Thanksgiving Dinner Turkey with Gravy

You may have your differences and family secrets, but this is a reference for the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner recipes all in one spot.

Menu:
Turkey
Stuffing
Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Yams
Corn or other vegetable (no recipe given)
Cranberry sauce
Jello (no recipe given- just follow instructions on the package)
Rolls
Pumpkin pie

Turkey
A 10-14 lb bird will feed about 12 people if your feeding more than that then you need about 1 more lb for every 2 people added. Of course the larger the bird the more left over.
If the turkey is frozen you need to plan about 5 days in the refrigerator to thaw it. To prepare the turkey to roast, check the outside for any missed feathers or other imperfections. Make sure you take the giblets and neck out of the chest cavity. (If you want you can save these to boil. You can put the broth made from boiling them in your gravy and then throw them away. Many people eat the giblets. Some even mince them and adds them to the gravy. Many people just throw them away.)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Wash the turkey inside and out and place it in a large pan that can go in the oven. (If you use a foil pan, be careful to not poke any holes in it when you take the turkey out of the oven.) Put the turkey in the pan with the breast up. (If you're going to use stuffing, see the Stuffing recipe below. It will need to be stuffed before you put the turkey in the oven and add about 45 minutes to the cooking time.) Cover the turkey with a tent of foil. Bake at 325 degrees for about 3-3 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and continue to back for 1 more hour to let the turkey brown. The turkey is done when the thickest part of the drumstick feels very soft when squeezed and moves up and down and twists easily. The temperature should be 185 degrees if you have a thermometer. When done let stand for 15 minutes before removing dressing and carving.

Gravy
Make the gravy in the roasting pan where you cooked the turkey. (If this is not possible, stir a little water into the turkey drippings to loosen as much of the dark "stuck-on" turkey from the pan as possible. This will make a richer gravy. Then you can pour it into another pan.) Add enough water to the drippings to make enough gravy. (You want about 1/4 – 1/3 cup gravy per person.) In a large cup mix about 1½ - 2 cups cold water with about ½ cup flour. Mix it very well. Try to get all of the lumps out. Bring your drippings to a boil and slowly pour the flour and water mixture in while stirring. (If you have lumps in the thickening then they should go to the bottom so stop pouring before you get to them.) The gravy should thicken up quite quickly. If it is not thick enough, add a little more thickening. Salt and Pepper to taste.

-Added and modified by Kat Dahl (recipes courtesy of Colleen Dahl)