Turkey In Baked Pumpkin Food

THE BEST ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Adjust a rack in the lowest position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Remove any turkey parts from the neck and breast cavities and reserve for other uses if desired. Dry the bird well with paper towels, inside and out. Salt and pepper the inside of the breast cavity and stuff the onion, garlic, herbs, and bay leaves inside. Set the bird on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan breast-side up. Brush generously with half of the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tent the bird with foil.
• Roast the turkey for 2 hours. Remove the foil and baste with the remaining butter. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F in the thigh of the bird, about 45 minutes more.
• Remove the turkey from the oven and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Carve and serve.

TURKEY PICATTA ON PUMPKIN PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare the Pumpkin Puree: In a small baking tray, combine the pumpkin chunks with the water. Cover and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Drain excess water. Scoop out the flesh of the chunks of pumpkin, transfer to a bowl, and mash. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Puree in a food mill and correct seasonings, to taste. Keep warm over simmering water, stirring when ready to serve.
• Prepare the Piccata: Place 1 sage leaf in the center of each slice of turkey and season with pepper. Top with a slice of prosciutto and press together with the palm of your hand. Season the other side with salt and pepper and dust both sides lightly with flour.
• Heat a large, heavy saute pan and add the vegetable oil. Sear the turkey scallops, prosciutto-side down, until golden. Turn and sear the other side. As the turkey scallops are cooked, remove from the pan and keep warm. Pour out the oil, add the chopped sage, and deglaze the pan with the port. Add stock and lemon juice and reduce by half. Whisk in the butter and keep warm.
• Divide the pumpkin puree and mound in the center of each of 4 warm plates. Surround with 3 turkey scallops and spoon a little of the sauce over. Serve with Cranberry Catsup.
• In a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Cook over a low flame, stirring often, until thick and almost smooth, 25 to 30 minutes. There is very little liquid, so you must be careful of scorching. Strain through a food mill. Cool and refrigerate in a covered container until needed.

HOW TO COOK A TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place onion, celery, and carrot in a large, shallow roasting pan.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Pat the outside and inside of the turkey dry with paper towels.
• Combine salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Season the inside of the turkey with about 1/3 of the salt mixture. Fold wing tips under the bird.
• Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat until the edges begin to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Cook and stir rosemary and sage for 1 minute.
• Place rosemary and sage inside the cavity of the turkey; reserve melted butter. Tie the legs together with twine.
• Brush outside of the turkey completely with the melted butter. Season with remaining 2/3 of the salt mixture.
• Bake turkey, uncovered, in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the oven and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

TURKEY IN A BAG

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Rinse turkey and remove giblets. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle the bottom of a turkey size oven bag with flour. Place turkey, celery and onions in the bag. Seal bag and poke several holes in it with a fork.
• Bake 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).

SWEET AND SPICY PUMPKIN TURKEY PASTA

Steps:

• Spray a deep skillet with cooking spray. Add onions and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pour chicken broth into the skillet and bring to a boil. Add pumpkin puree, milk, chipotle peppers, sugar, sage, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Reduce to a simmer; cook until pasta ready.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and rotini. Cook the rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
• Stir cooked pasta into the skillet with the turkey-pumpkin sauce until evenly coated.