We made it through another year of planning our days, and our menus. This year we start off with a traditional family meal that brings us closer together, with new resolutions with anticipation and excitement for the future.  By gathering everyone around the dinner table for a memorable meal, you’ll be starting a new family tradition.

With this feast featuring classics such as Lemon Rosemary Roasted Turkey, Honey-Roasted Red Potatoes, Cream Peas and with mainstays such as cranberry sauce, you’ll have a family-pleasing meal. Add a simple Apple Bundt Cake for dessert; you’ll find your family will thank you for it!

When you make such a fantastic feast such as this, you can definitely feed your family a few different meals with plenty of leftovers. I’ll be sharing those leftover recipes like Turkey Enchilladas with you throughout the upcoming week.

 Let’s start off with the main course, Lemon Rosemary Roasted Turkey; the ingredients used to help flavor the turkey can be used on chicken breasts or a whole chicken. By rubbing the the oil and spices under the skin, you are working the flavors into the turkey with the result of a juicy, flavorful bird.

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Ingredients:

1 12-16 pound turkey

3/4 cup Calolea Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

3 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tablespoons rosemary, dried or fresh

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

Salt to taste

1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, Italian seasoning, pepper and salt; set aside.

Rinse the turkey, inside and out; pat dry. Loosen the skin from the breast by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Be careful not to tear the skin.

Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the oil mixture under the skin and rub remainder all over the turkey, making sure to cover the thighs and legs. Place a few lemon slices under the skin, and inside the turkey. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.

Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add 1/3 cup water to the bottom of pan. Roast in the oven for 4-5 hours or until meat thermometer measures 180 degrees F.

Next, we add these delicious sweet potatoes to the meal. You’ll be surprised at just how effectively an appropriate side dish can enhance a menu, elevating it from ordinary to extraordinary.

 Honey-Roasted Rosemary Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

6-8 red potatoes, quartered

2 Tablespoons onion, diced

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

3 Tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon powdered mustard

1 Tablespoon dried rosemary

Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 9×12 baking dish with cooking spray.

Place potatoes in a single layer in baking dish. In a small bowl, combine onion, butter, honey, mustard, rosemary, salt a pepper. Pour over potatoes.

Bake for 35 minutes or until tender, stirring approximately halway through the cooking time.