Roasted Buttered Garlic Herb Turkey

I know i'm a little late but... hey, who says we can't make and eat turkey any other day of the yr?? You can make this for xmas!:P

So this was my 3rd year preparing our Thanksgiving dinner. The past 2 years I made our turkey the same way, but this year I decided to go with something different. So I went with a roasted buttered garlic herb recipe. It was very simple, tasty and everyone loved it. We had a very small amount of leftovers and we had visitors the day after asking for more. :)

Here is how I made this roasted buttered garlic herb turkey.
This serves about 15-20 people

 Ingredients: 

•  16 lbs Turkey frozen or half thawed the night before.
  I soaked it overnight in equal parts vinegar and water to get rid of that nasty gamey flavor (unless you like that taste)Wild turkey usually has that flavor. Just make sure it's covered in the mix and in the fridge.
•  1 cup butter, softened 
• 2-3 tablespoons of red chili pepper flakes 
• 3 tablespoons of chicken flavor bouillon (recommended: Knorr) 
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (I used the one that comes in a jar) 
• 2 tablespoons garlic herb sauce mix (recommended: Knorr) 
•  1 (32-ounce) bag celery 
•  2 small bags of carrots 
• 2 large onions, large dice 
• 1 (32-ounce) container low-sodium chicken broth (I only use swanson. Don't like the flavor of all the other ones) 1 small packet of zesty 
• Italian dressing mix (0.6 oz powder see below)

• 1 tablespoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon pepper 
• 2 small bouquets or small bunches of  fresh oregano 
• 1 bunch of flat leave parsley 
• 4 (3/4-ounce) packets fresh herbs poultry herb blend (sage, thyme and rosemary) If you grow your herbs at home, even better! 
•  2 lemons, thickly sliced 
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 2 garlic heads  

Directions:

In bowl, combine softened butter, garlic herb sauce mix, minced garlic a tablespoon of chopped rosemary and the rest of the dry ingredients (none of the other fresh herbs).
Use a fork to mix together until well combined. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, until firm but not hard. I prepared the butter mixture the night before and took it out of the fridge in the morning right before rinsing the turkey and getting everything else I was going to need together and ready. By then, the butter was nice and soft and ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Separate and peal one garlic head. Cut carrots in half both ways so that they are long and do the same with the celery. Rough chop one medium size onion and slice one lemon. Arrange celery, carrots, peeled garlic cloves,lemon and onion in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add chicken broth and set aside.

Rinse the thawed turkey and pat dry. Use your finger to carefully loosen the skin around the entire bird. Take the butter mixture and with your hands, rub the butter under the skin of the entire turkey, be generous (use almost half the mixture). Rub the remaining butter on the outside of the skin (all over the breast, wings and legs)and season with salt and pepper.

Stuff the inside of turkey cavity with the 2nd medium onion (chopped the same way as the other one), 2nd peeled garlic cloves, lemon slices, flat leave parsley, fresh oregano and fresh herb poultry blend at the end. (Truss if necessary.) Insert the pop-up thermometer at an angle about 3-inches down from the neck cavity and 2-inches from the breast bone, in the thickest part of the breast.

Place turkey on the bed of vegetables in roasting pan. Slightly cover with foil paper. Place in the oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. Roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes, then baste with pan juices every 20 minutes until thermometer pops up or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180 degrees F, about 4 hours. Remove foil paper only on the breast part for the last hour.

Enjoy!

I will post recipes for the sides I made as well.

Happy Holidays! 


Marysinn 
XOXO

Tweet

Under construction

Hi there!

I'm working on a few projects at the moment so this blog is still all over the place.
This blog is for all audiences; more about health, beauty, some fashion, encouraging posts, etc.
I have another blog i'm working on that's filled with randomness.... more for a MA if you will.

I hope you enjoy both and SUBSCRIBE! ;-P

Hope you all have an awesome day.

XOXO
Marysinn

Greatness

GREATNESS isnt determined by fame,wealth,talent or education but by how much it takes to discourage you. Refuse to give up!

PERFECT

How to Have a Perfect Life:

Learn to laugh when things go un-perfectly

1. Realize that Perfect Doesn't Work

Why Perfect doesn't work?
"Perfect" isn’t real. TV shows are fake. Reality shows are fake. And as much as movies and celebrities make it seem like life is perfect, but ours are horrible, yucky lives, it's not true.

It's so easy to expect "perfect" from people and life. We didn’t get the perfect answer from our boyfriend or mom. We didn't get the "perfect body" after taking the "magic pill" that some celebrity said is their "trick" to staying thin. We didn’t have a pack of "the bachelors" chasing us after we sprayed the new "attraction" perfume on. We didn't get picked to win the contest that we wanted to win so bad.

