Spicing Up Boxed Stuffing Recipes

THE BEST STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and breaking up any clumps, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
• Add the wine to the skillet and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet, and then add the mushrooms. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms brown and have cooked down to about half their original volume, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the sausage.
• Melt the remaining 7 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Then add the celery, onions, sage and thyme and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
• Beat the eggs and parsley in another large bowl. Add the bread cubes and toss. Add the reserved sausage and mushrooms and toss together. Pour in the vegetables and broth and toss again until evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover and continue to bake until golden, about 30 minutes more. Garnish with celery leaves if using.

SPICING UP BOXED STUFFING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Do not drain. Add onions and carrots and stir fry until onions are soft, about 3-5 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat. Add stuffing and mix well. Add 1/4 cup water and mix until well combined. If stuffing is dry, add more water until sufficiently moist. We like our stuffing a little dry so that it's not mushy, but it's totally up to you.

STOVETOP STUFFING

Steps:

• Add dry bread cubes to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• Melt 1 stick of butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and salt, and sauté until the onions soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sage, thyme, and broth to the pan. Stir together and wait for the mixture to come to a boil.
• Carefully remove from heat and pour over the bread cubes. Toss with a large spoon until the bread is evenly saturated.
• Let the mixture sit and cool in the bowl for about 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
• Add black pepper, cayenne, parsley, rosemary, and beaten egg to the bowl and mix until evenly combined. Allow mixture to cool completely, tossing occasionally.
• Melt remaining 1/2 stick of butter in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the stuffing mixture, and pat down with a spatula. Cook until a golden brown crust forms, about 5 minutes, before turning the stuffing over, one spatula's worth at a time. Cover and cook about 5 minutes, before uncovering and tossing again. Continue cooking and tossing uncovered, until the desired amount of browning and crusting has occurred.
• Transfer to a casserole dish or serving plate.

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.

TURN STOVE TOP STUFFING MIX INTO PAN DRESSING TO DIE FOR

Steps:

• Open stuffing mix boxes and empty into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Add onion and celery. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and add both soups. Add to stuffing mix and stir completely. Begin adding chicken broth slowly. Wait a few minutes in between pours for the mix to soak it up. When you are done you want very wet to just about soupy in texture. Bake at 350 for about an hour or until set.