Roast Turkey With Mozzarella And Pepperoni Stuffing Recipes

MY DAD'S ITALIAN-AMERICAN TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Cook the vegetables: In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) of the butter. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, over medium heat, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the contents to a bowl. Set aside.
• Toast and season the bread: Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until light brown. Alternatively, brown them in a toaster. While the bread is still hot, lightly butter both sides of each piece with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Cut into 1-inch squares and transfer them to a large bowl. Toss with salt, pepper, the thyme, sage and rosemary. Mix to blend. Set aside.
• Cook the turkey innards and pepperoni: Heat a tablespoon of the butter and, in a large skillet, quickly saute the heart and gizzard pieces, 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and add it to the bowl of celery and onions. Stir to blend. In the same large skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the butter and saute the pepperoni pieces over high heat until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
• Make the mix: Combine the celery and onion mixture, the cooked breakfast sausage, the mozzarella and the pepperoni in the bowl containing the toasted bread. Mix to blend and add the cup of chicken stock to moisten all of the ingredients.
• Pour the mixture into a large baking dish and cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown, about 20 more minutes.

ROAST TURKEY WITH MOZZARELLA AND PEPPERONI STUFFING

Steps:

• For the turkey: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the turkey on a flat surface and sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Transfer the turkey to a large roasting pan and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh meat (without touching bone) registers 155 to 160 degrees F, 2 hours 55 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a flat surface and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving the meat.
• Meanwhile, place the neck and the chicken stock in a pot and simmer gently until the stock reduces by about half. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the stuffing: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter.
• Cut the reserved turkey heart and gizzard into small pieces and set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the celery and onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the contents to a bowl. Set aside.
• Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until light brown. While the bread is hot, lightly butter both sides of each piece, then cut into 1-inch squares and transfer them to a large bowl. Toss with the thyme, rosemary, sage and some salt and pepper. Mix and set aside. (Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.)
• Heat a tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet and quickly saute the heart and gizzard pieces, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat and add it to the bowl of celery and onions. Stir to blend. Heat a large skillet, add another tablespoon butter and saute the pepperoni over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
• Combine the celery and onion mixture, breakfast sausage, mozzarella and pepperoni in the bowl containing the toasted bread. Mix to blend, then add the chicken stock to moisten all of the ingredients. Transfer to the greased baking dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
• For the gravy: After removing the roasted turkey to rest, place the roasting pan over the burners of the stove over low heat and add the Marsala and mustard. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to get the drippings and tasty bits off, until there is almost no liquid.
• Strain the neck out from the stock and pour about 1/2 cup into a small bowl. Whisk the flour into the bowl, taking care there are no lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and the flour mixture to the roasting pan and whisk to blend. Taste for seasoning. Reduce until the mixture thickens to the desired consistency.
• Carve the turkey and arrange on platters. Serve with the gravy on the side. (If the turkey is dry, ladle a little hot gravy directly on the meat.)

PEPPERONI-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with foil. Place chicken breasts flat on cutting surface. With knife parallel to cutting surface, cut lengthwise slit in each chicken breast, forming a pocket, keeping other 3 sides intact. Stuff each chicken breast with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, pressing edges of each chicken breast to seal.
• Place chicken breasts on cookie sheet. Spray tops of chicken with cooking spray. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over chicken breasts. Spray with cooking spray.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F). Serve chicken with salad greens tossed with dressing.

ROAST TURKEY WITH PEPPERONI RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• Season the turkey inside and out with the salt and transfer to a rack set in a roasting pan. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. Let return to room temperature before cooking. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Run your fingers under the breast and thigh skin to loosen; tuck the pepperoni, sliced lemon rind and sage leaves under the skin. Stuff the sage and rosemary sprigs in the cavity. Tie the legs with string. In a medium bowl, blend the butter with the thyme, ground fennel and minced lemon rind. Rub the butter all over the turkey and season with pepper. Roast the turkey in the lower third of the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F and roast for 30 minutes longer, until well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 165°F. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the pan juices into a bowl. Carve the turkey and serve with the juices.

GRANDPA'S SPECIAL STUFFING

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with enough water to moisten.
• Add the eggs, prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, Mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley and pepper; mix well.
• Transfer stuffing to casserole dish (or use to stuff a turkey). If using a casserole dish, bake uncovered at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) until top is browned and crisp, 35 to 45 minutes.

