Count down to Thanksgiving

This is one of  my favorite months, Thanksgiving has been by far the best holiday in my book . I love the time with family and the great food. We live in a country that is on the constant go go and to have a day to break bread with family and friends is great . I have dedicated this month solely to thanksgiving recipes , I know that many people are looking to spice up your typical thanksgiving meal . Whether you are a vegan , meat eater etc , I will post up a variety of recipes , I will also provide the sites I found them in .

Enjoy Lakshmi

Rosemary Roasted Turkey

By: Star Pooley 

"This recipe makes your turkey moist and full of flavor. You can also use this recipe for Cornish game hens, chicken breasts or roasting chicken. Select a turkey sized according to the amount of people you will be serving."

 

Prep Time:                   
25 Min

Cook Time:
4 Hrs  

Ready In:
4 Hrs 45 Min

Original Recipe Yield 1 (12 pound) turkey

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 (12 pound) whole turkey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set aside.
3. Wash the turkey inside and out; pat dry. Remove any large fat deposits. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick, being careful not to tear the skin.
4. Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.
5. Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).