Turkey Stuffing

Hello friends!  Welcome back and welcome if you are new!  So glad to have you!

The holiday season is quickly approaching and so this brings me back to the mystery recipe box!  A reminder: I have no idea where it came from or who the recipes are from inside!  I spotted a recipe for "Turkey Stuffing".  I live for stuffing, so I had to try it.  It met all of my stuffing dreams.  Every. Single. One.  Stop with the box stuff.  This is just as easy and you know what is in it!  Let's  go!

You will need:

7 cups either dried bread cubes or day old bread cut into small cubes. (you can toast your bread as well)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup minced onions

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

1 cup broth

1 3/4 cup hot water (divided)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place bread in a bowl big enough to stir it in!  In a skillet, melt butter, add celery and onion.  Let cook 3 -4 minutes until softened.  Add into bread along with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.  Mix.  Add in chicken broth and 3/4 cup water and mix again.  Place into a greased casserole dish.  Spread evenly.  Use you judgement and pour over up to 1 cup of hot water.  If you don't think it needs it at all, don't add any.  It should NOT be soupy!!!  Bake for 45 to 60 minutes.  If you don't want it crispy on top, cover with foil first.

Here is a video to guide you!

Easy Turkey Stuffing!

Hope you love it as much as I do, hubby won't touch stuffing with somebody else's 10 foot pole!

ENJOY!

Stuffed Mushrooms

If you all only KNEW the amount of times I have failed at stuffed mushrooms.  Seriously, I have.  In fact I have made at least 3 versions for you all, that turned out so sucky that I wouldn't even feed them to my husband let alone share them with you!  You name it, I have tried stuffing a mushroom with it. 

 

 

My husband told a coworker of my plight.  She said she made hers this way and we should try it.  Well, the heavens opened up and the angels sang.  They were delicious!  I made only a few additions and changes. You do have to like Stove Top stuffing to enjoy this, but, you can use any of the flavors you choose. 

 

Here is what you will need to get started.  I bet you have most of it already on hand!

 

1 box Stove Top Stuffing (whatever flavor you prefer, I used pork)
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 tsp minced or grated garlic
mushroom stems, finely chopped
20-24 button mushrooms
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Use a damp towel and wipe off all mushrooms, and then remove the stems.  KEEP THEM.  Give the stems a fine chop and set aside.  Prepare the stuffing as directed.  Kind of.  Melt the butter that is called for in a medium put.  When it is melted add garlic, onions and mushroom stems.  Saute for 2 minutes and then add in water, and continue as directed.  Turn mushroom caps bottoms up in a baking dish.  When stuffing is slightly cooled, start filling your mushrooms.  Make sure to get the stuffing down in the mushroom and mount it on top as well!  Do this to all mushrooms!  Sprinkle the top lightly with grated Parmesan and bake for 15-20 minutes. 

These make a great appetizer, OR side dish.  Hope you love em'!

Your "remember mushroom head haircuts?" Chefwannabe

Cornbread Stuffing

This is a complete experimental recipe gone RIGHT. 

 

It started like this.  My sister made a TON of cornbread muffins for a dinner she helped serve.  She had anticipated serving 100 apparently, and only served 25.  Oh my gosh the amount of muffins she had leftover, was hilarious.  Anyway she called me and asked if I could do anything with them.  I thought to myself, "self, you have never even attempted cornbread stuffing, this is the perfect opportunity".  I said, YES, and so this muffin makeover began!

 

 

When I tell you it was an experiment, it really was.  I wanted to go with my instinct and see how close I could hit it on the head.  When I say "it" I mean, MY perception of what cornbread stuffing should be.  I used only half of the muffins, so I could tweak a new batch if needed.  Let's just say, those muffins got used on a second batch alright, just like the first!

 

The ONLY thing I would do different, is make sure I had plenty of turkey gravy for the top!!!

 

The mixture, prebaked, is going to be very soupy, that is OK, that is perfect!  Just go with it and be rewarded with a bowl of  warm, flavorful stuffing!  I think this will get added to my Thanksgiving table!

