Kathy, you won't believe this but it was warmer in NY and Chicago than it was here this morning. It was 30 degrees at my house. The azaleas won't be blooming here for quiet some time, but we plan to go to Mobile's Azalea Trail the last week in March. Hey, it's sunny and it's supposed to get to 60 today so if the dogs can stay outside and you can leave the DH at home come on down! LOL One DH is enough!

What a coinkidink! I searched high and low for a ring of Italian sasuage for this last 4th. Only found links. Here's my recipes: BLANCHED RAPINI Broccoli Raab Serves 8 Ingredients 3 pounds rapini (broccoli raab), washed, 4 tsp salt Directions Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in rapini greens and salt and cook until wilted and tender, about 2-1/2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cool empty saucepan by rinsing under cold running water. Fill cooled saucepan with cold water and submerge greens to stop the cooking process. Drain again and allow to sit in colander to drain completely to proceed with the following recipe. RAPINI WITH GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL 6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 8 cloves garlic cloves 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 recipe blanched rapini greens (above), cut into 1-inch pieces Heat oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in medium skillet over medium heat until garlic begins to sizzle, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add blanched rapini greens, and cook, stirring to coat with oil, until heated through, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt, serve immediately. RAPINI WITH SAUSAGE As above, with (my preference) 4 small Italian sausage links, grilled, sliced at a long angle (1/2 link per serving) --------------------------------------------------- ORECCHIETTE WITH A SAUSAGE AND PISTACHIO CREAM SAUCE Serves 4-6 Ingredients 1 pound pasta (farfalle, penne, orecchiette) 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, skinned 2 Tbs butter 1 small onion, sliced thinly 1/2 small bulb fennel, sliced very thin 1-1/4 cup heavy cream 2 Tbs mascarpone cheese 1 Tbs grated parmesan 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts salt and white pepper to taste Directions Put on pasta water to boil. Cook crumbled sausage in skillet until done but not overly browned. You can mop up the drippings now if you donÂt want this dish overly oily. Add butter, onion and fennel and cook until soft. Add heavy cream and cook on medium heat to reduce by 1/3. Add mascarpone, parmesan and pistachios and stir until mascarpone and parmesan become creamy with the sauce. Season. Add cooked pasta and toss well. --------------------------------- GIUSEPPEÂS KILLER LASAGNA Serves 8 Ingredients 1 medium onion, chopped 3 Tbs olive oil 1/2 pound ground beef 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed 1/2 pound ground veal 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped 15 ounces tomato sauce 12 ounces tomato paste 1/2 cup dry red wine 1/2 cup water 1 tsp oregano, leaves 1 tsp basil, crushed 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp sugar 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced 1 pound Ricotta cheese 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese 12 ounces lasagna noodles Directions Sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil. Add and cook the ground meats, garlic, and mushrooms. Drain. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, water, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer covered for 1-1/2 hours. Cook the lasagna noodles while sauce is simmering. Use 10 to 16 pieces depending on the width of the noodles (use more wide noodles). Drain, rinse, and drain again. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Cover the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of the sauce. Layer: 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the sauce, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese (in dollops), 1/3 of the mozzarella. Repeat twice more. Cover with the Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered in a 350°F oven for 40-50 minutes, or until bubbly. For the cheese layers, you can shred the mozzarella cheese and blend it with the ricotta for easier spreading. ------------------------------------ CRESCENT SAUSAGE AND CHEESE SQUARES Serves 8 Ingredients 8 ounces refrigerator crescent rolls 8 ounces cooked Italian sausage, sliced 2 cups shredded Provolone cheese 8 eggs, slightly beaten 1 1/2 cups milk Directions Preheat oven to 425°F. Separate rolls into two large rectangles. Press into 13 x 9 pan to form crust. Seal seams completely. Place sliced sausage over crust. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine eggs and milk and pour over cheese. Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown. ----------------------------- SAUSAGE WON-TON MINI-MUFFINS Serves 12 Ingredients 1 pound Italian sausage links 1 1/2 cups Provolone cheese, shredded 1 1/2 cups red peppers, minced 2 Tbs black olives, sliced 1 cup ranch salad dressing, bottled 1 package Won-ton wrappers Brown sausage until very done and drain thoroughly. Combine with remaining ingredients except won ton wrappers. Grease mini-muffin tins and place won ton wrappers inside, pressing with fingers to form the shape of muffin cups. Brush wrappers lightly with oil, using sesame and vegetable oil combined if desired. Bake wrappers in preheated 350° oven for 5 minutes. Fill the muffin cups with sausage mixture and bake 5-6 minutes longer until cheese is melted. ----------------------------------------- ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP Serves 6 Ingredients 1/2 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casing removed 1 small onion, diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 14 1/2 oz chicken broth 15 oz Italian-style diced tomatoes 15 oz white beans (Great Northern or cannellini) 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano, crushed 1/2 teaspoon dry marjoram, crushed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 Dash crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste Directions In a large heavy saucepan, brown sausage over medium-high heat; stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Makes six one-cup servings. ------------------------------ ITALIAN PAELLA Serves 6 Ingredients 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 1 Tbs olive oil 1/2 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage links 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1-inch pieces 1 cup uncooked rice 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup fennel bulb, chopped 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 8 oz stewed tomatoes, chopped with liquid 1/2 tsp paprika 1/8 tsp ground red pepper, or to taste 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 cup red bell pepper strips 1/2 cup green bell pepper strips 1/2 cup frozen green peas Directions Heat garlic and oil in large skillet or paellero over medium-high heat. Remove sausage meat from casings. Add chicken and sausage to oil and stir until browned. Spoon off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Add rice, onion and fennel. Cook, stirring, until onion is transparent and rice is lightly browned. Add broth, tomatoes and tomato juice, paprika and pepper strips. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add shrimp and peas. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. ------------------------------------- ITALIAN BREAKFAST FRIED RICE Serves 2-4 Ingredients 2 Tbs white wine 1 tsp fresh-ground pepper 4 Tbs chicken broth/stock 3 Tbs olive oil 3 large eggs, beaten 2 links (about 1 pound) Italian sausage 1/3 cup fresh asparagus, sliced; separate tips from stems 1/4 cup sliced crimini mushrooms 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced 1/4 cup fennel bulb, diced 2 cups leftover, cooked white rice 2 stalks green onion ("scallions"), chopped Directions Have all ingredients chopped and ready to go. Combine the wine, pepper and chicken stock in a small cup. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet or wok on medium heat. Add beaten eggs and immediately scramble. Remove from pan when just short of softly scrambled. Add additional oil to pan, raise heat to medium high to high and add sausage, asparagus stems, bell pepper and fennel. Toss to brown lightly. Add asparagus tips and mushrooms, mix and cook for 1 minute. Add rice. The best way to do this is to get your hands wet and "crumble" rice into the pan as individual particles. Immediately add wine-pepper-broth mix and toss and heat through. When rice is warm, turn off heat, return eggs to the pan and add the green onion. Serve immediately. Joe

