Roasted Turkey & Gravy

Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that turkey & gravy is one of my favorite meals. Because of that, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year. However, despite loving turkey as much as I do, I'd never made one. So, last weekend, I decided to take the plunge and make one. I do have to say it was the best turkey I've ever eaten (no offense to my family). It was so juicy and flavorful - everything a turkey should be.

To any family members who may be reading this - don't worry.

I used this picture because my gravy-laden plate didn't

photograph very well.

To start, I brined the turkey overnight using a variation of Pioneer Woman's turkey brine:

Turkey Brine

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 gallons water

2 cups apple juice

1 cup sea salt (plus a few shakes extra)

2 cups brown sugar

4 cloves garlic, crushed

5 bay leaves

3 TBSP whole black peppercorns

1 TBSP dried rosemary

DIRECTIONS

Combine all in a really big stock pot (at least 8 qt) and bring to a boil. Stir. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and allow the mixture to come to room temperature. Once it cools, put in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.

Once you're ready to brine the turkey, put the turkey in a brining bag or a really huge pot and pour the cool liquid over the turkey. Place in the fridge or in another cold place up to 24 hrs.

*This recipe works for an up-to 20 lb turkey. Do not use if you're using a frozen turkey injected with a sodium solution - it works best for a fresh turkey or a frozen turkey without that sodium solution.

Roast Turkey

Once you're ready to cook the turkey, take it out of the brine and rinse it with cold water. Pat dry. Put in a turkey roaster on a roasting rack, sprinkle with a little salt & pepper, stuff the cavity with onion, celery, and garlic cloves (optional, but helps with flavor), and add a bit of liquid to the bottom of the pan, and cover tightly with foil.

Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hrs.

Just before 1 1/2 hrs, melt a half stick of butter.

After 1 1/2 hrs, remove the turkey from the oven and increase heat to 375 degrees. Baste with butter all over the bird.

Put back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and baste again. Bake for another 30 minutes.

At this point, the turkey should be done, but if the thermometer hasn't popped up yet, baste with more butter and return to the oven. Baste every 30 minutes until the turkey thermometer pops, or the turkey is no more than 165 degrees.

Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Serve with mashed potatoes & gravy.

Gravy

adapted from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

4 cups turkey stock (chicken stock will work, but do try to get turkey stock)

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp poultry seasoning

~1 tsp salt (to taste)

turkey drippings, to taste (I used about 1 1/2 gravy ladles full)

DIRECTIONS

Combine butter & flour. Add turkey stock, poultry seasoning and salt and whisk together. Bring to a low boil. Add turkey drippings and whisk to combine. Keep on low until the turkey is ready.

Linguini Carbonara

I confess: I've been terribly afraid of making carbonara. I love it so much, but the idea of myself trying to cook eggs with nothing but hot pasta scared me. A lot. So... I just never made it. Then, a few days ago, I decided to be brave. Despite my husband's skepticism and jokes of omelet pasta, I made it.

Wow. This was delicious. And as much as I fretted, it really was one of the easiest pasta dishes I've made in quite some time. You need to make it. Like, now.

Linguini Carbonara

Recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman/Pastor Ryan

Serves 2-3

Cook & Prep Time - about 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS*

1/2 lb linguini noodles

4 TBSP butter, divided

1-2 TBSP olive oil

1 small onion, diced finely

5 cloves garlic, crushed (or minced)

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 eggs

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. While bringing the water to a boil, chop up your onions and garlic.

Crack the eggs in a bowl and get them ready to mix together with the Parmesan cheese (I mixed them in my food processor).

Drop pasta in the water and cook to al dente. It's very important that the noodles stay in the boiling water until right before you mix them with the sauce. The noodles have to be really hot.

Melt 2 TBSP butter with 1-2 TBSP olive oil over medium heat in the bottom of a big pan. Add the onions & garlic and season with salt & pepper, to taste. Once the onions soften, increase the heat to medium-high and add wine to deglaze the pan. Cook until the alcohol burns off and the liquid reduces by about half.

Add the chicken stock and turn down the heat to medium-low. Cook until the noodles are done.

In the meantime, mix together the eggs and Parmesan. Even though I did this in my food processor, I'm sure a whisk would work, too.

When the pasta is done, quickly drain it and return it to the pot. Immediately add the egg mixture and toss for several seconds. Add the liquid, onions and garlic from the pan and toss for a few more seconds. Then, add remaining 2 TBSP butter and toss until the butter melts and is combined. Season with pepper, to taste.

Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

*I'm aware that a carbonara normally has bacon in it. I don't like bacon. So I left it out.