4 cups crumbled cornbread
3 cups chicken stock
2 eggs
1/2 to 1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 carrot, grated
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl combine ALL ingredients well.  The mixture will be fairly soupy.  Pour into a greased 9x9 baking dish and bake for 50-60 minutes until firm to the touch.  If you oven temp is off, or you use a little different sized baking dish, this time will vary.  When your cornbread is firm, it is done.  If you use a 9x13, I would suggest about 40-45 minutes of baking.  This is just dressing, you will know when it is ready.  The smell is INCREDIBLE, almost as good as the end result!

Hope you enjoy, this Thanksgiving or anytime!

Your "stuffing addict" Chefwannabe

Stuffin' Muffins

Can you believe its November?  My mom was right, the older I get the faster time goes.  It seems like the air was on and it was hot out last I remember.  Now, we had snow yesterday and its sunny today.  

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and even if it is just my husband and I, you can bet, there will be a feast for 10 on my table.  Hopefully it won't be long before our son will be able to join us for some holidays again and maybe more family and friends.  Good for the soul to be with ones you love on the holidays.  Sort of fills up your "soul tank".  

I admittedly am not a huge fan of dressing.  I am a stuffing girl from way back.  I am particularly a boxed stuffing fan.  I know, I know!  Some struggle with dressing or stuffing, do I stuff the bird or not?  I will run down some basic rules if you plan on stuffing your bird, just in case you have forgotten or never really knew and have just luckily not given anyone at your feast any sort of food poisoning.  

First, make sure your stuffing has been chilled.  When you put hot stuffing in a cold turkey, the results can be...umm.....pretty "crappy".  Stuff your turkey loosely, do not pack the stuffing in so tight it can not achieve the temperature it needs, to be safe. The temperature of your stuffing should be 165 degrees.  Inside the thigh of your turkey your temp should read 180 degrees.  If your stuffing at that time does not read at least 165, it will need further cooking.   As always wash your hands obviously before handling food and especially after handing any raw poultry.  My mom always took the whole turkey off the bone before we ate so we never had that Cleaver kind of turkey carving ritual at the table, thus never having a stuffed bird.  

Now, in my older, young age, I have become semi- obsessed with individual portioned food.  Maybe it is my freaky way of trying to control my own portion size, maybe its because my germaphobe husband is wearing off on me, maybe it is just FUN.  For the last 10 years or so I have been making "Stuffin' Muffins"  Does everyone fight for the crusty, crispy edges of the stuffing at your house?  And don't you like knowing you technically have the right amount of portions without guessing?  I mean of course leftovers are a must at Thanksgiving but I guess I just like knowing for a fact I have plenty and if I make individual servings I know for sure!  Anyway, everyone gets their own crispy tops and edges and they are fun!  In my recipe I use a box of stuffing mix, yes I do, I admit it, I own and I LOVE it!  So let's get going!

Here is what you will need for 6 stuffin' muffins:  (double or triple as needed)

1 box of stuffing mix
1/4 cup celery minced fine
1/4 cup carrots chopped fine or grated
1/4 cup onion minced VERY fine
2 tbsp butter  (on top of box direction amount)
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1 egg
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in saute pan, add in celery, carrots and onion, and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender.  Add poultry seasoning and pepper.  Now prepare stuffing according to box directions in the same pan.  Combine everything thoroughly and let sit for 5 min.  Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely in the refrigerator.  When completely chilled, add egg and mix.  Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and fill pan.  

This mixture should make 6 stuffin' muffins.   Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Run knife around the edges and carefully use a fork to slide down and under entire muffin to lift out.  

You will love these!  You can add anything you like, browned ground sausage, bacon, or any other veggies you like.  I am a firm believer that raisins and apples have no place in stuffing.  Yuck! :)   However if that is how you roll, go ahead, you are only limited by your own imagination!

Hope you make Stuffin' Muffins a part of your Thanksgiving tradition!!!

Your "hand me another stuffin' muffin please" chefwannabe

Chris