Captain WTF's "Has ANYONE here ever cooked their own Thanksgiving turkey? HOW? turkey recipe

One free range turkey
1 stick butter
2 TBSP Williams-Sonoma turkey herbs
2 oranges
Sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper

Thaw it -remove all the giblets.
Let it stand at room temp for an hour or so.
Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a bowl, beat together 1 stick butter, 2 TBSP turkey herbs (or
poultry seasoning), grated zest of 2 oranges (finely grated), 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp fresh ground pepper.

Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels Trim off and discard excess fat.

Gently slide your fingers under the breast to loosen the skin and work your fingers down to the thigh, being careful not to tear the skin. Spread 1/3 of the butter mixture evenly under the skin. Spread 1/3 of the mixture inside the body cavity. Spread the remaining mixture evenly over the outside.

Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in large roasting pan. Stuff turkey, then place in oven and roast for 45 at 400 F. Reduce to 325 and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices.

After about 2 1/2 hours, insder a meat thermometer into the breast- it should register 165 and the thigh 175. Tent breast with foil if it begins to brown too quickly.

Cornbread dressing

2 packages Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing mix
2 boxes Uncle Ben's Wild Rice mix
2 packages mushrooms
1 8 oz package pecans
1 cup melted butter
zinfandel

Cook wild rice mix as instructed. Slice and sautee mushrooms in 1 stick butter. Mix into stuffing mix in large bowl; add melted butter and about 1/2 cup zinfandel.