Because my Mom always cooked a Butterball Turkey, so did I. Every year for as long as I can remember, I have been the one assigned the task of cooking the Thanksgiving or Christmas Turkey. Maybe she and Joy just figured that I couldn’t mess it up too bad. And, I never did. I became quite adept at fixing up that ole bird. Mom would always call me the night before to be sure I had not forgotten to put it in the oven. I heard all the old ways of getting him ready to cook…like putting it in a paper bag and turning off the oven…never tried that, though. Same said thaw, some said don’t. I did. I usually just put it in a large roasting pan and basted often…and in later years, I began to use the large cooking bags. Don even bought a huge cooker and we deep fried it one year. I really didn’t like that. Tasted more like chicken! I would cook it and Don would slice it for eating. We pulled out our electric knife one time a year or twice…just for the turkey. Probably the only consistently used wedding gift that I received back in 1972.

HOWEVER, I now know a better way. I was telling my aunts about this when we visited recently in NC, and they had never heard of these. But, this Not Very Good Cook is here to tell you…this is fabulous! I found these at W*l=M*rt several years ago,and now I will not buy anything else. It is just as easy as the ad says it is. Open the package, put it in a pan, put it in the oven, figure out the time it will take to cook, take it out, have hubby slice it, and rake in the compliments! Really, it is the moistest turkey I have ever cooked. I can promise you will not be disappointed if you give this a try. I have since found it at other grocery stores so I am sure you can find it easily. There are several seasonings available also. Even the packaging you carry it home from the store in has a handy carry handle. And, just one more tip: if you purchase one of those big disposable roasting pans to cook it in…you can throw the whole thing away after lunch! Easy-Peasy!

FROM THE BAG and WEBSITE:
Oven Ready Home Style Whole Turkey Oven Ready?—¢ turkey from Jennie-O Turkey Store is the only whole turkey that goes directly from your freezer to your oven with no thawing, no cleaning?