I had actually planned to make a roast beef dinner tonight, but decided I wanted to slow roast it so it is covered in salt right now in the fridge for tomorrow’s dinner. So that left me to change things around again, which is kind of business as usual in this house anyway. I had bought a bone-in turkey breast at the store this weekend and hasn’t decided whether to freeze it or not, but it seemed like a good night to make it. It was a really good deal for a 3 pound turkey breast for under $3.00, and we’ll get several meals out of it. So tonight was Roasted Turkey Breast with Sage and Cayenne, Pan Roasted Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes.

Roasted Turkey Breast with Sage and Cayenne

1 6 pound bone-in turkey breast (I only had a 3 pound, so I cut the recipe in half)

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika

Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Combine the salt, sage, cayenne, cumin, and paprika in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix all over the turkey skin and let the turkey stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. Roast the turkey for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155-160 degrees, about 50 minutes longer. transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

A 90 degree day may not have been the best day to do this, but it came out really well and the crispy skin tasted great. I had also bought some asparagus this weekend (also on sale) so I decided to make that tonight as well, using a pan roasting method that I had seen in Cook’s Illustrated. Use thicker asparagus for this recipe as I think thinner spears may tend to burn or overcook.

Pan Roasted Asparagus with Toasted Garlic and Parmesan

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium garlic cloves, sliced thin

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound thick asparagus spears, ends trimmed

Salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 lemon (optional)

Heat the olive oil and sliced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is crisp and golden but not dark brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the butter to the oil in the skillet. When the butter has melted, add half the asparagus to the skillet with the tips pointed in one direction; add the remaining spears with the tips pointed in the opposite direction. Using tongs, distribute the spears in an even layer (the spears will not quite fit into a single layer); cover and cook until the asparagus is bright green and still crisp, about 5 minutes.

Uncover the pan and increase the heat to high; season the asparagus with salt and pepper. Cook until the spears are tender and well browned along one side, about 5 to 7 minutes, using tongs occasionally to move the spears from the center of the pan to the edge of the pan to ensure all the spears are browned. Transfer the asparagus to a serving dish, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and toasted garlic slices, adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, and, if desired, squeeze the lemon over the spears. Serve immediately.

I think they turned out great. I added some mashed potatoes to the meal, which I have made many times before and posted the recipe on here, and Michelle loves stuffing and I didn’t have time to make my own, so bless the fine people at Stove Top for their contribution to the meal.

Tomorrow I am really making the roast beef (I am committed now since it is in the salt), so I will be posting that recipe tomorrow. Until then, enjoy your evening (hopefully it’s not as warm where you are) and enjoy your meal!