Turkey stufing

Despite my advanced years this Xmas will be my first go at cooking a turkey - is it best to do them in a roasting oven bag or a covered dish or just uncovered - also some yummy ideas for a festive stuffing would be great .Ta in advance

dalek1, we enjoy turkey for Christmas too but as so many of our Christmases have been away from home I don't have vast turkey-cooking experience but 2 years ago we very successfully cooked whole turkeys in our covered barbecue and I/we basically followed this recipe, including the stuffing.....

WHOLE TURKEY WITH CRAISIN STUFFING
Annabelle White – as shown on “5 O’Clock with Jude Dobson”, TV 1, 13-12-01
"There is nothing quite like the distinctive aroma of a roasting turkey on Christmas day - either use the oven or the covered barbecue.You need all the trimmings and don't forget the Ocean Spray Whole Cranberry Sauce.Remember with left-over turkey - make a salad and toss the cold meat and salad greens with your favourite vinaigrette (just add a generous spoonful of Ocean Spray Whole Cranberry Sauce)" - Annabelle.

1 x 4 Kg turkey, giblets removed and if frozen, completely thawed out
1 onion, sliced
50g butter
2-3 rashers middle bacon, chopped
2 cups fresh white bread crumbs
1 apple, chopped
1 x 170g packet craisins
½ cup fresh chopped herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley
saltandfreshly ground pepper to taste
250g bacon strips

Place the onion, butter and bacon in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes.Add remaining ingredients, except the bacon strips.Allow to cool slightly before stuffing into the turkey.
It's important that the bird and the stuffing are the same temperature when stuffing the turkey.
Place the stuffing into the cavity firmly and then place bacon strips over the top of the bird.
Roast according to the directions on the packet and if the top of the turkey or the legs and wings are browning too quickly, cover with tin foil.The legs will come away easily from the body of the bird when it is cooked properly - also ensure juices run clear when the flesh is pierced.
Extra stuffing can be placed into an oven-proof dish and covered with foil and baked in the oven for 20-30 minutes before serving.Serve the turkey with roasted vegetables and lashings of Whole Cranberry Sauce.

Hope that helps.:-))

i always do mine uncovered, and i have several american stuffings, but this is the one i use most often with most compliments

Sausage, Apple, and Dried Cranberry Stuffing
3 3/4 cups white bread cubes
1 pound bulk sausage meat
1 cup diced onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 medium Golden Delicious apple − peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 cooked chicken liver, diced
3/4 cup turkey stock (can use chicken stock)
4 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake the whole−wheat and white bread cubes until evenly golden brown. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl and let them cool.
In a large frypan, cook the sausage meat and chopped onions over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until fully cooked. Add the chopped celery, sage, rosemary and thyme; cook for 2 minutes while stirring.

oh and i have tons of recipies for turkey if you need gravy, stuffing or different ways to cook the bird