Nothing is ever perfect, but that doesn't mean it isn't great or at least that it can't be.
Something good always comes out from imperfections...

This is always easier said that done, especially when we are going through a tough situation. Heart break, job loss, death... etc.

"DON’T TAKE LIFE SO SERIOUSLY, YOU’LL NEVER MAKE IT OUT ALIVE ANYWAY!"
HA HA HA HA HA HA

2. Stop Being a Prisoner to Perfection

I used to be a perfectionist; still kind of am, but I'm really working on this.

Yes, I was paralyzed by decision making. "What if I don’t make the perfect choice!" "I can't buy the black shoes, what if I realize I wanted gray!"..."I just won't type a blog, because what if I type a dumb one."
Or people would say, "What do you feel like eating?", and I would default to them, "oh whatever sounds good". YAY! Then I didn’t have to deal with the stress of picking something out. If it was gross, it wasn’t my fault! ha ha ha

I've since learned:

* Prepare for mistakes and imperfection. The sooner you do the happier you’ll be.
* If you know stuff is gonna go wrong, things aren't gonna play out like a dream or a movie all the time, the more peaceful you'll be when they do go a little off plan!
* Prepare yourself, and just roll with the changes. It's better to be the willow that bends in the wind, than the stiff tree that snaps and breaks in the breeze!
Don't break, just bend!

LIFE IS 10% HOW YOU MAKE IT......
AND 90% HOW YOU TAKE IT.

3. IMPERFECT IS HOW WE BECOME GREAT

Pearls are made from some dirt (garbage) that's gotten trapped in an oyster. As it's trying to deal with this "Problem", it gets turned into a beautiful pearl. Same thing with diamonds, from all the incredible pressure, the carbon get "uncomfortably" turned into something so valuable and sparkling, that people pay huge amounts of money for these and delight in the beauty of their twinkle.

My life has been full of events that have caused my mirror to shatter, but as I've picked up the broken pieces of my life, all those little shattered parts give off more sparkle, shine and light than before when it was more "perfect"!

If you feel that your life, your choices, the people around you, your home, your job, anything is far from perfect. Say YAY! I’m in great company. The most incredible people have come out of things that were far from perfect.

So you didn't have the dream start to things: Your first day of school, making your dreams happen, you can't find that darn soul mate of yours anywhere, you can't seem to get your life going how you want. It's OK. I've been in more imperfect situations, houses, relationships (I could go on)...but in all those moments, I said "This is going to make me better, stronger, and more able to endure the challenges that greatness requires".

Remember you are like a precious pearl or diamond.....out of adversity comes the most priceless gems! You are a priceless gem!

4. YOU'RE NOT IN A DARK CAVE OF HOPELESSNESS, BUT A TUNNEL WITH A BRIGHT ENDING.

"DARK MOMENTS ARE SHORT HALLWAYS, LEADING TO SUNLIT ROOMS!"

Sometimes it feels like we're in a dark cave, with no signs of hope, or an exit. But life is not a cave, but a tunnel. And at any moment, that tunnel can take a quick turn, where you can't see the light yet, but as soon as you keep going, you see the rays of light and hope showing you the way to go.

REMEMBER:
CHOOSE TO LOVE- rather than hate
CHOOSE TO SMILE - rather than frown
CHOOSE TO BUILD- rather than to tear down
CHOOSE TO PERSEVERE -rather than give up
CHOOSE TO PRAISE - rather than gossip
CHOOSE TO HEAL - rather than wound
CHOOSE TO GIVE - rather than than get
CHOOSE TO ACT - rather than delay
CHOOSE TO FORGIVE - rather than judge
CHOOSE TO PRAY - rather than despair

Un-perfectly typed (yes I'm sure there are errors in my blogs as well as in my life! ha ha ha)...huge love

Halloween Countdown

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE BEAUTY ITEMS THIS MONTH

Here are my 10 favorite beauty products for this month.
These are products that I've been using every day and some for quiet some time now.

1. Neutrogena Liquid Moisturizer SPF 50

I've never liked Neutrogena products because they make me break out; but this one for some reason hasn't YET ;)

I love that this product is so light (you don't even feel it) and REALLY love that its SPF 50 and that it doesn't make you look white or shiny like most pruducts with high SPF's do.

Although it is a moisturizer, I've been using this on top of my regular daily moisturizer which brings me to my second favorite product of the month.


2. Lancome's Primordiale Skin Recharge Renewing Moisturizer SPF 15 $68

I've been using this product for a few years now... I would say about for about 9 yrs.

I leaves my skin feeling very soft and I really do believe it helps keeps pores tight.
I stopped using it for a year (budgeting reasons) and really noticed the difference in the way my skin looked and felt.
My pores did become a little larger. So I started using it again and "aaaaaaaaah" my skin is returning to normal.

