Roasted Turkey for Recipe Wednesday

I know this post is a little late in the day, but I taught again today, so I just got home.  I will have to figure this schedule out IF I continue to teach every day!  (Actually, so far it hasn't been bad - the kids are definitely better than last year and I haven't minded it at all!)  You just never know what is going to happen around my house!

Okay, lets get to cooking - I told you last week that I wanted to look at Thanksgiving recipes.  Well, the star of all Thanksgiving dinners is the Turkey, right?  I know that so many of you are afraid to cook a turkey and I really can't understand why.  It really is NOT that difficult IF you start with the right turkey.  Now, before I go any further, I want to make it understood right up front - I AM NOT A GOURMET COOK - I AM NOT EVEN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A GOOD COOK.  I AM JUST A REGULAR PERSON WHO HAS TO MAKE DINNER JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!   (I actually find it pretty funny that I am trying to show you how to cook - that is really funny!)  That being said - I know that we all can get a little paranoid about cooking a turkey - what if I overcook it and it's too dry, or I under cook it and it's raw.  Well, I have found out that IF I pick the right turkey then it's really just a piece of cake.  For example, just look what I did.

I cooked this turkey last Saturday afternoon for Dan and I.  Yep, I cooked an entire turkey for just us - and why not?  After we had dinner with this lovely little bird we had enough leftover that we had the drumsticks and wings the next day for lunch.  Then today, while I was at work, Dan took the leftovers and made turkey salad.  (He also ate some leftovers on Monday while I was at work too!)  So, this little bird will feed us for close to a week.

So the next question will probably be - so, how hard was it to cook it?  Well, how about taking it out of the freezer - taking it out of the outer package (leave it in the inner cooking bag), set the oven at 425 degrees, cut 6 slits in the cooking bag, put the turkey in a roasting pan, cook for 4  to 4 and 1/2 hours.  That's it - easy, peasy.  No, seriously - that was all there was to it.  And it was good - very moist.  See that little plug on the right side of the turkey breast?  When it pops out it means the turkey is done - another little fail safe built in to this turkey that made it very easy.

Okay, I'm sure you are now wondering how much it cost - you are probably thinking that turkey's are expensive - especially one this big.  Well, think again.

Yep, you are reading that correctly - I paid a total of $8.01 for this turkey - I saved $1.98 PER POUND on this turkey.  Are you going to find this kind of deal all the time - no.  But, if you look you can find them - and I bought this one a couple of weeks ago.  (Let me just say, when we got to the register, the cashier ran it up at the original price which was over $30.00!  I called her attention to the sale price, which she immediately changed the amount she rang up.  A pretty good deal, right?)

This is the package that the turkey came in - as you can see, it is "freezer to oven to table".  (Oh, it also came with a packet of gravy, but I didn't think it was that good but Dan liked it!)  Now, you might wonder why this turkey was so cheap.  We really don't know for sure.  The only thing that we can figure out is the package was ripped - not where the actual meat was - but at the top where the "handle" was suppose to be.  If you look at the picture above, now look between where it says  "freezer" at the very top and "to oven" you will see the plastic is ripped - well, that was done at the store.  That was the only thing wrong with the package - it was not out of date.  IF you do find a sale like this be sure to check the date.

So, what is the point of this little exercise.  Well, I have been know to order a turkey in the past  from places like Publix or Sonny's.  Last year I even ordered the turkey from a meat market here in town (and paid an outrageous price for it!) but you don't have to. We have even fried a turkey before.  However, you need to remember that  YOU CAN  cook a very good turkey that you and your guests will enjoy and it won't cause undue hardship.   There are many "cook in the bag" turkey's out there - just pay attention to what you are buying and you will do fine. 

I have faith, and remember -

 IF I CAN DO IT ANYONE CAN DO IT!

So, get out there and buy that turkey and cook it up - whether you are having a group at your house for Thanksgiving or if you are only cooking for you immediate family.  Then let me know how it goes.  I really would like to know.