Jennie-O has provided coupons to me in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.
Thanksgiving is a time to come together with family and gather around the table for some turkey and all the fixings.
It’s a time of reflection to look back on the year and see the progress, the new people who have entered your life, and reflect on those who are no longer around the table.
The house smells amazing, the children are giddy, and by the end of the day, bellies are full, and there is something for which to be thankful.
The first year I cooked Thanksgiving as the hostess, there were some 30-people.
I spent the night, bathing a turkey to defrost it by morning.
Then I cooked it, for hours.
It emerged looking like charcoal briquettes on turkey bones. T
here was devastation.
My year of redemption I spent so much time focused on the bird, I spent hours bathing it in butter and checking in every 15 minutes to make sure it didn’t get out of hand and dry.
As we sat down to eat, my dad asked where the gravy was, and my grandmother replied, “I guess with every generation we lose something of our traditions.”
The truth was, I had no idea how to make pan gravy.
The year of gravy redemption, I made GALLONS of the stuff–so much gravy!
But that’s another post.
These days, I’m kicking back and letting Jennie-O take the lead.
Have you heard about Jennie-O’s Oven Ready Turkey? Jennie-O’s Oven Ready Turkey is a fool-proof whole turkey that goes straight from the freezer to the oven and requires minimal prep — it’s truly the perfect solution for first-time hosts or those who simply want an easier entertaining experience this year.
Seriously!
It’s so freaking easy!
Find the Jennie-O Oven Ready turkey at your grocery store (I’ve found them at Walmart and Food Lion in my area).
They are in the frozen section–sometimes in a freezer kiosk on their own.
Get it home and shove it in your freezer and forget about it.
Go ahead and sleep-in Thanksgiving morning.
Depending on how big of a turkey you brought home, you’ll need 2-4 hours before you want to eat.
Casually, get up, tug the turkey out of the freezer and remove from the lovely bag in which Tom Turkey came to your house.
He will emerge looking like this:
Keep him in that bag…it’s the secret to his deliciousness.
It keeps all the seasoning with him.
Cook per your bag directions.
He also has an “I’m DONE!” thermometer that pops out when he’s roasted to perfection.
Here is how mine turned out!
Ain’t he beautiful!?
And look at all that juice in the pan!
I used it to make Creamy Mexican Turkey Soup–because Jennie-O Oven Ready Turkey includes a gravy packet that’s so easy to make.
And while the turkey cooks, be sure to check out Jennie-O’s new Holiday and Events page, It’s a one-stop holiday entertaining resource, boasting creative cooking hacks, how-to’s, do-it-yourself tutorials, and delicious recipes for any level of the host.
Don’t sweat the small stuff, pick up your Jennie-O Oven Ready Turkey today and spend time with those you’re thankful for without worrying about the bird!