Overnight Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey
• 2 ribs celery, cut into chunks
• 1 orange or lemon, wedged
• 1 onion, wedged
• Kosher Salt
• Fresh Rosemary
• Pampered Chef Rosemary Herb Seasoning
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare the turkey as usual: wash it well and remove the neck and giblets.
3. Dry the turkey with paper towels. Salt the cavity with Kosher Salt and stuff with celery, orange/lemon, and/or onions if desired.
4. Rub the outside of the turkey well with vegetable oil.
5. Sprinkle with Pampered Chef Rosemary Herb Seasoning Mix.
6. Place the turkey breast-side down in a deep roasting pan. This allows the turkey to baste itself, making the white meat very moist.
7. Tightly cover the turkey with aluminum foil.
8. Note: This method produces a lot of juice, so be sure to use a deep pan and do not use a rack.
9. Roast at 400°F for 1 hour.
10. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 200°F or 250°F for any size turkey. The first hour destroys bacteria on the surface of the turkey and begins the slow-cooking process.
11. Bake overnight without basting or checking on the turkey, approximately 1 hour per pound.

The turkey cannot burn while cooking at this low temperature. Once it is done, it will not overcook. You can leave the turkey in the oven for an additional 3-6 hours and it will still be perfect.

The turkey simply falls off the bones and produces enough drippings for lots of gravy.

A Few Notes

• Without opening the oven, be sure to check that the oven is still on after 10-12 hours. It might have an automatic shut-off system. Just turn it back on and continue roasting until you are ready to take apart the turkey. I check before I go to bed.When you pull the turkey out of the oven, it will be the easiest "carving" ever! The meat will fall off the bones. Transfer to a slow cooker with some of the juices and set to warm until ready to serve. If it will be many hours, set to low.
• In my segment on ABC 7 I mistakenly said you don't use a roasting pan, I intended to say you don't use the rack in the roasting pan.

Adapted from Emilie Barnes' 15 Minute Home and Family Organizer Book

Grandmother's Sweet Potato Pie

Recipe from my grandmother, Dorothy Thomason

Makes 2 pies

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. sweet potatoes
• 2 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup milk
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 4 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 refrigerated pie dough circles, frozen pie crusts, or homemade pie crusts
• Egg wash, for brushing the crust
• Finishing sugar, for sprinkling the crust

Optional Topping

• Marshmallows

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook the sweet potatoes until tender. I use a pressure cooker.
3. While the sweet potatoes are still hot, add the butter and beat with an electric mixer until combined.
4. Add the sugar, milk, lemon juice, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until well combined.
5. Transfer the mixture to the Deluxe Cooking Blender and blend on speed 1–2 just until smooth.
6. Line 2 pie plates with pie crusts. Divide the sweet potato mixture evenly between the 2 crusts. You can also make one pie and freeze half of the filling for later use.
7. Brush the edges of the crusts with egg wash and sprinkle with finishing sugar. Cover the crust edges with a pie crust shield or foil.
8. Bake for 55 minutes. Remove the pie crust shield or foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the centers are set and the crusts are golden brown.
9. Allow the pies to cool completely before refrigerating.

Optional Marshmallow Topping

After baking, top the pie with marshmallows and lightly toast them with a kitchen torch.