Loosen Yer Belt Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing Recipes

DAD'S WONDERFUL SAUSAGE TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• In large pan (dutch oven) brown sausage, scrambling while browning until sausage is in small pieces.
• Do not drain!
• Add onion, celery, butter, poultry seasoning, chicken livers, giblets, turkey neck bone, and water.
• Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 90 minutes.
• Remove livers, giblets, and neck bone.
• Discard neck bone, chop livers and giblets into small pieces and return to stock.
• Put Croutettes into large bowl.
• Add stock with meat and vegetables until all croutons are well moistened.
• You will use most if not all of the stock, as you want the croutettes to be very moist.
• Stuff turkey, and put remainder of stuffing into 2 quart casserole dish.
• Bake as directed for turkey, casserole will need 40 minutes at 350 F degrees.

LOOSEN-YER-BELT THANKSGIVING TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• In a BIG bowl, add both bags of stuffing mix.
• Chop the onions, celery, water chestnuts (coarse chop), pecans, cranberries & parsley and combine with the stuffing mixes in the BIG bowl.
• Toss with your hands to mix well.
• Add sage, rosemary, thyme, pepper & toss again.
• Break eggs into a smaller bowl. Whisk to mix until uniformly yellow.
• Add 2 cups of chicken broth to eggs & mix.
• Melt 2 ounces of butter & mix into eggs & broth (do not melt butter too hot or it'll cook eggs).
• Pour eggs & butter broth into BIG bowl of stuffing mix & gently mix with your hands (No Smushing, just lightly, lightly fluffing).
• Add enough additional broth to get an evenly moistened (not drippy or gloppy) mix.
• If using as stuffing, use this mix to loosely stuff your bird (don't forget to stuff the front where the neck used to be - makes for a nice presentation as he/she cooks).
• Place remainder in lasagne pan (goal - no more than 2 inches thick in pan).
• Melt remaining 2 ounces of butter & mix with an additional cup of broth. Drizzle over pan of stuffing. Cover pan with tight-fitting aluminum foil & bake @ 325 degrees for 25 nminutes covered & 15 minutes uncovered for a nice crust - adding more broth along the way to prevent drying out (but do not want mush either).

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.

THANKSGIVING STUFFING (CHEAT! USING STOVE TOP)

Steps:

• Saute onions and celery in butter.
• Sprinkle with poultry seasoning.
• Set aside to cool slightly.
• Toss this mixture into your favorite dry stuffing mix.
• Heat broth and set aside.
• Read directions on your favorite stuffing mix box.
• Add enough hot water to the broth to make up the required liquid needed.
• (Omit butter the recipe calls for as it was already used to saute vegetables.)
• Pour over stuffing/vegetables mixture and mix well.
• Stuff your chicken or turkey. For a side dish place stuffing in a baking dish; cover and bake for 15 to 25 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

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.