  An instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness.  Fold wing tips under turkey.  Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey.  Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly.  (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375).  Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later).  Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks.  Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 t salt and pepper.

4.  Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp.  Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area.  Place turkey, legs first, in oven.  Cook for 30 mins.  Using a pastry brush or baster, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine.  Reduce oven temp to 350, and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 mins and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.

5.  After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth.  Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven.  Baste turkey with pan juices.  If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine.  The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully.  Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 mins.

6.  After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.  Do not poke into a bone.  The temp should reach 180 (stuffing should be between 140 and 160) and the turkey should be golden brown.  The breast does not need to be checked for temp.  If the legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20-30 mins.

7.  When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 mins.  Meanwhile, make the gravy.  Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup.  Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 mins, then skim it off.  Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium high heat.  Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water to the pan.  Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crispy bits are unstuck from pan.  Add giblet stock to pan.  Stir well, and bring back to a boil.  Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 mins.  Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium high heat 10 mins more.  You will have about 2 1/2 c of gravy.  Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat and serve with turkey.

Awesome Sausage, apple and cranberry stuffing

1 1/2 C cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 C cubed white bread
1 lb ground turkey sausage
1 C chopped onion
3/4 C chopped celery
5 t fresh sage
1 1/2 T fresh rosemary
1 sprig gresh thyme
1 golden delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 C dried cranberries
1/3 C minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
3/4 C turkey stock
4 T unsalted butter, melted

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
2.  Bake for 5-7 minutes until evenly toasted.  Transfer to a large bowl
3. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned.  Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring for 2 mins to blend flavors.
4.  Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl.  Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver.  Drizzled with turkey stock and melted butter.  Mix lightly.  Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.
5.  Bake extra stuffing in a covered casserole dish at 350 degrees until golden brown.

Applescotch Crisp

4 C (4 medium) peeled, sliced apples
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 T flour
1/4 C milk
1/2 C water

Mix above in mixing bowl.  You can add some cinnamon if desired.

Topping:

2/3 C flour
1/2 C oats
1/2 C nuts
1/2 C butter
1/4 C sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 package cook and serve butterscotch pudding

Mix topping.  Add butter and cut into the topping evenly.
Pour apple mix into 9x9 pan and cover with topping.
Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. 
Serve warm or cool with whipped cream or ice cream.

Carrots in dill butter

8 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1" pieces
1/2 C water
2 T butter
1 t white sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t dill

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Rachel's Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

 1 1/2 C butter, softened
2 C white sugar
4 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
5 C all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt

Instructions:

1.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined.
2.  Cover and chill dough for one hour (or overnight)
3.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4.  Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4 to 1/2 inch.  Cut with cutter.
5.  Continue to roll and cut until no dough remains.
6.  Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7.  Bake 6-8 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets.
8.  Cool on rack

Carol's rolls

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 C oil
1/2 C sugar
2 1/2 C hot water
5 C flour
2/3 C powdered milk
2T rapid rise yeast
1 1/8 C flour
2 t salt


Instructions:

1.  Combine eggs, oil, sugar and hot water.  Whisk together until foamy.
2.  Add flour, powdered milk, and yeast.  Mix for 5 minutes.
3.  Add remaining flour and salt.  Add flour a little at a time until not too sticky, but still sticky.
4.  Put into a greased bowl and cover with a towel.  Let rise until double in size.
5.  Grease glass baking dish or jelly roll pans.  Shape into round balls.
6.  Let rise for 1 hour.
7.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.

Nate Bascom's cranberry sauce

Ingredients:

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 small container raspberries
1 small container blackberries
2 tangerines, clementines or mandarin oranges
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
zest from one tangerine

Instructions:

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil.  Stir until sugar is dissolved
2.  Add 3/4 of the bag of cranberries.  Cook for 5 mins until the cranberries start to pop, stirring.
3.  Add remaining cranberries, berries, tangerine pieces, zest, and some tangerine juice.
4.  Stir until added fruit softens
5.  Remove from pan and refrigerate.