Roasted Turkey Breast with Dijon Balsamic Veggies

This was my first time making a turkey breast, and it’s definitely something I’ll be doing again. I love turkey, but usually wait until Thanksgiving to cook it each year. Why wait though, when you can get turkey breasts year-round? (I mean, you can get whole turkeys year-round too, but for 2 people that ends up being a LOT of turkey. So a breast is a nice compromise.) I wasn’t sure what to expect from the little plasticy package I bought, and when I opened it I was surprised to find that a good portion of the package was a “homemade gravy” packet. Ew. Threw that out (Has anyone cooked those up and eaten them? How are they?).  It just seemed creepy. The turkey meat itself was wrapped in a net which you’re supposed to leave on while it cooks.

All I did with it was rub olive oil over it, then sprinkle with seasonings – garlic salt, thyme, and paprika, but whatever you’re in the mood for would work well.

Mine was a 3 pound breast, so we baked it for about an hour and 45 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

When it was finished cooking, I snipped off the netting that was around it, and sliced it.

The vegetables I served it with were so simple. I basically used the same dijon-balsamic method I used in my recipe for asparagus.

First, I sauteed some onions in olive oil until they started to caramelize. Then I added mushrooms, bamboo, and artichoke hearts. When everything was warm, I threw in a couple tablespoons of balsamic vinegar whisked together with dijon mustard and a few handfuls of fresh spinach. When the spinach was wilted, I took it off the heat.

A little bit of turkey on my fork with some veggies led to a mouth full of happiness. Vaguely reminiscent of Thanksgiving (since that’s the only time I generally make turkey), but the interesting vegetables kept it from falling into the turkey+cranberry sauce+stuffing trap of boringness. This meal was a great way to welcome the slightly cooler (80s instead of 90s-100s) Autumn weather here in Mississippi.