Winner Winner Turkey Dinner

I've been meaning to cook this turkey that was in our freezer a couple months and I finally did today! This beast was a 17 pounder! So the thoughts running through my head where:

-Will it fit in the fridge to thaw out?
-Do I have a pan big enough to cook it in?
-Will I be able to lift it to turn it halfway through cooking?

Well first I had to clean out the bottom drawer of our fridge, and I found a big Tupperware container to put it in. I let it thaw for a couple days.  Then I brined it in apple cider and onions.  Then let it soak in for a day.

My hubby went and got me a giant roasting pan that fit really nice. I filled the cavity with onions, carrots, and celery. I then cooked the sucker for about 5 hours. I didn't turn the turkey cause I was too darn scared to turn a boiling hot 17 lb. piece of hot meat all by myself. But it still turned out really good! Nice brown skin and everything.

I made mashed potatoes and gravy to go with it.

The best part of the meal was my husband kept telling me how great it was. :)