Stuffing My Face

                                          

                                                                                                 Photo/Rak/Flickr

For me the absolute best part of Thanksgiving dinner is hands down the stuffing. If that is all that is served for dinner I will be just fine....well, I will require just a little bit of gravy to pour over the top. We all have our holiday favorites, for me it just happens to be the stuffing and a close second would be the crispy skin of the turkey.

You can actually be quite creative with stuffing just by changing the types of bread that you use. I was watching Rachel Ray the other night and she made her stuffing using store bought pumpkin muffins and then just changed up the spices a bit.
If you think about it we have also been enjoying stuffing as a dessert for years; "Bread Pudding"! Bread pudding is really just the sweet rather than savory version of stuffing.
All I know is any way you slice it, cube it, season it, moisten it "Ima gonna stuffa my face with it"!

FYI- People often ask what the difference is between stuffing and dressing, they are technically both the same. The term stuffing came about because we use to actually stuff the stuffing into the cavity of the bird to bake (before it became so dangerous) and it was always referred to as dressing when it was being cooked in a separate pan outside of the bird. Just call it whatever it is you are accustomed to calling it you will not be breaking any culinary laws.

Apple Sausage Stuffing

1 lb. mild sausage (roll not links or patties)
1/2 lb. hot sausage roll
2 lg. onions, chopped
9 sm. stalk celery, chopped
1 1/2 pkg. cubes for stuffing
3 eggs, beaten
4 lg. red apples with skin, chopped
Apple cider

Mix everything together. Add enough apple cider to dampen the stuffing. Stuff as usual. This is enough for an 18-20 pound bird.

Old Fashioned Corn Bread Dressing

2 (8 in.) pans cornbread, already made
1 lg. pkgs. Pepperidge Farm bread stuffing
2 to 3 cans Swanson chicken broth
1 tbsp. sage
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 stick of butter, melted
2 eggs
Chopped celery
Chopped onions

Mix cornbread with bread stuffing. Add plenty of chopped celery and onions. Add eggs, butter and all seasonings. Add cans of soup. Add enough chicken broth to make mixture almost runny. Pour into large baking pan that has been greased. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil at first. Take off and brown for last 15 minutes.

Oyster Stuffing

3/4 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
2 tbsp. butter/butter
9 c. dry bread cubes or Pepperidge Farms
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. crushed sage leaves
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. chopped parsley
2 (8 oz.) cans standard oysters, chopped
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. oyster liquid and milk

In large pan, melt butter. Cook and stir onion and celery until tender but not brown. Add bread cubes, seasonings and mix. Stir in chopped oysters. Beat eggs into oyster liquid and milk. Add liquid gradually and toss lightly to evenly coat.

Delicious Dilemma!

Even though its name implies dessert, this dish serves equally well as a side for your Thanksgiving fare. It is actually far less sweet than the traditional sweet potato casserole with marshmallows that we all are so familiar with. To a small degree it is slightly reminiscent texturally of a very moist stuffing due to the cake mix.

You just have to decide; dessert or side dish...I cannot think of a more delicious dilemma!

Sweet Potato Cobbler

1 box Betty Crocker yellow cake mix (any brand will do)

1 stick butter
Cinnamon

Water

1/2 c. sugar, brown sugar tastes best
1 lg. can sweet potatoes or yams or 3 small cans (you want about 27 to 29 ounces all together.
3/4 c. pecans, chopped or whole (opt.)

Place sweet potatoes, cut in large chunks on bottom of 10"x13"x2" pan. (Save juice in can.) Sprinkle most of sugar on top of potatoes. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top, cut stick of butter in chunks and place on top of cake mix. Sprinkle cinnamon to taste on top of cake mix. Sprinkle sugar to sweeten cinnamon. Add finely chopped pecans on top of cake mix.

Fill can potatoes came in with water and left over juice until can is 3/4 full (you want no more than 20 ounces of liquid roughly 2-1/4 cups. Pour over cake mix. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until top is light brown.

My Piece Of The Pie

photo/rwithtweezers/flickr

For some of us getting caught up in tradition overrides our senses, we may not necessarily like something but we do it for the sake of tradition. In my case this holds true for the seemingly mandatory dessert of pumpkin pie for thanksgiving. It's not that I hate pumpkin pie...well I have had a few that deserved to be hated! For the most part when it comes to pumpkin pie I can take it or leave it. I usually end up taking a small slice after our dinner because I get caught up in everyone's excitement and the fact that somehow thanksgiving becomes incomplete without it.

I am also the same gal that when they ask if I would prefer white meat or dark meat my answer is neither. Just give me the crispy turkey skin and a boat load of stuffing and I am quite happy and beyond thankful
I probably should be putting this post in closer to thanksgiving but all the Halloween pumpkins everywhere have been reminding me of the pumpkin pies that are looming in my not too distant future.....as a form of rebellion, I will not be posting a recipe for pumpkin pie!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

1- 2/3 c. flour
1 tbsp. pumpkin spice
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 lg. eggs
1 c. canned plain pumpkin
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Butter 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Mix flour, spice, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Beat sugar, oil, and eggs in large bowl. When well blended, beat in pumpkin and 1/3 cup water. Stir in flour mixture, then chocolate chips. pour batter into prepared pan, bake then cool in pan 15 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack.

Relishing the Thought of Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and it’s time to start deciding on which of the family favorites will be gracing the table this year. I was going through my cupboard and noticed a can of the jellied cranberry sauce which I do like but I thought this year I would much rather have my grandmother’s uncooked version of cranberry relish. It has such a nice bite to it. It’s not too tart and not too sweet; it has a wonderful crunchy texture and does a great job at cutting through some of the richness of the other foods and creating a nice balance. What is also great about this relish is that it can last way beyond the thanksgiving fare and grace many different dishes and still be around for Christmas (well maybe if you make a double batch).

Meema’s Uncooked Cranberry Relish

1 lb. cranberries
1 whole orange
2 cups sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon of salt, this is optional but the salt really does heighten the flavor.

Grind cranberries. Grind all of orange (skin too) except inner white part, just the colored zest in food processor or blender. After grinding place in bowl add sugar, salt and walnuts then stir together well. Place in covered jars or covered plastic containers, refrigerate and allow to sit 2 days before using.