Its about that time again. I had a beautiful 11 1/2 lb. turkey that i decided to do with mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.  I usually baste my turkey several times and will add directions at end of recipe.

Roasted Turkey:

Prep: 5-10 minutes      Oven: 325 degrees     Bake time: 15-20 minutes a pound


10-12 pound turkey, thawed and( giblets etc) removed.
1 apple
1 onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
Lawrys seasoning salt
pepper
garlic powder
2 sticks butter (1 cup)

1. Rinse turkey and sprinkle inside of cavity with all seasoning liberally. Place in roasting pan on a rack with the legs up. Chop apple into 6-8 pieces, removing the seeds and stem. Place inside turkey cavity. Then do the same with the onion and garlic. Melt 1 stick of butter and pour over turkey. Season well with the Lawrys, pepper and garlic powder.

2. Place in preheated oven and set timer for 1 hour. When timer goes off, take out turkey, pour the 2nd stick of melted butter over the turkey and put back in oven for 30 minutes.  Remove turkey, baste with juices and cover completely with foil. Set timer for another hour and let bake. Baste a couple more times at about 30 minute intervals, recovering with the foil everytime.  Depending on what size your turkey is will depend on the length of time you bake it.

3. Turkey is done when the joints move easily, the skin is browned nicely and has pulled back slightly from the bones. Remove from oven and let sit 15-20 minutes covered with the foil before carving.

4. Whisk about 4 Tbsps of flour into 1/2 cup cold water, set aside. Bring drippings to a boil and whisk in the flour/water mixture. Whisk about 3-4 minutes and serve.


Notes: Rinsing the cavity of the turkey with warm or hot water helps with the cooking time as it warms up the inside, especially if you're stuffing it.  You can baste less if your worried about the cooking time. I usually turn up my oven to 350 for the last 20-30 minutes to be sure on the time as I baste a lot.

Mashed Potatoes:

5-6 medium potatoes
1 stick butter
4 oz. cream cheese
salt
pepper

1. Peel and chop potatoes, place in 3qt. or bigger pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook till they are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain water and add stick of butter and cream cheese, let stand about 3-4 minuteswith lid on, till butter is partially melted and cream cheese has softened. Using a handmixer, beat in butter and cream cheese till potatoes are whipped. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If potatoes are too thick, add a tbsp or 2 of milk or sour cream.