Roast Turkey with Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Dinner Rolls, and Candied Yams

1.Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

Prepare the Turkey Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. Rinse the turkey inside and out, then pat dry with paper towels.

Season and Stuff the Turkey Season the turkey generously with salt, black pepper, paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, garlic powder, and onion powder. Rub the softened butter all over the turkey, including under the skin. Stuff the cavity with fresh herbs and lemon halves.

Roast the Turkey Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil.

5.Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for about 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove the foil during the last 30 minutes of cooking to brown the skin.

Prepare the Mashed Potatoes While the turkey is roasting, prepare the mashed potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Place them in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.

Make the Mashed Potatoes Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add butter, milk, salt, and black pepper. Continue mashing until the desired consistency is reached. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Prepare the Gravy To make the gravy, remove the turkey from the roasting pan. Skim off any excess fat from the pan drippings, leaving about 1/4 cup of fat. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat.

Cook the Gravy Sprinkle flour over the pan drippings in the roasting pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the turkey or chicken broth until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the Cranberry Sauce For the cranberry sauce, combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cranberries and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.

Prepare the Dinner Rolls For the dinner rolls, in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Add warm milk, melted butter, and egg. Mix until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Shape and Rise the Dinner Rolls Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and arrange them in a greased baking dish. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for another 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Bake the Dinner Rolls Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the dinner rolls for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter if desired.

Prepare the Candied Yams For the candied yams, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Peel and slice the yams or sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch thick rounds.

Make the Candied Yams Syrup In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Cook until the brown sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

Layer and Bake the Candied Yams Place the yam slices in a greased baking dish. Pour the syrup over the yams, making sure each slice is coated. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Bake the Candied Yams Bake the candied yams in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the yams are tender and the syrup is bubbly.

Serve and Enjoy! Once the turkey is done, let it rest for about 20 minutes before carving. Serve the roast turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, and candied yams.