Very funny! Years ago, one Thanksgiving, my mother and I thought we'd "treat" ourselves to a spiked coffee drink while preparing the meal...a few coffees and many laughs later, that darned turkey seemed to have miraculously cooked in record time! Too late to make the mash potatoes, ah who cares about mashers anyway. The lettuce wasn't washed, well, no one really eats salad on Thanksgiving and isn't the jello a salad? The rolls? We all know those are just filler...We still giggle about that meal. Yet NEVER again start imbibing prior to the meal being on the table!

It seems there are two Butterball turkey breast products. One is as described above , a bone in whole breast. The other is a turkey roast which is a boned out turkey breast that is then rolled and wrapped in a string netting. So it is more the shape of a conventional roast not a breast. In either case they are "real" turkey not the pressed stuff. My sense is that the turkey roast may not slice in nice neat slices. I think it will slice more like a rolled pork roast. Here is a link that might be useful: Boneless Turkey Roasts

I have posted this recipe several times in the past few years during the holidays. I thought I would share it again as an alternative to the traditional 'stuffing'. It has become a favorite. It would be very easy to adapt to a larger turkey. The stuffing is healthy and delicious. Very good as leftovers also. Turkey Roulade with Apple-Cider Gravy by Ellie Krieger This golden brown turkey breast, excerpted from the cookbook The Food You Crave, has a moist pecan-and-cranberry-studded stuffing rolled inside. Relish in the "oohs" and "aahhs" as you reveal the beautiful spiral intertwining of tender turkey and savory stuffing. For more turkey recipes visit The Guide to Thanksgiving Dinner. Serves 6 Ingredients turkey chicken broth apple cider One 2-1/2-pound boneless turkey breast half, skin removed and butterflied 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 5 slices day-old whole-wheat bread, crusts removed and cubed (about 2-1/2 cups) 1 medium onion, diced (about 1-1/2 cups), plus 1 cup onion thinly sliced into half-moons 1 cup apple cider 2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons) 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries 1/3 cup chopped pecans 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 3 teaspoons dried, crumbled 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste Kitchen twine Place the turkey breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet to an even thickness of about 3/4 inch. Set aside while you prepare the stuffing. Toast the pecans in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes; set aside. Preheat the oven to 375�F. Place the cranberries in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat, drain, and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until golden but not blackened, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bread, cranberries, pecans, 2 tablespoons of the fresh or 2 teaspoons of the dried sage, and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the broth, depending upon the consistency of the stuffing (you want the mixture to be moistened, but not too wet, since the turkey will release moisture when cooked). Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over both sides of the turkey breast. Spread the stuffing over one side of the turkey, leaving about 1-1/2 to 2 inches uncovered on all sides. Roll up and secure tightly with kitchen twine, trying to keep all the stuffing intact. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven or medium roasting pan over medium heat until hot. Sear the stuffed turkey breast on all sides until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Sprinkle the sliced onion around the turkey, pour in 1-1/2 cups of the broth, cover tightly and roast in the oven until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165�F, 60 to 65 minutes. Remove the turkey breast from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while you make the gravy. Add the cider, 1/2 cup of the broth, the vinegar, and the remaining 2 teaspoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried sage to the roasting pan, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, and cook for 3 minutes more. The gravy should not be thick, just slightly thicker than a jus. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the twine from the turkey breast and cut into 1-1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with the gravy on the side in a gravy boat. nutrition information (per serving): Calories (kcal): 400; Fat (g): 12; Fat Calories (kcal): 108; Saturated Fat (g): 1.5; Protein (g): 50; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 6; Carbohydrates (g): 24; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3.5; Sodium (mg): 371; Cholesterol (mg): 117; Fiber (g): 2; photo: Christopher Hirsheimer From Book The Food You Crave , pp. 220-221 November 19, 2010 Here is a link that might be useful: Ellie Kreiger's Stuffed Turkey Breast

LOL Nancy, I'm sure those puppies just can't wait for holidays! They'll probably leave hints about Thanksgiving is year round and Christmas in July! Doing gravy in an electric roaster is kind of a personal preference. I think you'd be better off to take the cookwell and put on the stove. A lot depends on the roaster. Nesco does NOT heat from the bottom. They call it the "circle of heat" since it's in all the sides of the unit which helps keep things from burning on the bottom and the heat is more even. My mother used to make the gravy in the roaster. (I don't remember the brand but it was not Nesco) She'd crank it up full blast but as I recall hers had a heating element in the bottom. A cousin takes the cookwell and puts on the stove. Neither of her roasters are Nesco brand. I have the Roast Air attachment that fits my 6 qt. Now THAT will give you nice crispy skin! I used to just cock the top and let a lot of the moisture out and frequently take a baster and pull the juices out to help dry and crisp the skin, which did work. Now I let it cook and then about the last 1/2 hour or so I turn on the fan and even turn up the heat a bit and the convection action will crisp and brown things up. Be warned though, when the fan goes on, it will blast the juices around so you might want to pull some of them out just in case. The convection action also evaporates it more too. I never thought about the gluten issue on prebasted meats. I usually prefer to get a non-basted if I have a choice but the cheap ones usually are injected. Maybe look at organic or something? I'm not sure about that. Should ask my sister about that since she's Celiac but I know she's still confused on a lot of the things related to it.