9 STUFFING IDEAS
Communally provided holiday dinners are increasingly popular. With today’s lifestyle, it’s simply not feasible to expect one person, economically or physically, to create the whole feast alone. On the bright side, it allows a wider menu and our growing interest in and knowledge of different cuisines make options to traditional favorites welcome, especially with stuffings. A few years ago, I tried three stuffings on Thanksgiving, and went home with the recipe for one I’ve serves frequently since.
Thanksgiving, ‘Turkey Day’, the most casual of the major holidays, is the perfect time to try something new. Since the entrée is practically a national obligation, people welcome different ways to present it and a variety of accompaniments to enjoy with it. More choices make the feast more fun and give it a fresh appeal.
If you add different side dishes (Nov.5, 2020, Nov.14, 2019, Nov.1, 2018, Nov.15, 2018, Oct. 31, 2024, Nov.7, 2024) , salads (Dec.28,2017), try a new salsa( Dec.19.2019) and possibly another dessert (Nov.2, 2017, Nov.8.2018, Nov. 29,2018, Nov.7, 2019, Oct. 29, 2020, Sept. 26, 2024, Oct.24, 2024), you can make this year a special memory. You may even discover recipes you want to incorporate into your traditional holiday menu in the years to come.
Below are 12 recipes and the general rules for making stuffing. So, take a look. There’s such variety, from the most basic to some interesting ones with unusual ingredients, including fruit, you’ll be glad you did.
RECIPES
Basic Bread Stuffing with Options: Stuffs (1) 10 lb. turkey or (2) 4-6 lb. chickens
1/3-1/2 cup butter
Giblets*
½ cup chopped onion
10 cups bread cubes-white, wheat or cornbread-1 day old or, if older, toasted
3 eggs
½ cup chopped parsley
2 ½ cups chopped celery
1 tsp. salt
1 ¼ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. nutmeg
Sufficient milk or broth to lightly moisten the stuffing
3 cups chopped nuts-walnuts or pecans*
Sauté the giblets and onions in the butter until slightly brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and gently toss to incorporate. Stuff birds or follow directions in General Rules below
*OPTIONS: In place of giblet and nut meats, sauté the following substitutes with the onion:
1) 12 small pork sausages, skinned and sliced
2) 2 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
3) 1 ½-2 pints raw oysters, chopped or whole. Use oyster liquor for half the moistening liquid.
Apple-Walnut Stuffing: Serves 12
8 oz. chopped mushrooms
1 lg. onion –chopped
2 ribs celery – sliced
1 lb. sausage –hot, sweet, pork or turkey
1/3 cup butter
2 lg. cooking apples, peeled and diced
4 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix-add sage or thyme and onion powder if not included
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 ½ cups chicken or turkey broth
1 egg- well beaten
Cook sausage until no longer pink in a large skillet, drain and set aside in a large bowl. Melt the butter in the skillet and sauté the vegetables 4 min. add the apples and cook 2 min. stirring constantly. Add to bowl with sausage. Add the stuffing mix and nuts to the bowl; toss then add the broth and egg; toss again. Spoon into a greased 2 quart casserole or dish, cover and bake in a preheated 325 deg. oven
20 min. Uncover and bake 25-30min.until internal temperature is 165 deg.
To make ahead: Chill to store, bring to room temperature and microwave, covered, on high 3-4 min. until heated through.
Shiitake and Sourdough Stuffing: Serves 8
3 cups sliced shiitake caps
1 celery stalk- sliced
1 cup chopped onion
¼ cup butter
6 cups sourdough bread in ½ inch cubes
2 Tbs. chopped Italian parsley
½ tsp. thyme
¼ tsp. dried sage
1/3 cup turkey, beef or chicken broth
Salt and pepper
In a large pot sauté vegetables in melted butter for 10 min. or until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the other ingredients. Bake in a greased 3-quart casserole in preheated 325 deg. oven for 30 min. until bread is toasted and golden on top.
To prepare ahead: Store chilled, bring to room temperature and microwave, uncovered 4 min or until heated through.
