Well, the kids are settling in at school now, and that means Thanksgiving is right around the corner! I always look forward to spending time and making memories with my family every Thanksgiving, even though I dread all the food prep and cooking and washing up to come. Like many families, turkey will be the centrepiece of our traditional Thanksgiving meal. Whether you’re a novice cook or a seasoned pro in the kitchen, Canadian turkey can help you create a Thanksgiving meal to remember.
If you’ve never roasted a whole turkey before (or you need a refresher), Canadian Turkey’s Whole Bird Turkey Calculator will help you figure out what size you need, thawing time, and cooking time. Then check out their Turkey Basics for step-by-step videos that will break down all the basics like how to buy, thaw, stuff, roast, and carve so you can master all the steps needed to make your perfect roast Thanksgiving bird. You might be surprised at how simple it can be!
I have to admit I’m partial to having a whole roast turkey on the table. Because leftovers, of course. Turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, turkey salad… yum! More turkey for my family, less cooking for me! If you need some ideas for all the delicious things you can make with your leftovers this year, check out Canadian Turkey’s Leftovers recipes for inspiration. Nothing boring about leftovers anymore!
But families today come in all shapes and sizes, and I love how many different ways there are to prepare a celebratory turkey dinner that will fit your needs. For a family of four, you could try roasting a half turkey instead. It’s just as delicious and festive as a whole bird, but half the size.
Or maybe you’re planning a smaller meal and need some inspiration. Check out this Sundried Tomato & Greens Stuffed Turkey Breast Roast recipe. Served with some new potatoes and veggies on the side, this creative and healthy dish will make a gorgeous Thanksgiving feast on a smaller scale.
Sundried Tomato & Greens Stuffed Turkey Breast Roast
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs. large boneless Canadian turkey breast
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 cup breadcrumbs can use gluten-free
- 2 heads rapini
- 12-15 sundried tomatoes diced
- 3 garlic cloves sliced thinly
- 2 eggs beaten
- 3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ tsp. each ground rosemary sage and thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the rapini and trim the stems.
- Heat a large pot of salted water until boiling. Add the rapini and boil for 5 minutes until they are tender and cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool. Once the rapini have cooled, chop roughly.
- Butterfly the turkey breast. To butterfly, turn the turkey breast over, skin side down and lay it flat on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife, position it parallel to the meat. Cut through the thickest part of the breast along the full length of the breast but not all the way through, leaving about ¾ of an inch intact. Unfold so the meat opens like a book. Cover with plastic wrap and pound any thick areas with a meat mallet until the breast is fairly even in thickness.
- Season the turkey breast with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with herbs.
- Heat olive oil in a non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Add rapini, salt and pepper to taste and garlic. Sauté for 2-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- To make the stuffing, add sundried tomatoes, rapini, bread crumbs, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and eggs to a bowl and mix to combine.
- Spread stuffing mixture evenly across turkey breast. Roll up into a roast and tie with butcher's twine to secure.
- Place roast and wine in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 350°F for 1 hr.–1¼ hr. until the roast is cooked through and a meat thermometer reads 165°F (74°C).
- Rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
5 Ways to Master Thanksgiving Prep and Planning
Believe me, I know that prepping a full Thanksgiving meal takes a lot of time and preparation! That’s why I’m sharing these tips from Canadian Turkey for making your day a little less stressful and giving you more time with the family.
- Get a head start on your meal! You can prep all of your staples like onions, celery and carrots up to 3 days beforehand. Dice and store in storage bags. Green beans, squash and salad greens can be washed, trimmed, and chopped beforehand. Store these in storage bags for ready-to-cook sides.
- For a large, crowd consider serving a buffet-style meal. Spread your dishes out in the kitchen or dining room and let people self-serve and mingle while they eat for an easier-to-serve, fun meal with a casual feel.
- To cut down on cooking time, cook your stuffing on the side. This way you can get more of your favourite crunchy bits while cutting down on cooking time in the oven.
- Plan ahead and make a ‘smart’ shopping list. Organize it by staples you can buy in advance and perishables you need to buy a few days before, then organize according to sections of the grocery store. This will make grocery shopping a breeze and save you precious time.
- Look for make-ahead sides that you can make a day or two beforehand and taste delicious re-heated. Bookmark Canadian Turkey‘s website full of delicious and reliable turkey recipes and resources so you’re ready for the big day!
Turkey makes Thanksgiving simple and delicious. Visit Canadian Turkey to find the perfect recipe to create your Thanksgiving tradition!
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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Canadian Turkey. Nevertheless, all opinions expressed are completely honest and my own. Your experience may differ.
I would love to try the Beer Can Turkey!