This one has SPF 15 and it's pretty light as well. I have combination skin and this moisturizer is just right. I also use the Primordiale Night cream and like it just as much.


3. Smiths Rosebud Salve $6

This is a cult-favorite, multi-purpose lip balm soothes dry lips, calms and heals irritation and soothes the sting of minor burns. Also great for dry elbows, knees and cuticles. 

This stuff is also an excellent remedy for diaper rash (for those with kids).

They have a nice variety; my favorite ones are the regular rosebud and the minted rose. 

4. Dickinsons Witch Hazel Toner $3

One can’t stress enough the importance of toning after cleansing and this product does the job well. Dickinsons Witch Hazel toner removes the extra dirt and impurities left behind by your ordinary (maybe more expensive) cleansers without drying your skin. Witch hazel is very gentle and keeps your face balanced. Besides being one of the best beauty and skincare product, this is also a great oil control product and minimizes oiliness all throughout the day.

In addition, witch hazel is also a natural astringent which is good for healing acne, insect bites, small wounds and bruises.
I can’t stress enough how great this product is. It’s one of the best beauty and skincare product I have used for years.


5. My Pink Clarisonic Pro about $200

This gadget just really leaves my face feeling super clean. It is a bit pricey, but well worth it.

• Removes 6x more makeup than manual cleansing
• Leaves skin feeling and looking smoother
• Cleanses so well that products absorb better
• Gentle enough for twice daily use (I use it in the morning and before bed time usually)
• Helps reduce oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes
• Helps reduce the appearance of visible pores

I love it as much as the Sonicare Elite Toothbrush.



6. Alba Un-Petroleum Jelly $7

I love this stuff! It's just like vaseline only better. This doesn't have all the bad chemicals vaseline does.

It's great as a make-up remover, moisturizer, lip balm, dry feet, knees... You name it.


7. Yogi Detox Tea $4

This tea is supposed to help detoxify the kidneys and liver. I don't know if it really does (I don't see why it wouldn't) But it always make me feel way better when I feel I'm getting sick, when I ate something heavy or simply after a stressful or super busy day.

I always feel energized and have noticed that my skin looks better after I started drinking this tea. I really like teas by Yogi.  A couple other teas I like to drink, are Kambucha and  Kava also by Yogi.

I enjoy them hot or cold.


The ingredients in this tea are:
Organic cinnamon bark, jamaican sarsaparilla root, organic ginger root, organic licorice root, organic burdock root, organic dandelion root, organic juniper berry, organic black pepper, organic cardamom seed, Chinese amur, cork tree bark, Japanese honeysuckle, flower forsythia, fruit gardenia flower, skullcap root, black cohosh root, Chinese goldenthread root, rhubarb root, winter melon seed, Asian psyllium seed, organic clove bud, natural cinnamon flavor, and natural sarsaparilla flavor.


8. Ponds Evening Soothe Chamomile Cleansing Towelettes $5

I really like these cleansing cloths for when I'm too tired (or feeling lazy) to go wash my face at night. These towelettes are gentle enough to use on the eyes and even remove waterproof mascara.

They're good on all skin types and leave my face feeling soft and clean. I also love them for when I'm not home, after a work out or when I need to redo my make up.
They are also really handy when doing someones make up and you need to cleanse their face to start with a clean fresh face ;).


9. Bi-Facil: $26

This is the best eye make up remover I have ever used. I've been using this for about 10 years and have tried other ones... But this is the BEST! I always have to go buy more before I run out.

If I made a video raving about this it would be an hour long. This is, in my opinion, the greatest product ever made! The way I use it is by washing my face first and then removing any left over mascara and liner with this using a cotton pad or q-tip. The reason it is so great is because it removes every last bit of eye makeup, and with just one cotton ball! I have heard a lot of people saying they don't like makeup removers with oil, and why would you? No one wants greasy eye lids or oil in their eye, but this is NOT greasy AT ALL. I used to use Vaseline when I was 15 and the almay wipes..yikes..this isn't anything like that, and again I don't know how they do it, but it leaves my eye area sooo soft, no rubbing, with no irritation or residue and I never loose a single lash ;). I also use this to remove any stains on my lips leftover from lipsticks, and I love that I only need a tiny bit. Definitely a must-have!


10. Bed Head After Party $14

I really like this smoothing cream and use it everyday either before or after blow drying my hair.
It leaves my hair soft and shiny. It's great for frizz and flyaways. I also like this as a leave in conditioner even though it's not one.

This product is one I'll keep purchasing. ;)


For more goodies, follow me on Pinterest.  






Hope everyone has a blessed day.


XOXO
Marysinn