Grandma G's Baked Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 (12 lb)  turkey

• 1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted (I use Parkay sticks)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped in 1 inch chunks
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 large carrots, cut in 1 inch chunks
• 1/2 cup butter

Basting

• 1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted (I use Parkay sticks)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. 2

   Remove giblets and neck.

3. 3

   For those of you who have never cooked a turkey before, check inside the body cavity, and inside the neck chest cavity.

4. 4

   Rinse turkey and pat dry.

5. 5

   Mix melted butter and salad dressing.

6. 6

   Draw up mixture into injector and inject bird in several locations in the brest, thighs and leg.

7. 7

   Place in roaster pan and add all vegetables inside the body cavity.

8. 8

   Cut 4, 1/2 inch slices from the butter and insert under the breast skin, and push up as far as it will go.

9. 9

   Place the remaining stick of butter in the cavity.

10. 10

    Cover with heavy foil, making sure the foil does not touch the turkey.

11. 11

    Bake for 2 hours 30 minutes in 450 degree oven.

12. 12

    If meat thermometer reads 185 degrees, it's time to uncover and baste using all of basting liquid.

13. 13

    If it has not reached 180 degrees return to oven for additional 30 minutes.

14. 14

    Check therometer.

15. 15

    Bake another 45 minutes, until golden brown.

16. 16

    Remove from oven and cover with foil again and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.