Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast With Wild Rice Cranberry Stuffing

Because we know cranberry sauce is a staple around the Thanksgiving dinner table, here's an easy recipe for a homemade Cran-Orange Sauce. Prepare this recipe before starting turkey or the night before. It will need at least 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Instructions:

1) Rinse cranberries under cool water and remove any damaged berries.

2) In a 3 Quart saucepan, bring water, sugar and orange juice to boiling over a medium heat; stirring occasionally. Boil for 5 minutes more; stirring occasionally.

3) Pour in cranberries and continue to heat to boiling. Boil for an additional 5 minutes on a medium heat until cranberries begin to burst.

4) Once it appears that the cranberries have all opened or burst (they will appear shriveled or wrinkled), gently pour mixture into a bowl or container. Be sure not to use any heat sensitive containers. Place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Sprinkle with orange zest before serving.

Note: If sauce is too thin, drain out some of the excess liquid until the consistency is to your liking. Do this before adding the orange zest.

To Prepare Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast:

1) Remove turkey breast from packaging, rinse and remove the skin. On a cutting board, cut the breast in half horizontally. Then carefully cut a slit down the middle of each half, being sure not to cut all the way through. Cut out a pocket in each portion of the turkey for placing the stuffing. Use cut-out portion for other use or discard.

2) Gently rub the outside of each half of turkey breast with 2 Tbsp of Pro Roaster Poultry Seasoning. Place on a plate and cover with foil. Refrigerator the turkey breast while cooking the wild rice stuffing.

3) In a braisier or large saute pan, melt butter at a medium-high heat. Add the sliced celery and saute for 1 minute. Pour in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the wild rice blend. Allow the rice to cook for at least 10 minutes to absorb some of the water.

4) Slowly stir in the contents of the Chicken w/ Wild Rice Soup Mix and dried minced onion. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the mixture thickens. Add 1 cup of water and stir continuously until mixture becomes thin and runny. Once again, cook mixture until thickened and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat these steps by adding 1 cup of water at a time until rice is tender and cooked through. Remove from heat, stir in the 1/2 cup of cranberry halves and allow mixture to thicken while you set up the turkey breast.

5) Prep a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Preferably, you'll want a baking sheet with deep sides or use the aluminum foil to create a "wall" around the outer edge of the baking sheet to prevent splattering.

6) Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove turkey breast from refrigerator. Carefully open each half (trying not to tear all the way through the slit) and stuff each piece with about 2 cups of the wild rice stuffing.  You can reserve any leftover stuffing as a delicious rice side dish. Gently, fold the turkey breast over the stuffing and set aside momentarily.

7) Lay 4 to 5 strips of bacon side-by-side (do not overlap) in each half of the baking sheet. Carefully place the turkey breast in the center of the bacon strips and wrap each strip around the outside of the breast. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Place in the oven. 

8) Cook turkey breasts for about 45 minutes or until internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 F and the bacon is a crisp golden brown. If the bacon is not browned to your liking, place oven on broil and gradually rotate the turkey breasts (about every 2 minutes) using a large tongs until you achieve a desired crispness. Watch carefully or bacon will burn!

9) Once you have removed from the turkey from the oven, let stand about 10 minutes. Slice each half into 1-inch slices, plate and serve with Cran-Orange Sauce!

Enjoy!