FLAVOUR-PACKED TURKEY LENTIL RAGU sounds very good and tasty!!
BBQ Turkey Club with Spicy Mayo would be my favorite! Love turkey.
I would try the Turkey Quesadillas.
I would try the TURKEY & MOZZARELLA STUFFED VEGGIES on the dinner table.
ASPARAGUS AND SWISS CHEESE STUFFED TURKEY CUTLETS
I believe that CANADIAN TURKEY, BACON AND PINEAPPLE SKEWERS would be a huge hit here. We all love turkey and bacon and at least I love pineapple. 😉
The turkey quesadilla would be a family favourite for sure!
SWEET AND SPICY BBQ HALF TURKEY ON THE GRILL looks like a nice addition to Thanksgiving.
I have members of the family that now need to eat gluten free so I will be trying the Gluten-Free Red Quinoa Stuffing with Apples and Walnuts recipe this Thanksgiving.
I would like to try the Citrus and Rosemary Roasted Turkey Breast. It sounds absolutely delicious!
I would like to try the GRILLED HERBES DE PROVENCE TURKEY (BEER CAN TURKEY). I wonder if it would taste similar to Beer Can Chicken.
SMOKEY TURKEY LENTIL CHILI sounds delicious.
I really want to try the beer can turkey. The best turkey I have ever made was on the B.B.Q. This Sundried tomato and greens stuffed turkey sounds sOOO good.
I would love to make the Beer Can Turkey! Looks super cool!
The turkey kale salad with wild rice and blueberries is perfect for tgiving!
GRILLED HERBES DE PROVENCE TURKEY (BEER CAN TURKEY) would be great to try
We have just started using more lentils in our meals. I would choose the SMOKEY TURKEY LENTIL CHILI.
I would make the Citrus and Rosemary Roasted Turkey Breast! It looks delicious!
The Beer Can Turkey sounds like a recipe i would love to try !
Turkey and Zucchini lasagne for me.
The TURKEY & MOZZARELLA STUFFED VEGGIES recipe sounds amazing and I think we would all love it.
I saw this recipe —- BBQ Turkey Sausage, Potatoes and Vegetable Foil Packs —- and thought about it for turkey leftovers. Although the recipe calls for turkey sausage, I think I would give it a try with leftovers! I think it would work on the BBQ or in the oven.
I would love to try the Citrus and Rosemary Roasted Turkey Breast.
The Classic Turkey Sausage Stuffing sounds very nice!
I would make the SMOKEY TURKEY LENTIL CHILI for Thanksgiving.
The Beer Can Turkey looks like a great addition to Thanksgiving. Also the turkey kale salad with wild rice and blueberries.
I’d like to try the flavor-packed turkey lentil ragu.
I think I will be introducing this BBQ BACON WRAPPED TURKEY MEDALLIONS W/GRILLED PEACH SALSA to our next Thanksgiving Dinner as it looks soooooooooooooooo good!!! It would still be trukey but with a side of different that would make a great new tradition I hope!
M
my family would enjoy the Citrus and Rosemary Roasted Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving
MMM. so many awesome recipes there! I like the looks of the TURKEY & MOZZARELLA STUFFED VEGGIES!!! Very original.
I will be making Turkey Clubs with my leftovers this year.Great idea,i never thought of before,thanks!
I would love to try the kickin-cranberry-bbq-turkey-foil-pack for my family! 🙂
I would choose Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Stuffed Turkey Cutlets. They look stupid simple to make.
I really like the Grilled Herbes de Provence recipe, so it’s one of my possibly choices 🙂
TURKEY & MOZZARELLA STUFFED VEGGIES sounds absolutely delicious. I have never stuffed veggies before.
I’d try the Grilled Herbes de Provence Turkey (Beer Can Turkey).
The Beer Can Turkey sounds good, we do it with chicken.
There’s the turkey and summer veg salad that would be great for the leftovers!
The Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers look good.
COLD TURKEY, BROCCOLI AND TAHINI SALAD.. sounds so good !
My kids and I love making OPEN-FACED TURKEY SANDWICHES (USING LEFTOVER TURKEY). For our Thanksgiving dinner we’ll be having a roast turkey with all the fixings.
ohh,I would love to make the Grilled Turkey and Summer Vegetable Salad
I will try the Whole Turkey recipe and the smoked turkey recipe.
Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Frittata for the day after. thanks
I would try the Turkey Quesadillas.
The Turkey Quesadillas are something I’d like to try!
I’d like to try this Noodle bowl with turkey leftovers: COCONUT LIME GRILLED TURKEY NOODLE BOWL.
I want to try the Grilled Turkey and Vegetable Salad.
We will be choosing to roast a whole turkey to help create our Thanksgiving tradition.