Nutter Butter Turkeys Recipes

BUTTER-BLANKETED TURKEY

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the lowest position (with room above to fit the turkey) and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove any turkey parts from the cavity and reserve for another use if desired. Dry the turkey well with paper towels inside and out. Sprinkle the cavity with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stuff with the thyme, rosemary, lemon wedges and half of the onion wedges.
• In a small bowl, mix together the 4 tablespoons room temperature butter with the paprika to make a smooth, spreadable mixture. Using your hands, carefully separate the skin from the flesh of the turkey from the breasts toward the legs, making sure not to tear the skin. Spread about half of the butter mixture evenly between the skin and flesh on one side. Do the same on the other side using the remaining butter mixture. Any residual butter on your hands or in the bowl can be rubbed on the outside of the turkey. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with 2 teaspoons salt, making sure to get it all over the surface.
• Scatter the celery pieces, whole carrots and remaining onion wedges in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the roasting rack in the pan, making sure it is level. Pour the broth into the pan. Transfer the turkey to the rack, tuck the wings back under the body and tie the legs together with butcher's twine.
• Cut a 20-inch piece of cheesecloth and fold twice, creating 4 layers. Submerge the cloth in the melted butter, making sure it is completely saturated with it. Gently squeeze the cloth, then re-form so there are 4 layers and place on top of the turkey, covering it completely. Use a turkey baster to baste the cheesecloth with some of the remaining melted butter.
• Roast for 30 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Baste the turkey with the pan juices and more of the melted butter. Continue to roast, basting with butter and pan drippings every 30 minutes, for an additional 2 hours.
• Very gently remove the cheesecloth from the turkey, taking care not to tear the skin (see Cook's Note). Baste one more time, then return the turkey to the oven with the breasts facing towards the back and roast until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh measures 165 degrees F, about another 30 minutes. Let rest for 30 minutes before carving.

NUTTER BUTTER TURKEYS

Steps:

• Create the tail feathers: Push 7 candy corns into the sides of the double-stuff oreos.
• Add the turkey body. Add frosting to a plastic bag. Snip a small piece from the corner. Pipe or spoon a dab of white frosting onto the center of the Oreo. Press a Nutter Butter cookie on top of the Oreo cookie. I had some leftover melted peanut butter chips and used that instead of frosting in this step.
• Add the face: Cut 8 candy corns in half for the noses. Pipe or dab a fat "T" onto the upper area of the Nutter Butter cookie. Press two M&M eyes into the frosting. Next add the candy corn nose, then add a red jelly bean (lengthwise) below the nose.
• Eye detail: (Option 1) Using a tube of black decorating gel, pipe a dot on each eye. You can then follow up with a tiny dot of white icing if you want extra detail, using a toothpick. (Option 2) Switch the colors and pipe a dot of white frosting onto the brown eyes, then add a tiny dot of black gel with a toothpick.

NUTTER BUTTER TURKEYS

Steps:

• Draw a turkey on plain paper and make as many copies as desired. The body should be the outline of a Nutter Butter cookie.(A template appears in the photo section.) Lay a piece of wax paper over each template.
• Cut the Starburst candies into pointy triangles so they resemble a beak. Set aside.
• Add yellow candy melts to one of the decorating bottles. I lay the bottle on its side in the microwave. Microwave at 50% power for one minute. Press the bottle, mixing the candy and continue melting in 20-30 second intervals. Don't overcook the candy melts.
• Yellow: Fill in the body and first row of feathers with the melted yellow candy melts. Immediately press the lollipop stick into the body area. Add a little bit more yellow on top of the stick and press a Nutter Butter cookie on top. Do the same with the remaining turkeys.
• Orange: Melt the orange candy in bottle #2. Fill in the next row of feathers. Repeat with remaining turkeys.
• Red: Melt the red candy in bottle #3. Fill in the outer row of feathers. Repeat with remaining turkeys.
• Add the candy eyes. You can reheat the yellow candy melts or use a small amount of melted white chocolate chips. Put a dab on the back of the edible eyes and attach to the turkey body.
• Add the beak. Put a dab of melted candy on the back of the beak and attach right below the eyes.
• Snood: It's that red thing that dangles on the turkey's face. You may need to remelt the red candy. Pipe a squiggly red snood onto the turkey face.
• Allow turkeys to harden. Enjoy!

ROAST TURKEY WITH HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lowest position. Make herb butter: In a small bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons butter with chopped herbs; season generously with salt and pepper.
• Prepare and stuff the turkey. Loosen skin: Working from the neck end, slide fingers under skin until you reach the end of the breast, being careful not to tear the skin; rub herb butter under the skin. Fill neck cavity: Place turkey breast side down. Fill neck cavity with stuffing; avoid packing. Close up by folding skin over and fastening with skewers or trussing needles. Tuck wings: Turn turkey over; bend wing tips underneath bird so they stay in place (you may have to break the bones). Loosely fill large cavity with stuffing. Tie legs: Using cotton kitchen twine, tie legs together securely (they will overlap) so bird retains its shape and moisture during cooking.
• Cut neck into pieces; mix with carrots, onions, celery, and 2 cups water in a large roasting pan. Set roasting rack over vegetables in pan.
• Lift turkey onto rack; rub with remaining tablespoon butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour, then baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125 degrees, about 3 hours.
• Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400 degrees. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until thigh reaches 180 degrees, 45 to 60 minutes more. Tent with foil if bird browns too quickly; add more water if pan becomes dry. Transfer turkey to a serving platter; cover loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 30 minutes before carving.