# New Spin on Thanksgiving Turkey



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 2, 2015)

I have an idea that I've never seen, or tasted with a roasted turkey.  I won't be able to make it due to DW's tastes, and desire for a traditional turkey.  

Here's my idea;  Place a combination of oregano, basil, rosemary, fennel, and cayenne pepper under the skin.  Insert lardoons of pepperoni into the flesh.  You might even place some sun-dried tomato under the skin.

For the stuffing/dressing, instead of the normal sage, salt, and pepper, with whatever else you throw in, use bread-cubes that have been tossed with cubed pepperoni, Italian sausage, sauteed mushrooms, onion, peppers of your choice, oregano, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and basil, with S & P of course.  Moisten with a combination of turkey broth and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Other option - replace the bread cubes with brown rice and add celery as well.

I'm thinking that this would make a great and unique roasted, or smoke turkey dinner.  You could change up the sides as well, to fit with the Italian flavored turkey.

As I said, this idea simply popped into my head somewhere around lunch time today.

My other idea is to add the dressing ingredients, minus the bread cubes, to raw bread dough, form into loaves, or hoagie buns, and bake for sandwiches, or dipping.

So, anybody else think this might be a good turkey?  This crazy man wants to know.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Aunt Bea (Nov 2, 2015)

Sounds like a flying pizza!!! 

We could replace the bread cubes with pasta!

I would be happy to sample it on any day except Thanksgiving!

On Thanksgiving I like to have the traditional dry, overcooked, all American Mom style turkey that I grew up with!


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## GotGarlic (Nov 2, 2015)

I think it sounds amazing! Although I, too, couldn't give up a traditional roasted turkey for Thanksgiving. But maybe for a cold, snowy day in January...


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## Kayelle (Nov 2, 2015)

Sorry Buddie, but I gotta be honest. I just sounds "wrong" to me.


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## cinisajoy (Nov 2, 2015)

Sounds delicious.


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## Whiskadoodle (Nov 2, 2015)

I wonder if you could still do this with thanksgiving leftovers.

Make the dressing.  Slice some turkey and put some dressing on top.  Lay on some more turkey.   Into the oven to heat.  Before that, cover with some good cranberry sauce so the turkey stays moist.  I like cranberry sauce mixed with jalapenos, and I think this would be compatible with your recipe.


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## medtran49 (Nov 2, 2015)

Sorry, it just sounds wrong to me too.  I think the pepperoni under the skin, at least commercially made pepperoni, would let off WAY too much grease and it would be extremely greasy and the skin would be flabby.


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## Cheryl J (Nov 2, 2015)

I can appreciate your creative thinking Chief, but that would be a no-go for me and my family....


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## Andy M. (Nov 2, 2015)

Sorry Chief, I don't think this would work.  Lots of different flavors that may or may not compliment each other.  Lots of greasy fat may be unappetizing - pepperoni grease is orange, turkey is white.


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## CatPat (Nov 2, 2015)

That is very different!

I made of the sausage stuffing that was not greasy because I drained it away. But the turkey never needs to be dry for you baste it very much and put a canopy of foil over it in the last hour of cooking. And you refuse the juices to it with a small pump. It is very nice this way.

~Cat


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## Dawgluver (Nov 2, 2015)

Um, no, Chief.  I'm a traditionalist when it comes to Thanksgiving turkey.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 3, 2015)

I like Whiska's idea for placing down layers of turkey, then the dressing, more turkey, and maybe some of that cranberry sauce on top for the final layer, and baking it off in a casserole dish.  I think that the pepperoni grease could be controlled by mincing the pepperoni and adding just enough for flavoring, like you would with bacon bits.  

For Thanksgiving though, we like a traditional turkey, though I'm always willing to change things up a bit.  DW wants the same meal every year, and it's a very good meal, with a very juicy and tender turkey, bread dressing, smashed spuds, black olives, ranberry sauce (with whole cranberries), green beans, but not the casserole style, and for me, mashed rutabaga with a touch of brown sugar and butter, and sweet potatoes, with a touch of honey and butter, green olives, and my Mom's recipe for Sea-Breeze salad, which is nothing like the recipes you find on line by the same name.  For desert, a slice of Pumpkin pie with whipped cream, using the recipe from the Libby's can.

After that's eaten, we just watch some TV and I invariably fall asleep as I did all of the cooking and usually got up at 5 a.m. or so to insure that all was done by supper time.

