2TablespoonsPoultry SeasoningRecommended Brand is Bell’s Seasoning
3CupsLow-Sodium Chicken BrothDivided
¾TeaspoonSalt
Basting Sauce for Turkey:
¼CupUnsalted Butter
2TablespoonsFresh Thyme Leaves
½TeaspoonSweet Paprika
Vegetable Side:
30OuncesFrench Style Green BeansFrozen
1CupDried and Sweetened Cranberries
Fruit Side:
5Small Apples
4Small PearsNearly Ripe
Instructions
PART 1. Begin 5 hours before desired serving time. Remove turkey breast from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. While turkey is coming to temperature, make the dressing and prepare the roasting pan.
Make Classic DressingToast the Bread Cubes. Preheat oven to 300°F/150°C. Place bread cubes in large roasting pan. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Bread cubes should be dried out and very slightly toasted. This step can be made up to 5 days ahead and the bread cubes stored in an airtight container until ready to use.Put the dried and toasted bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl.
14 Ounce Loaf of White Bread
Cook Aromatics. As bread cubes were drying out, finely chop the onion and celery. In a 10” skillet melt ¼ cup of salted butter over medium low heat. Add finely chopped onion and celery and sauté until onion is transparent. Add poultry seasoning and salt and cook 1 to 2 minutes more to bloom the seasonings.
¼ Cup Salted Butter, 2 Cups Finely Chopped Yellow Onion, 2 Cups Finely Chopped Green Celery, 2 Tablespoons Poultry Seasoning, ¾ Teaspoon Salt
Combine. Pour cooked and seasoned onion and celery over the dried bread cubes. Mix well with a large spoon.
Moisten. Pour 2 ½ cups chicken broth over bread cube mixture, ½ cup at a time. Stir and toss cubes to moisten them between broth additions. You will have ½ cup of chicken broth that should be reserved, if needed later. Set aside dressing for later.
3 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
Prepare Turkey Breast and Basting SaucePreheat and Make Rack. Preheat oven to 325°F/163°C. Roll and shape a 4-foot long piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil into a thick rope and coil it to create a rack for the turkey breast. Place coiled rack at one end of a large 15” x 13” roasting pan.
Remove turkey breast from packaging. Rinse turkey with cold water inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Center turkey on the coiled foil rack and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast without touching a bone.
8 Pound Whole Turkey Breast
Tent roasting pan with aluminum foil and roast turkey for 2 Hours. As turkey breast roasts, prepare the basting sauce and vegetables. This is also a good time to set the table if you have not already done so.
Make Basting Sauce. In a small saucepan melt ¼ cup unsalted butter over low heat. Add fresh thyme leaves and paprika. Stir well and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, 2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme Leaves, ½ Teaspoon Sweet Paprika
Prep Vegetable Side DishPlace thawed French style green beans in a large bowl. Add dried cranberries and mix well.
30 Ounces French Style Green Beans, 1 Cup Dried and Sweetened Cranberries
Part 2:
Remove turkey breast from oven. Carefully remove the foil tent and set aside. Using a pastry brush, baste the turkey breast with the butter sauce.
Spoon dressing around and in front of turkey breast. Mound dressing slightly in front of the turkey breast to create a division for the vegetable. Spoon green beans with cranberries in remaining portion of the pan. Place apples and pears around the turkey on top of the dressing.
5 Small Apples, 4 Small Pears
Fold the foil tent and use it to cover the vegetables and dressing.
Return roasting pan to the oven and bake until the turkey breast registers 165°F/74°C, about 60 to 75 minutes. Have a nice glass of wine or a cup of good cheer, while you wait for the dinner to finish cooking.
Remove dinner from the oven. To keep maximum juices in the turkey breast, allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving.Serve in the pan buffet style or transfer to pretty serving dishes.
Video
Notes
My Top Tips♡ Read through the entire directions to help you organize your cooking time. This is always good advice whether you are a beginner or an experienced cook.♡ Use the shopping list and the timetable. These are meant to help you shop and organize the dinner and will save you time.Substitutions & VariationsSUBSTITUTE your favorite veggies for the French-style green beans. Good choices are:Brussels Sprouts - Simply halve the Brussels sprouts, drizzle them with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.Carrots - Whole "baby" carrots, topped with brown sugar and dotted with salted butter.Mixed Frozen Vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot mixes. Drizzle them with olive oil or melted butter and add dried chives or your favorite herb seasoning.Baby Potatoes - Place them whole in the pan, drizzle them with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.SUBSTITUTE a box stuffing/dressing mix for the Classic Dressing. If you use a box mix, you can dress it up with one or more of the following stir-ins. Add them when you mix the dressing: