Simple preparation of a turkey breast – enough for 4 people – very tasty and easy.
I’ve been making an effort to eat some of the frozen meat and other stuff in my freezer. After my darling DH passed away, I hardly even cooked for weeks and weeks. I’ve entertained very little, and on any ordinary evening I never seem to have the interest in doing a really nice dinner that would feed 3-4 people with all the accompanying side dishes to go with it. But I’ve got good steaks that have been there for 18 months. A big honkin’ pork shoulder that’s been there for probably 2 years. I should give that one away as I couldn’t possibly eat it up and it probably shouldn’t be re-frozen. I’ve had plenty of chicken breasts, salmon fillets, chicken thighs and pork chops in a variety of shapes and sizes. But the beef is languishing in there.
The meat in these freezers – some are in the kitchen freezer and pounds and pounds of varied meat items live in my garage freezer. I’ve had several packages of casseroles or vegetables, or even a dessert. Today I decided to defrost a turkey breast half that I’d stuck in there some months ago. I have another recipe on my 
blog for a dry brined turkey breast that I’ve prepared several times since I first made it – and have loved it. Today I did some internet sleuthing and found another recipe from Taste of Home. It was a simple enough preparation and needed about 1 1/2 hours to roast.
The breast weighed about 2+. I slathered a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil under the skin, then patted a dry mixture on top comprised of dry thyme, dry rosemary, garlic powder and salt and pepper. It got laid upon a bed of sliced onions and a couple of stalks of celery cut up, and then I floated in about 3/4 cup of white wine. Into the oven it went and about 90 minutes later it was at exactly 170° on my Thermapen instant-read thermometer. There at left you can see the raw breast ready to bake.
I also made a zucchini casserole which I’ll write up next. That’s what I had for dinner – turkey and zucchini. No salad (had one of those for lunch). It was very filling and tasted delicious. I still haven’t been able to go into my dining room (alone) and set the table there to eat my dinner. Dave and I had dinner in there all winter long, and ate outside on our patio in the summer. I’ve hardly done any patio dining (alone) either. I’ve still got construction going on anyway, and furniture is pushed every which way. But I haven’t been able to eat in the dining room because it makes me sad. As good as I’m doing most of the time – it’s been 18 months – to eat dinner in the dining room, alone, staring at the windows or 
my plate, holds very little interest. In time, maybe. I love my dining room, and I sit there often to do homework for my bible study classes. I’ve entertained in there, no problem. But to be there alone to eat just floods me with too many memories.
So, this dinner was eaten at the kitchen counter with the 6 o’clock news on nearby. And it tasted really good. The zucchini casserole was a perfect side for the juicy, herby turkey. At right is the whole half-breast just out of the oven. Underneath it are some onion slices and chopped up celery – and the white wine was poured in to keep it moist.
What’s GOOD: it’s EASY – only about 5 minutes of prep required – the rest of it is baking in the oven. There’s enough of it (for me, just this one person) for another 3 meals, I think. Maybe I’ll make some kind of Indian curry with it, and perhaps a turkey sandwich. Will have to go buy some bread – I don’t even have any in the house!
What’s NOT: only that it took 1 1/2 hours to bake – not necessarily a quick weeknight dinner. But worth doing anyway if you can make the time.
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Herb-Roasted Breast of Turkey
Recipe By: Adapted slightly from Taste of Home, 2015
Serving Size: 4
2 1/2 pounds turkey breast
2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 medium onion — thickly sliced
3 stalks celery — chopped
3/4 cup vermouth — or other dry white wine
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Gently wedge a finger or two underneath the turkey skin, being careful not to tear it or dislodge it. Make room to drizzle (or use a brush) in the lemon juice and olive oil that you mix up in a small bowl. Pull turkey skin back in place.
3. In a small bowl combine the pepper, rosemary, thyme and garlic powder. Using your hands, pat the herb mixture on the skin of the turkey breast, spreading around to the edges. It’s not necessary to do the under side as it’s almost all bones.
4. In an 8×10 inch baking pan (with sides) place the onion slices and the celery chunks. Make it mostly flat and place the turkey breast on top, skin side up.
5. Add the white wine to the pan and bake for about 90 minutes, or until the breast meat has reached 170°. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. The drippings can be made into a gravy, if desired, or save it to flavor soup broth.
Per Serving (assumes you eat all the skin): 25 Calories; 12g Fat (30.2% calories from fat); 56g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 139mg Cholesterol; 1103mg Sodium.
Toffeeapple
said on September 25th, 2015:
I can fully understand your being unable to eat alone in your dining room and you don’t need anything to make you unhappy right now. As long as you have a place to sit and eat at a table rather than on a tray before a TV, you will manage. I do think of you often. Hugs. xx
Thank you, Toni. I’m really doing pretty well, all things considered, but there are a few things I’ve not been able to do yet. In time, I suppose. Maybe this winter I’ll be able to do dinner in the dining room. Don’t know. . . thanks for your kind thoughts . . .carolyn t