Several years ago, Amy and I were invited to a friend’s house for dinner. When we walked into their home, we were greeted by the mouthwatering scent of a roasted turkey. The first thing I thought was, “Turkey? The holidays are months away.” Serving oven-roasted turkey any time other than the holidays didn’t feel right. It’s almost the end of April, and this delicious dish was last night’s entrée. It’s savory flavors, fast cook time, and clean up are perfect any time of the year.     

After one bite, Amy and I both looked at each other and said, “Oh My Gosh, we need this recipe.”The flavor was over-the-top delicious and the meat melted in our mouths. I wasn’t sure he’d give up his “secret” recipe, but before we left, he handed me a note card with everything we needed to make it ourselves.  

We got in the car, read the recipe and laughed. “Are you kidding me? This is it? Did he leave something out so we’d never be able to duplicate? “The answer: No, he didn’t.

For the past 47 years I’ve cooked a turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas. A turkey in the oven fills the house with holiday scents of sage, thyme, and rosemary, and its presentation at the table can even elicit a few “Oohs and Ahs” and if I’m lucky, applause. It just doesn’t feel like the holidays without a roasted, perfectly browned turkey on the table.

But sometimes the turkey cooks faster than you think. Or slower. I’ve had a few timing disasters in the past, and checking on the internal temperature over and over is time-consuming. Having a houseful of hungry family and friends jacks up the pressure for serving the perfect holiday meal.

Then there’s the issue of leftovers. There’s always leftovers. I bag them up, and put them in the fridge for later, but later never comes and I end up throwing them in the trash. Guilt alert. I hate the strong, oxidized flavor that’s characteristic of leftover meat.   .  

This is the easiest recipe ever for making roasted turkey breast and it’s also our favorite. Now turkey isn’t just for the holidays anymore. Better yet, the leftovers are amazing. No warmed-over flavor. But wait – it’s virtually carb-free!

Use an oven-browned (fully cooked) turkey breast. This recipe uses a 4-pound boneless turkey breast, perfect when cooking for a small group. Whenever I’m hosting for a holiday  meal, I like to serve both a ham and this easy, delicious turkey breast recipe. When using a smaller or larger-weight turkey breast, don’t forget to adjust the ingredient amounts accordingly.

One of my favorite directions in this dish is to use a cooking bag, which seals in the flavor, speeds up cooking time, and makes clean up a snap. If you don’t have access to one, you can make your own using aluminum foil. Tear off a sheet large enough to fit all the way around the turkey breast, allowing plenty of space between the meat and foil. Make sure to scrunch up all the edges until they’re well-sealed, and cut a few vents in the foil to allow excess steam to escape.

The drippings in the plastic bag make the best gravy EVER. Use almond or coconut flour to thicken, and add fresh or dried herbs, and wine and/or chicken broth to increase the volume of gravy.