Brown and Wild Rice Dressing: Serves 6
1 pkg. brown and wild rice mix
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
4 oz. sausage, sweet, hot, pork or turkey
1cup diced onion
1 small carrot sliced thin—about ½-3/4 cup
½ cup dried cranberries or cherries
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 Tbs. fresh or 1 Tbs. dried basil
1 Tbs. oil – if needed
Cook rice according to directions and set aside. Sauté sausage and vegetables in oil, if needed, until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain and stir in the other ingredients and stir rice into the sausage mix. Place in a casserole dish and serve or chill and bring to room temperature before reheating in a microwave to serve.
Vegetarian Version: Serves 6
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups cooked wild rice
6 scallions chopped
½ cup toasted chopped walnuts or slivered almonds
2 Tbs. orange zest
Juice of one orange
1/3 cup plumped raisons, dried currants or cranberries
¼ cup EACH chopped fresh parsley and basil
Salt and pepper
Combine everything in a large bowl, toss well and chill to meld flavors. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Crisp Squash Dressing: Serves 4
2 lb. squash- butternut is best-peeled, seeded and cut in 1inch cubes
4 Tbs. butter – divided
1cup diced onion
2 cups toasted bread cubes
½ tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. crushed dried rosemary
1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts
Boil squash in water 7-8 min. until crisp tender. Drain well and toss with half the salt and pepper and 1 Tbs. butter. Put in a 3 quart baking dish and set aside. Sauté the onion in remaining butter until soft, add the bread and remaining seasonings and coat well with butter, add the nuts. Spoon over the squash and bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven for about 10 min. until bread is golden. Toss lightly before serving. Prepare the day before, chill, bring to room temperature and bake just before serving.
Chestnut Stuffing
2 Tbs. oil
2 medium onions-chopped
4 celery stalks-chopped
1 carrot-chopped
¼ cup parsley-chopped
1 tsp. dried rosemary
Salt and pepper
3 cups roasted, peeled, chopped chestnuts
6 ½ cups bread cubes
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
2 eggs
Sauté vegetables in oil until soft. Off heat, stir in remaining ingredients and pour into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Bake at 325 deg. until internal temperature reaches 165 deg.
Alternatively, stuff 2 chickens or 1 turkey.
Cranberry Stuffing: Yield 6 cups
2 cups cranberries –ground
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
8 cups fresh bread crumbs+ 2 Tbs.
2 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper
½ cup chopped celery
2 Tbs. sage
2 tsp. thyme
3 Tbs. minced parsley
1 cup water
Cook cranberries in butter, slowly, about 5 min., add sugar and stir well. Add the rest of ingredients with the water and cook about 8 min. until blended. Cool a bit, add 1-2 beaten eggs, pour into an ovenproof casserole and sprinkle 2 Tbs. bread crumbs over the top. Bake with bird until top browns, puffs and the temperature in 165 deg.
Apricot-Pistachio Stuffing: Yield 4 cups
6 Tbs. butter
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
½ cup coarsely chopped pistachios
3-4 Tbs. hot water
1 tsp. dried basil
2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1 egg lightly beaten
¼ cup dry vermouth
Optionally:-topping if cooking in oven
Crushed stuffing mix mixed with
3 Tbs. butter melted
Sauté celery in butter until transparent, add the rest of the ingredients and stuff bird, or place in an ovenproof casserole, garnish with topping and cook to 165 deg.
GENERAL STUFFING RULES:
1) Quantity: Birds up to 10 lb. use ½ cup stuffing per pound
Birds over 10 lb. use 1 cup stuffing per pound
2) Never store stuffing in the bird. Add it just before roasting and remove it when carving.
3) Stuffing should be kept moist. If cooking separately, keep covered. If a crust is desired for presentation, remove cover 10 min. before finished.
5) Stuffing should always be 165 deg. Allow bird to stand 15-20 min. after removing from oven. Stuffing will continue to cook and rise to proper deg.
6) Stuff both neck and body cavities loosely. Stuffing expands. Trussing isn’t needed.
