Orange Ginger Glazed Carrots

This year we decided to make these tasty carrots to go with our Thanksgiving meal. They were great! I was surprised at how non-sweet they were. Usually when I read "glazed" I think sugary, but the natural tastes of the carrot and the orange juice stood out. This is definitely a keeper for my home.

Orange Ginger Glazed Carrots
1 lb. baby carrots, washed
1 tsp. orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. butter
3 tsp. freshly grated fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup water
Stir together all the ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, stirring occasionally for 30-35 minutes or until the liquid evaporates.

* I found this recipe via Pinterest, it was a Southern Living recipe.

Roasted Turkey and Gravy

Happy Thanksgiving! I wanted to share with you today how we roast a turkey in our house. I have been tinkering with my methods and last year, I found what is the ideal turkey- for us at least!

Roast Turkey and Gravy

1 turkey, defrosted

1 stick of butter, softened

Salt and Pepper, to taste

2 lemons, quartered

1 onion, quartered

Fresh sage, rosemary and thyme

Pre-heat the oven to 450°. Remove the innards and discard from the turkey. Wash defrosted turkey, pat dry, inside and out. Rub the softened butter all over the bird. Season with salt and pepper. Place lemons, onion and fresh herbs inside the bird. Place the bird in a roasting pan with a rack set inside. Place in the oven, uncovered. Immediately turn oven down to 350°. Baste after the first hour. Baste every 15 minutes. Cook 15 minutes per pound of turkey. Cover breast with foil when it gets to the desired shade of golden brown. I use pop up turkey timers to let me know when the turkey has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°. Remove from oven and cover with foil and let it sit while you make the gravy. You want the juices to be absorbed back in for a juicy turkey. 

Gravy

Make a slurry of water and flour. I do this by sight, but about 3 cups of water with 3-4 heaping spoonfuls of flour whisked in. Whisk well. Transfer turkey drippings to a saucepan, whisk in the flour slurry. Cook and whisk over med high heat until thickened, Season with salt and pepper.