As a young man, I could eat a normal serving of every item and not feel too stuffed.  I could even handle 2nds on some things.  Now, I can barely get a taste of everything before I feel like I just stretched the old tummy like a water balloon.  But that's ok, because there are great leftovers, especially for making turkey and dressing sandwiches the next day.  I know, I know, too much bread for a diabetic.  it only happens once a year.  And yes, my dressing has giblets and turkey liver in it.

It could be worse.  I could bake those amazing and irresistible dinner rolls that my DIL gave me the recipe for.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## CraigC (Nov 3, 2015)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> *I like Whiska's idea for placing down layers of turkey, then the dressing, more turkey, and maybe some of that cranberry sauce on top for the final layer*, and baking it off in a casserole dish.  I think that the pepperoni grease could be controlled by mincing the pepperoni and adding just enough for flavoring, like you would with bacon bits.
> 
> For Thanksgiving though, we like a traditional turkey, though I'm always willing to change things up a bit.  DW wants the same meal every year, and it's a very good meal, with a very juicy and tender turkey, bread dressing, smashed spuds, black olives, ranberry sauce (with whole cranberries), green beans, but not the casserole style, and for me, mashed rutabaga with a touch of brown sugar and butter, and sweet potatoes, with a touch of honey and butter, green olives, and my Mom's recipe for Sea-Breeze salad, which is nothing like the recipes you find on line by the same name.  For desert, a slice of Pumpkin pie with whipped cream, using the recipe from the Libby's can.
> 
> ...



Add a couple slices of bread, slathered with mayo with that in between and you have the perfect after T-Day dinner sandwich! Forget the weird ingredients in the dressing.


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## puffin3 (Nov 3, 2015)

Why not try stuffing the cavity with fresh Insalatonde? Pipe in all the ricotta as the cavity will take. Sew up the cavity. Put the turkey in a big oven roosting bag to retain moisture.Depending on the bird roast it low and slow until done. Let cool completely. Into fridge over night. Serve it cold the next day on slices of Pane di Lariano.
Cerignola olives on the side.
I wouldn't put anything under the skin. You want the skin to be nice and crispy.


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## Cheryl J (Nov 3, 2015)

I love those casseroles layered with Thanksgiving leftovers as Whisk mentioned, and make them every year.  They have to include gravy , and topped with mashed potatoes and put under the broiler for a minute. I make the sub sandwiches with leftovers as Craig mentioned too, and love cranberry sauce on those. 

Almost better than Tday dinner!  

I guess I'm just a traditionalist when it comes to Thanksgiving - and for sure my family is, even more so than me.


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## Addie (Nov 3, 2015)

Chief Dear, You know we all love you, but I think even Christopher Columbus himself would turn his nose up and frown on that bird. 

I hope you and the wife have a great holiday season. BTW, how is she doing?


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 3, 2015)

Addie said:


> Chief Dear, You know we all love you, but I think even Christopher Columbus himself would turn his nose up and frown on that bird.
> 
> I hope you and the wife have a great holiday season. BTW, how is she doing?



Somewhere, at some time, someone said; "Hey, lets take those lumps in that sou milk, and pack them together, and let it dry for a while.  We'll see what we get.  Someone else in the group said; :You must be daft.  you throw sour milk and its chunks away.  Don't be an idiot.

The first guy, or gal, didn't listen and created the first cheese.

So many strange food combinations have been put together over the centuries that we can't afford to look down our nose at anything anyone tries.  Who knows, a new sensation might be born.

But yes, I thought this idea might be on the fringe.  That's why I bounced it off of DC.  In my office, several people thought it would be an amazing way to roast a turkey.  Everyone has different tastes.  Me, I just love to experiment, to try new things and new combinations of things.  Sometimes they create amazing things.  Sometimes I wish I hadn't tried a particular idea.  I was born knowing nothing.  Everything I know had to be either learned from someone else, and proven by personal experience, or learned from experimentation.

It's not so much about the end result, though I always want it to be spectacular.  It's about trying new things, being creative, and making things that others haven't yet tried.

I guess it's just who I am.  As a young teen, I and a friend were going to save the world by designing and building our own hydrogen powered lawn mower.  We knew how to get hydrogen from electrolysis of water, and had theories about valving the little two stroke engine.  Fortunately, we didn't have the money, or equipment to pursue our plans.  We didn't understand enough about the properties of hydrogen to have succeeded without blowing ourselves to the moon.  But that itch to create things has been in me for as long as I can remember.  Don't think I'll be changing that any time soon.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Cheryl J (Nov 3, 2015)

Like ^


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