Classic Roast Turkey

Classic roast turkey and Classic turkey stuffing. It's made it easy and foolproof! I love turkey but I have so many things to prepare that this is not complicated and sure to tickle your taste buds!

I added the stuffing recipe as well, but we are an out-of-turkey-stuffing-cooking kind of family!


Bread Stuffing:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
8 cups dry bread cubes (about 11 slices bread)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, if desired
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning or dried sage leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
About 1/2 cup Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton) or water


Turkey
1 whole turkey (14 to 18 lb), thawed if frozen
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:
1. Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 325°F. In 10-inch skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.
2. In large bowl, mix bread cubes, parsley, poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add broth and butter-onion mixture, stirring until desired moistness (stuffing will become a little more moist during roasting because it absorbs juices from turkey). Set aside. (Stuff turkey just before roasting).
3. Remove and discard neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle cavity of turkey with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Spoon stuffing loosely into neck cavity; turn wings back to hold neck skin in place, or fasten neck skin to back with skewers. Spoon stuffing into body cavity; refasten drumsticks with metal piece or tuck under skin at tail. (Drumsticks can also be tied together with cotton string.)
5. After stuffing turkey, place any remaining stuffing in 1- or 2-quart casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover and refrigerate. Bake stuffing in casserole dish with turkey at 325°F for last 35 to 40 minutes of roasting time or until thoroughly heated (165°F).
6. Place turkey, breast side up, in roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone. Brush 3 tablespoons melted butter over turkey. Do not add water or cover turkey.
7. Roast uncovered 4 hours or until thermometer reads 165°F and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted. Thermometer inserted in center of stuffing should read 165°F. If necessary, cover turkey breast with tent of heavy-duty foil during last 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours of baking to prevent excessive browning.
8. Let turkey stand 15 to 20 minutes for easier carving. Remove skewers. Remove stuffing; place in serving bowl.