Gallery • 11 Photos

courtesy of Heather Martin

The first step is to take off the wrapping and wash off the turkey with just water. Make sure you bleach the sink afterwards to get all the germs out.

Let’s talk turkey.  I volunteered to cook this year’s turkey because I was curious just how hard is it?  I’ve seen my mother and grandmother working all day in a hot kitchen, and I wanted to know what it’s all about.  Believe it or not, I ASKED to make a turkey.

And it was easier than I expected–except for the naked turkey guts (which I avoided because I wisely chose an 8lb boneless breast).

We opted for a family-made early Thanksgiving. I was in charge for making the turkey this year. My sister made the green bean casserole, my mom made the stuffing and mashed potatoes, and my brother made the rolls.

The takeaway for you is –don’t make your mom do all the work.  Pitch in.  It’s actually kind of fun.

This is my family turkey recipe.

How to make the turkey:

1. Thaw the turkey out.
2. Gather these ingredients: Garlic, Celery seed, Onion Powder, Paprika, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Salt, Pepper, and Butter.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
4. Unwrap the turkey and wash the whole thing off with water.
5. Pat dry the turkey down with napkins.
6. Brush the whole turkey with melted butter.
7. Season your turkey with all your ingredients on the whole thing.
8.  Then place the 8 pound turkey in a 9 x 13 pan.
9. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 2 1/2 hours, till skin is crispy and brown, or the temperature inside breast meat is 165 degrees.