Many years ago, when I was doing a lot of cooking and my waist showed it, (not that it doesn’t now), I entered a cooking contest in San Antonio, Texas. This recipe won first place in the contest, and yes, there were other entries!

I have to say upfront that I never measure except with my eyes so I will do my best to estimate what you will need to do.

**Step 1:** Begin by obtaining a new, clean paper bag from the grocery store. Take a paper towel and coat the inside of the bag with Crisco, ensuring that you cover the bottom thoroughly. Set the well-greased bag aside for later preparation.

Allow your turkey to sit at room temperature for several hours before cooking.

I will cover the dressing in a later post, but before you stuff your turkey, place half a stick of butter and half an onion inside the cavity. After that, proceed to stuff the turkey. To seal the stuffing, use a pear at the opening; this adds sweetness to both the stuffing and the turkey itself.

Next, season the outside of the turkey with a light coating of salt, pepper, dry mustard, and garlic salt. Follow this with a heavier sprinkle of poultry seasoning and a dusting of cinnamon. (I know this sounds unusual, but trust me, this, along with the final ingredient, will make your turkey outstanding!) Finally, add a coating of granulated sugar on top. The heat will cause the sugar to caramelize, creating a beautiful glaze on the turkey.

Add all the ingredients you’ve used on the turkey into the bag and shake it to ensure they coat the greased sides. Gently slide the turkey into the bag and close it, making sure the sealed end of the bag is secured under the turkey.

Cook the turkey at 340°F according to the instructions on the turkey packaging—typically about 20 minutes per pound.

Remove the turkey from the oven 45 minutes before the cooking time is finished. Carefully cut the top of the bag and peel it back to expose the breast area for the remaining cooking time. Be sure not to remove the turkey from the bag so that the wings remain covered.

The turkey will brown beautifully, with a glossy finish from the sugar glaze, and all the juices will be retained thanks to the glaze.

Carve the turkey as you normally would, and enjoy your meal!