Another Mashed potato

• 5 pounds potatoes,     russets are nice for this dish  peel and , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted plus 1 tablespoon at room temp
• 1 1/4 cup whole milk,  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 1/4cup freshly grated Parmesan,
• 8 oz pancetta, diced, cooked and drained of excess oil
• Tsp granulated garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
• 1/4  cup plain dry bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Grease 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish with the 1 tablespoon of room temp butter and set aside.
Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until they are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return the potatoes to the same pot and mash well with a potato masher.  Add the melted butter , and then the milk, then mix thru, add granulated garlic
 Add the  mozzarella, and  3/4 cup of the Parmesan and add the pancetta. Mix all
Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and add in parsley
. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking dish. Stir the bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mashed potatoes..
Place in oven for about 20 mins until top is browned
Serves about 8 to 10
Recipe can be prepared up to this point 6 hours ahead of time; cover and chill

Green Beans

You can do the traditional thing and server you green beans with those dried onion ring imitation things or you can try something a little different / use fresh green beans if avail, you can use frozen, I like Birdseye..

Cook you beans until there done, but not too soft, should have some firmness to them, add butter while beans are still hot

 After adding the butter, add sliced almonds and some parmesan. You love guests will love them.

Having butternut squash, add pure maple syrup, cinnamon powder and a little nutmeg

Turnip

There are two kinds, there are the smaller purple tops and then there are the larger yellow like ones and they are called rutabagas //  the taste is similar, but either way you want smaller ones, when the get to big they get kind of corky so buy more smaller ones, that’s when they are young and crunchy.. they should not be soft at all when fresh but hard/firm …. They  can be a chore to peel,  they a can take a little bit to cook, but in my opinion, they are worth the effort, I  peel and cut them into small cubes about 1 x 1 .. then when tender,  mash them  lile potatoes,  add butter milk and garlic one of my favorite veg.

Turkey

Right side up --- foil tent or bag it

Upside down – 1^st 425 rightside up for 20 mins then 325 till done

Stuffed 25 mins to the pound, always make sure the stuffing is cooked and moist before it goes in the bird

Not stuffed 20 mins to the pound

Brine

6- 8 quarts water,

one bag of ice
2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
8 bay leaves

Combine all brine ingredients, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, add ice and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Wash turkey and place in brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight, about 12 hours.  If you don’t have a big enough pan for the brining, use a cooler chest (after you wash it thoroughly) pour the brine in add the turkey and then the bag of ice.. place the cooler in the garage.. its cold enough now that it will be fine… after 6 hours Turn turkeys once, . after 12 hours Remove turkey from brine, and pat dry.
Coat inside and out with olive oil. Season  turkey on the outside generously with the spice , pressing it in to adhere.

I would either bag or tent a brined turkey and cook it breast side up @ 425 degrees until the internal temp is 165

Either way you cook it, when its 165, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 30 mins before carving.\/ cutting it and make sure the knife is “sharp” otherwise you will be tearing into the meat instead of slicing it.