ROAST TURKEY WITH OLD FASHIONED BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• For stuffing, in a medium saucepan cook celery, mushrooms, and onion in butter until tender but not brown, remove from heat.
• Stir in sage, pepper, and salt.
• Place dry bread cubes in a large mixing bowl, add onion mixture.
• Drizzle with enough broth or water to moisten, tossing lightly.
• Season body cavity of turkey with salt.
• Spoon some stuffing LOOSELY into the neck cavity.
• Pull the neck skin to the back, fasten with a skewer.
• LIGHTLY spoon more stuffing into the body cavity (place any remaining stuffing into a casserole, cover and chill. Dot with butter and bake alongside turkey for 35-45 minutes or until heated through).
• Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail.
• If the band of skin is not present, tie the drumsticks securely to the tail.
• Twist wing tips under the back.
• Place turkey, breast side DOWN, on a rack in a shallow roastng pan.
• Brush with oil.
• Cover turkey loosely with foil.
• Roast turkey in a 325 degree oven for 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer placed into the center of a thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180 degrees. Make sure center of stuffing reads 165 degrees.
• After about 1 1/2 hours, turn the turkey over so that it is breast side up.
• Brush breast side with oil.
• After 2 1/2 hours, cut loose drumsticks so that thighs will cook evenly.
• When done, drumsticks should move very easliy in their sockets and their thickest parts should feel soft when pressed.
• Uncover the last 30 minutes of roasting.
• To make dry bread cubes: cut bread into 1/2 inch squares.
• (12-14 slices of bread for 8 cups cubes) Place in a brown paper bag and close loosely.
• Let stand 3-4 days, mixing up by hand each day until thoroughly dry.
• OR, spread bread cubes onto a large cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 300 degrees 10-15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice.
• Cool.
• I highly recommend using homemade white bread (by hand or bread machine) for the bread cubes.
• You will be AMAZED at the difference in texture!

CLASSIC ROAST TURKEY WITH HERBED STUFFING AND OLD-FASHIONED GRAVY

Steps:

