Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
with Orange Rice Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 12-lb. whole Turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup butter
1 cup onion, chopped
4 cups water
1 cup orange juice
3 Tbs. grated orange rind
4 cups celery, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
5 1/3 cup pre-cooked rice
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Pat turkey cavity dry with paper towels; make sure outside of turkey stays moist. Sprinkle cavity with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until tender. Add water, orange juice, orange rind, celery, 2 tsp. salt, and poultry seasoning. Bring mixture to a boil and add the rice. Cover, and remove from heat. Let stand about 5 minutes, until rice is tender. Stir in chopped parsley, fluffing the rice as you mix.

Stuff neck and body cavity of turkey with rice mixture. Skewer neck skin to body of the turkey to seal. Lift legs of turkey and bind with kitchen twine to hold, making sure cavity with rice is covered.

Place whole turkey, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake at 325-F degrees for about 4 hours and 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer shows 180-F degrees in the thickest part of the turkey.

Check turkey about every half hour and baste as necessary. Remove foil tent during last half-hour of roasting to brown skin. You may choose to baste with a mixture of melted butter and orange juice for an evenly crisp and golden color.

Let turkey stand for 15 to 20 minutes after removing oven. Carve and serve.