Citrus Sage Thanksgiving Turkey

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Thanksgiving is just around the corner!  Here is my mother-in-law's juicy recipe for you.  I plan on making it for my family on Turkey Day!

{What you need}

1, 15-20 lb turkey, thawed

3 oranges, cut into quarters

3 apples, cored & cut into quarters

5 stalks celery

1 medium onion, peeled & cut into wedges

2 sprigs fresh sage

1 cup butter, softened and divided

Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 450.  Wash bird inside out and dry gently with paper towels.  Remove neck and giblets and set them aside for the gravy.  Rub softened butter all over the outside of the bird.  Place on a rack in a large roasting pan.  Put the sage, 4 tablespoons butter  and as many of the oranges, apples, celery stalks, and onion as you can fit inside the bird, saving some to put around the bird in the pan. Tress the bird (skewer and tie legs and together) and salt and pepper the outside as desired.  Place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, making sure to not touch the bone!  Put the bird in the heated oven, then immediately turn it down to 350.  Bake according to the weight of the bird, basting with melted butter every 20 minutes, then with the turkey drippings for the last 2 hours.  Tent the bird with tinfoil for the last 1 ½ hours.  Bake until the meat thermometer reads 180 degrees.

*If it gets done early, let it cool for about 10 minutes, then wrap in tinfoil securely and then bundle in a beach towel until ready to carve.

Meatloaf Cupcakes with Mashed Sweet Potato Frosting

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ALERT! ALERT! THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE RECIPE!!  SERIOUSLY MAKE THIS TONIGHT!!!

Do I have your attention now?  Kay, I seriously cannot express how delicious these were!!  We had my parents and brother over for these and everyone RAVED about them.  And here's the kicker---THEY ARE A WEIGHT WATCHERS RECIPE!!  Yup, you heard it here.  Of course you could use full-fat everything if you wish, but you seriously don't need to.  The portion size is perfectly filling and the flavor is out of this world.  I will be making this again....oh, today.  And I think I'll triple the recipe and have a ton in the freezer to pull out whenever I wish.  Here goes:

{What you need}

{for the meatloaf}

1.3 lb 93% lean ground turkey

1 cup grated zucchini, all moisture squeezed dry with paper towel

2-3 tablespoons minced onion

1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup ketchup

1 egg

1 tsp kosher salt

{for sweet potatoes}

1-2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved (I use 1 teaspoon of ready-minced garlic)

3 tablespoons fat free sour cream

1 tablespoon light butter

kosher salt to taste

dash of pepper

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Put the sweet potatoes in a large pot with garlic and enough water to cover the potatoes.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.  Drain and return sweet potatoes and garlic to pot.  Add the rest of the sweet potato ingredients and mash.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.  Spoon even portions into each muffin cup.  Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.  I then used a cookie-dough scoop to plop some of the sweet potatoes on top like "frosting," or you could just serve the potatoes as a side dish.  SO DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

Inspired by this recipe over at Skinny Tastes!

Turkey Rice Soup

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My beautiful MIL made this for dinner the other night and I couldn't help but have two bowls.  And I STILL woke up and weighed less than the morning before.  So filling, but still so light.  And so EASY!!

{What you need}

about 32 oz. cooked shredded turkey

5 carrots, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 quarts water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 {10 3/4 oz} can cream of chicken soup

1 teaspoon basil

pepper to taste

2-3 cups uncooked rice

In a large pot, boil rice, veggies, bouillon and water together for 20 minutes.  Add turkey.  Add cream of chicken soup, basil, and pepper and bring to a boil again.  Cook 5 more minutes and you're set!


Adapted from this recipe.


{6 WW Points Plus per cup}