• Place oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 8-inch square baking dish or 2-quart casserole. Lightly brush roasting rack with vegetable oil and place in roasting pan.
• Remove plastic or paper packet of giblets from turkey (usually in small cavity). Remove from packaging and rinse; reserve gizzard and heart; discard floppy, dark purple liver. Remove neck from large cavity. Remove from packaging, rinse, and reserve. Using tweezers or needlenose pliers, remove any feathers and quills still attached to skin (kosher turkeys tend to require this more than others). Pull off and reserve any visible pale yellow knobs of fat from either side of tail (not found on all birds).
• Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Loosely fill small (neck) cavity with stuffing. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with metal skewer. Loosely fill large body cavity with stuffing. Transfer remaining stuffing to buttered dish and drizzle with 1/4 cup stock. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
• Transfer turkey, breast-side up, to rack in roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks loosely together with kitchen string. Rub turkey all over with softened butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Tightly cover breast area with foil, leaving wings, thighs, and drumsticks exposed.
• Transfer gizzard, heart, neck, and reserved turkey fat to roasting pan around rack. Pour 2 cups stock into pan.
• Roast turkey 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices (lift up foil to reach breast area) and continue roasting, basting every 45 minutes, 1 1/2 hours more (2 1/4 hours total). Baste again and, if pan juices have evaporated into glaze, add 1 cup stock to pan. Roast another 45 minutes (3 hours total). Remove foil from breast area, baste, and add stock if necessary, until instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thigh (close to but not touching bone) registers 180°F, about 1 hour more (4 hours total).
• Insert instant-read thermometer into center of stuffing in body cavity. If thermometer does not read 165°F, transfer stuffing to microwave-safe baking dish and microwave on high until 165°F, about 3 minutes for 10 degrees. Cover and keep warm. Using turkey holders (or by inserting large metal serving spoon into body cavity), transfer turkey to large serving platter. Let stand 30 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, bake extra stuffing and make gravy: Raise oven temperature to 350°F. Remove giblets and neck from roasting pan and discard. Pour pan juices into measuring cup or gravy separator. Let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and reserve fat or, if using separator, carefully pour juices into measuring cup, reserving fat left in separator.
• Transfer foil-covered dish of extra stuffing to oven and bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add enough remaining stock to pan juices to total 4 cups. Measure turkey fat, adding melted butter if necessary to total 6 tablespoons. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on moderate heat and add fat. Whisk in flour, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, then cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in pan juice-stock mixture and bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and keep warm. (Gravy can be kept warm over very low heat, covered, up to 20 minutes. If it thickens, thin with additional stock before serving. If skin forms on top, whisk well to dissolve.)
• When extra stuffing has baked 10 minutes, remove foil and bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Pour gravy through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl, then transfer to gravy boat. Carve turkey and serve gravy and stuffing alongside.
• Test-Kitchen Tips:
• •To combat dryness, most frozen turkeys and some fresh are injected with a saline solution. This is not a good thing, though: Injected birds generally lack flavor and can have a mushy texture. For this reason, we recommend buying a fresh turkey and checking the label to be sure there aren't any additives. (Look for the words "all natural.") Don't be too concerned, though, with the many other terms that can be applied to turkeys, such as free-range, organic, or heritage. All can be excellent.
• •When buying a fresh bird, be sure to purchase it no more than two days before Thanksgiving. If you must get a frozen bird, defrost it in the refrigerator in a pan to catch drips, allowing a full 24 hours for each 5 pounds.
• •Warm, moist stuffing is an optimal environment for bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli to multiply, so it's important to follow safe procedures. Be sure to make the stuffing at the last minute so it can go into the bird warm. This helps it move above the "danger zone" (the optimal temperature range for bacteria growth) more quickly during roasting. When you remove the turkey from the oven, be sure to check the temperature in the middle of the stuffing to make sure it's 165°F, the temperature at which bacteria will be killed. If it's not 165°F, scoop it out of the cavity and microwave it as directed in the recipe.
• •More stuffing tips: Be sure not to overpack the cavities, as the stuffing will expand during cooking. Loosely fill the turkey, then spread the extra in a casserole dish (no more than 2 inches deep) and bake it after the turkey comes out (be sure to refrigerate it until then to impede bacteria growth). Drizzle the portion in the casserole dish with extra stock to make up for the juices it won't get from the turkey. If you want the stuffing that's cooked inside the turkey to be extra-moist (as opposed to having a crisp crust where it's exposed), cover the exposed portion with a small piece of aluminum foil.
• •Opinions vary on whether or not to stuff the bird-some people think it can cause uneven cooking. If you prefer not to stuff your bird, fill the cavities with a chopped vegetable and herb mixture that will impart its flavor to the meat and pan juices: Chop 1 onion, 1 celery rib with leaves, 1 carrot, and 3 tablespoons fresh parsley. Mix this with 1 teaspoon each dried rosemary, sage, and thyme. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place the mixture inside. An unstuffed bird will take about 15 minutes to a half hour less to cook than a stuffed bird. When the turkey is cooked, tilt it to allow any juices that have collected in the cavity to drain into the pan. Do not serve the vegetable mixture, as it may not have cooked to a safe temperature.
• •This recipe can easily be scaled up to serve more people. Estimate about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person. Cooking times (for a stuffed bird, cooked at 325°F to an internal temperature of 180°F) will be as follows: 8 to 12 pounds: 3 to 3 1/2 hours 12 to 14 pounds: 3 1/2 to 4 hours 14 to 18 pounds: 4 to 4 1/4 hours 18 to 20 pounds: 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours 20 to 24 pounds: 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
• •Some experts prefer to cook their turkeys to an internal temperature of 170°F (rather than 180°F, as in this recipe). If you don't mind having the meat slightly pink, this is perfectly safe and makes it more moist. However, Rick Rodgers, who created this recipe, believes that the dark meat in particular does not achieve its optimum flavor and texture until it reaches 180°F. If you choose to stuff your turkey and cook it to only 170°F, its stuffing will almost definitely not reach the safe temperature of 165°F. When you remove the turkey from the oven, be sure to check the temperature in the center of the stuffing, and if necessary remove it and microwave it as directed in the recipe.
• •Letting the turkey stand for half an hour after it comes out of the oven is an essential part of the roasting process. When meat roasts, its juices move to the outer edge of the flesh. Letting it rest gives the juices time to redistribute, making for a moister turkey. An added bonus: The resting time provides an excellent window of opportunity to make the gravy and reheat the side dishes. There's no need to cover the bird-it'll stay warm enough, and covering it would only soften the crispy skin.