Shoot- just wrote a long comment/question and it seems to have lost it. I just read this whole thread. I have cooked loads of turkeys but this will be first on convection. I have an almost 21# bird in the freezer (moving to frig tomorrow -Sunday). I usually brine but wanted to use less this year to be able to use the broth/drippings. I usually start breast-side down. I just read Pioneer Woman's article on trussing, so I am planning on doing that. I don't stuff but am open to the idea of putting butter and/or stuffing under the skin. (If it was going to be stuffed under the skin right before roasting, wouldn't it be okay to use my own stuffing recipe with eggs?) I have a digital probe thermometer that will beep when the set temp is reached. Question- How much salt is enough in brine solution and yet not too much to make the broth overly salty? I like MOIST flavorful turkey- I love gravy. I cannot stand the chokingly dry white meat my in-laws served years ago. ugh. That's what I really want to avoid.

I'd be careful about putting cloth or parchment over the turkey in this oven as it uses the broiler to sear. After would be ok. My choice would be cooking parchment. Chinchette, you shouldn't need to tent it while in the oven -- in theory at least. The breast skin can get very dark and crisp but there's stuffing under there and it gets nice and crackly. When it comes out, I let it rest so it's easier to slice and stays hot. I'd put some cooking parchment over and and a couple of dishtowels on that to hold in the heat. Also, forgot to mention. Before I bought the oven I had a long talk with the Miele consumer people who emphasized that when you open this oven it loses 30% of the heat. I see people open an oven, baste leisurely, then wonder why the turkey takes so long. Big bonus to no-basting.