Best Loosen Yer Belt Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing Recipes

TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING TURKEY STUFFING / DRESSING

Steps:

• Fry meats (we use a combination of burger and mild Italian sausage).
• While meat is frying, cube the bread and dump in a very large bowl; drizzle butter over bread cubes; toss cubes, then set aside.
• When meats are browned, add onions & celery; cook until tender; then pour over bread cubes, tossing again and again until well-mixed.
• Add water/milk ONLY if you like a wetter dressing--otherwise omit.
• Add seasonings according to your taste, toss again.
• Mixture can now be stuffed into the rinsed-out & salted turkey cavities (then placed immediately into oven to be roasted) -- when turkey is roasted, remove stuffing with a long-handled spoon, into a nice serving dish--it will have absorbed all that wonderful turkey pan juices---oh goodness how delicious!
• OR -- spoon into a greased casserole dish, cover and bake until JUST crispy along the edges -- about 45 minutes.
• Whatever doesn't fit into the turkey, spoon into a small casserole pan and bake along with the turkey---turns out every time.
• VARIATION #1: Sliced, fresh mushrooms when browning the meats.
• VARIATION #2: Sprinkle some cornmeal when tossing the bread with the meat---mmmm!
• VARIATION #3: Water chestnuts coarsely chopped or sliced--adds a nice crunchiness the kids love!
• SUGGESTION: Unless you have a very small family -- DOUBLE THE RECIPE -- you won't be sorry, this is EXCELLENT when reheated the next day, too.
• PICKY EATER OPTION: Saute onions & celery in a separate pan until transparent, then dump in the blender along with the melted butter---pour this over the bread cubes and meat. All the aroma & flavor, just no "yukkies" to pick out for those who "hate" onions or celery.
• LEFTOVERS (if you're lucky!): reheat in the microwave.

CLASSIC EASY TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large frypan fry the bacon until crisp; (do not drain the drippings) remove and crumble; set aside.
• Add 3/4 cup butter (no less than 3/4 cup!) to the bacon drippings and melt.
• Add in chopped celery, onions and garlic; sauté until tender.
• Add HALF of the bread cubes to the butter; stir to coat, and keep stirring with a wooden spoon until the bread cubes are lightly browned and the butter is absorbed.
• Transfer to a large bowl (or finish in the frypan, if you have a large enough frypan to hold all ingredients) and add in remaining bread cubes, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning or sage (if using).
• Add in crumbled bacon and the cranberries or other ingredients that you choose to use; mix to combine.
• Drizzle with the chicken broth (mixing with a wooden spoon) until you have reached the desired moistness, you might have to add in more than 1 cup, but do not add in too much or your bread will become too "soggy".
• Immediately stuff the turkey, and cook.
• **NOTE** the flavor of the stuffing will vary depending on ingredients and type of bread used.

CLASSIC STUFFED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the onions, celery and mushrooms in butter until tender. Add broth and seasonings; mix well. Place bread cubes in a large bowl; add mushroom mixture and toss to coat. Stir in enough warm water to reach desired moistness. , Just before baking, loosely stuff turkey. Place any remaining stuffing in a greased baking dish; cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with melted butter., Bake turkey, uncovered, at 325° for 3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 180° for the turkey and 165° for the stuffing, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.), Bake additional stuffing, covered, for 30-40 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cover turkey with foil and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy.

OLD FASHIONED STUFFING

Steps:

• Allow the toasted bread to sit approximately 24 hours, until hard.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Crush the bread into crumbs with a rolling pin. Place the crumbs in a large bowl.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and celery and slowly cook until soft. Remove from heat and drain.
• Mix the eggs and chicken broth into the bread crumbs. The mixture should be moist, but not mushy. Use water, if necessary, to attain desired consistency. Mix in the onion, celery, rubbed sage, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Press the mixture into the baking dish. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the top is brown and crisp.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• Saute celery, onion& parsley in butter& chicken broth in a frying pan until soft.
• Add seasonings to torn up bread.
• Add celery, onion& parsley mixture to bread.
• Add beaten eggs& milk mixture to bread.
• Mix well.
• Bread should be moist enough to hold together well.
• Adjust with more eggs or milk.
• Put stuffing in turkey and pack fairly tight- do not stuff turkey until you are ready to put in the oven.
• Stuffing can be made the day before& stored in the fridge.

LUCIA'S ITALIAN STYLE TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• Prepare stuffing as indicated, but replace water with wine.
• Saute onions, celery and mushrooms.
• In seperate pan, cook sausage thoroughly and remove grease. You can substitute salami for sausage if you like and also provolone for mozzarella, or both!
• Add ingriedients and mix well.
• Enough for 14lb. bird.

CLASSIC STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 3-quart baking dish. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, sage and thyme; season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
• Whisk the eggs and parsley in a large bowl. Add the bread and the vegetable-broth mixture and stir until combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the turkey drippings (or dot with butter); sprinkle with the paprika.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden, 25 to 30 more minutes.