Worth that is a cool story about the 3 oak trees.
Your turkey turned out just lovely! What is insta cure#1, and what is it's purpose in the brine? I brined a turkey a few years ago in a water, salt and brown sugar solution. I did not notice a difference in the flavor or moistness compared to the traditional way of cooking it all these years.
This year I had a twenty pound turkey to cook, and after drying the skin off I just rubbed it all over with homemade mayonnaise, lightly salted the outside and inside the cavity, put in a few sprigs of thyme and a few sage leaves, tied the legs together with twine, put the turkey on the raised roasting pan breast side up, I poured a bit of water into the bottom of the roasting pan, and cooked it on low heat in the oven until the temperature reached 180 degrees in the thigh. It took almost seven hours on slow roast. The turkey skin was nice and brown, and had the best moist meat ever. I did not baste the turkey at all during the cooking time. I did have to add another cup of water too the bottom of the roasting pan. It was incredibly moist!
Your soup looks really good, and your homemade pasta gives it that extra special touch!
I have been wanting a pasta machine for years, but don't know if I will get one. I just keep rolling the dough out and cutting it by hand. Nothing wrong with that, but I love the different widths and pasta shapes and varieties you can make with the right tools.. I think a machine might make it easier on my arthritic hands.. LOl
Ginny