Basic recipes work best

SCRIPPS HOWARD
ROAST TURKEY WITH CRANBERRY HONEY GLAZE
1 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 12-pound fresh or thawed frozen turkey
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Prepare glaze by combining cranberry sauce and honey in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat just until sauce is smooth, whisking frequently. Set aside. Makes 1 cup.
Remove thawed turkey from original wrapper and remove neck and giblets from cavities. Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water; drain and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck wing tips under back or tie to body. Refasten drumsticks with metal or plastic clip or band of skin.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Carefully loosen skin of turkey toward front of breast. Using handle of wooden spoon, gently slide lemon slices under skin on both sides of turkey. Place turkey breast-side up on wire rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of inner thigh; do not let thermometer touch bone. Roast uncovered until skin reaches desired brown color; Baste with Cranberry Honey Glaze during cooking. Cover loosely with a tent of aluminum foil for remaining time. Roast until thermometer reaches 180 degrees, for a total of about 33/4 to 41/2 hours. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes before carving.
Yield: 10 servings
TURKEY MUSHROOM TURNOVERSFilling:
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken or turkey stock or broth
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
11/2 cups finely chopped cooked turkey
Crust:
1 15-ounce package refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
1 egg, beaten
For filling: Heat oil in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute 1 minute or until softened. Add flour. Cook and stir 3 minutes, but do not brown. Add stock, tarragon, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer 3 minutes on low heat until smooth and thickened. Stir in turkey. Cool to room temperature.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or spray baking sheet or use parchment paper. For crust, unfold or unroll each pie crust. Roll to 12-inch circle. Place a 6-inch saucer upside down on outer edge of one circle. Cut around saucer with sharp knife. Place on plastic wrap. Repeat for second circle. Press scraps into ball. Pat or roll to form third 6-inch circle. Repeat with second pastry crust. Brush edge of each circle with egg.
Place about 1/3 cup filling on half of each circle. Leave 1/8- to 1/4-inch border for sealing. Fold circle over to resemble crescent shape. Press dough so center looks plump. Crimp edges with fork to seal. Cut 3 slits in top of each for escape of steam. Brush with egg. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until brown and crispy. Remove from oven. Serve warm with vegetable and salad.
Yield: 6 turnovers
CRANBERRY FRENCH DRESSING
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender until combined. The cranberries will remain a bit chunky.
Option: Stir 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese into dressing, gently mashing any large chunks of cheese with the back of a fork. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.
Yield: 1 cup
CELERY-ONION STUFFING
8 cups herb-seasoned stuffing bread cubes
8 tablespoons margarine, melted
3 celery ribs, diced
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 chicken bouillon cube plus 1 cup boiling water)
2 to 3 teaspoons dried crushed sage
Salt to taste, optional
Pepper to taste
Place stuffing in a large bowl. Saute celery and onion in melted margarine until vegetables are translucent. Pour over stuffing bread cubes. Add broth and mix until all bread cubes are moist. If it is too dry, add more boiling water, 1/2 cup at a time, and continue mixing lightly. Add sage, salt, and pepper to desired taste. Note: Herb-seasoned bread cubes and canned chicken broth can be salty; taste before you add any more salt. Stuff turkey and bake according to weight of turkey; or bake stuffing in casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Yield: 10 servings.