stuffing/dressing recipes--what do you like in yours?

[Jane in NC]

We are having roast chicken tonight, accompanied by Arrowhead Mills Classic Herb Cornbread Stuffing which I am preparing with stock, butter, onion and apple. This has me wondering about something. Do some of you make your stuffing/dressing from scratch (as I remember my Mom doing)?

 

Two separate questions, really. If you make stuffing/dressing from scratch, please tell this inquiring mind what you do. Secondly, what do you like in your dressing/stuffing? For Thanksgiving, my family likes mushrooms, celery and onion in an herbed stuffing. My mother-in-law always put chestnuts in hers but none of her children seem to require that now. While I like our Thanksgiving stuffing/dressing, I am particularly fond of cornbread stuffing with minced apple and onion but I know that this would not go over well in the extended family.

 

So...Let's undress the stuffing. What do you like in yours? What kind of bread do you start with if you make yours from scratch?

 

Jane

[Melinda in VT]

We generally only have dressing on Thanksgiving (and I usually call it stuffing even though we cook it separately).

 

I use good quality white bread, stuffing, celery, onions, apples, and sausage. A mix of herbs, including lots of sage.

[elise1mds]

I don't really care what's in it as long as it doesn't contain innards! My dad's family used to host a huge Thanksgiving party every year and one of my aunts (by marriage, now deceased) always insisted that she should make the dressing, but she always - ALWAYS - put the turkey giblets into it. I have no idea why she insisted on making it every year since hardly anyone touched it, but she did.

 

I like mine best pretty much the way you say you do with mushrooms. I don't care for apples in it, either.

[Julie in CA]

Yep, onion, celery, and herbs. Mushrooms are ok. Nuts are ok.

Nothing sweet in my stuffing though, ever.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I'm a don't mess with my stuffing kind of gal. I like it one way - mine:). My family stuffing is onions, celery and apples saute'd in butter, then add chicken stock, bring to a boil and then dried bread cubes (half white, half whole wheat.) I season it with sage, salt and pepper. If I don't make it with our own bread, we will use the Pepperidge Farm half/half bread cubes. Dh has been making stuffin' muffins lately because everyone seems to love the crunchy outside, so this works:). Just plop the stuffing into muffin cups and bake.

[Wendi]

I'm a don't mess with my stuffing kind of gal. I like it one way - mine:). My family stuffing is onions, celery and apples saute'd in butter, then add chicken stock, bring to a boil and then dried bread cubes (half white, half whole wheat.) I season it with sage, salt and pepper. If I don't make it with our own bread, we will use the Pepperidge Farm half/half bread cubes. Dh has been making stuffin' muffins lately because everyone seems to love the crunchy outside, so this works:). Just plop the stuffing into muffin cups and bake.

 

Oh, I've never heard of that! That sounds delicious! I will have to try it.

 

Wendi

[Wendi]

Mmm, stuffing! I grew up eating traditional stuffing made with the Pepperidge Farms bread cubes, sage, etc., celery, and onions.

 

My dh prefers cornbread stuffing, so I usually make that. One year, I made it from scratch with homemade cornbread. It was a Cooking Light recipe, I think.

 

Since then, I've usually used prepared bread cubes with broth, onion, celery. Trader Joe's makes a good one. I've thought about experimenting a bit. Maybe mushrooms? Dh has a "rule" about fruit; he doesn't like it mixed into things - so no apples in the stuffing around here! :001_smile:

 

Now I want stuffing. :tongue_smilie:

 

Wendi

[MamaSheep]

Ooh! I like the idea of stuffin muffins too. I'll have to give that a try.

 

 

We do a very basic homemade stuffing at our house. I sautee chopped up onions and celery in butter with some sage and somtimes a little basil and/or thyme. Then I stir in chunks of bread (I usually use homemade white bread thats a day or two past "fresh") and get them good and coated with the herbed butter. Then I pour broth or water over it until it's stuffing consistency, stirring as I go. Then I put it in a casserole dish or rectangular baking pan and put it in the oven for a while. I couldn't really tell you quantities of anything because I'm kind of an on-the-fly sort of cook for basic things like this. I'm also a the-fewer-ingredients-the-better cook much of the time (because I'm tired and lazy) which is the main reason I don't usually add in mushrooms, apples, sausage, etc., and I'm not sure my family's ever had it with much more than onions and celery...hmmm....maybe I need to expose them to something new one of these days.

[thowell]

I had oyster stuffing one time that was really good! Just the canned oysters cut up small and added.

[LauraGB]

I use good quality white bread, stuffing, celery, onions, apples, and sausage. A mix of herbs, including lots of sage.

 

This is ours, too. I use a combo of breads, though; wheat, rye and white. I also add some crushed red pepper - just a little.

 

I don't eat sausage anymore, so I usually make two. I just leave it out, but add more of all the seasonings; salt, sage, pepper, nutmeg, crushed red pepper and a bit of ginger (classic sausage seasonings). Sometimes I add a few raisins, too.

[babysparkler]

I'm a don't mess with my stuffing kind of gal. I like it one way - mine:). My family stuffing is onions, celery and apples saute'd in butter, then add chicken stock, bring to a boil and then dried bread cubes (half white, half whole wheat.) I season it with sage, salt and pepper. If I don't make it with our own bread, we will use the Pepperidge Farm half/half bread cubes.

 

I could have written this post... that is exactly how I prepare mine (even the half/half dried bread cubes that I dry myself). I'm definitely a "Don't mess with my stuffing" girl too. I make the whole turkey meal for everyone else, but the stuffing is for me :) (though I do share!). I like to add lots of fresh chopped parsley too.

[joannqn]

For just any day stuffing, I'm happy to open a box and have it done in 5 minutes. For Thanksgiving, I love this recipe, which is way too much work for just any old day.

[missmoe]

I like sausage, cranberries, and chopped walnuts in mine.

[thowell]

I like sausage, cranberries, and chopped walnuts in mine.

That sounds good. Have a good recipe?

[DesertDweller]

Stuffing or dressing is one of my favorite foods! Yummy!

 

I've made bread stuffing, which is a recipe that my mom made when we were growing up. I've made sausage & cashew dressing, which is what my mil always makes. And, I've made cornbread dressing, which is very popular in the mid-west.

 

I'm not sure which is my favorite. They are all good. I haven't made the cornbread dressing in awhile, so I guess the other two would be my favorites.

 

Bread stuffing is white bread with onions and celery sauted in butter, egg, and some seasoning.

 

Sausage & cashew dressing is sausage, Pepperidge Farms bread stuffing, cashews, celery, onion, butter, maybe egg (can't remember) milk and seasoning.

 

I love to make any of these!

[ereks mom]

leftover biscuits, crumbled

cornbread, crumbled

lots of turkey or chicken broth

chopped onions

chopped celery

salt & pepper to taste

 

and absolutely NO sage! (Yuck!)

 

Optional ingredients include:

small pieces of chicken or turkey meat

chopped boiled eggs

[runamuk]

I make mine with onions, celery and shredded carrots sauteed in butter (I'll mushrooms if I remember to grab some at the store). I mix in the bread cubes, some crumbled corn bread, sage and some chicken broth (vegetable broth if we're having vegetarian guests).

 

We usually have several of my husband's Marines over for the holiday dinner and this stuffing is generic enough to cover anyone's dietary needs/restrictions.

[i.love.lucy]

For just any day stuffing, I'm happy to open a box and have it done in 5 minutes. For Thanksgiving, I love this recipe, which is way too much work for just any old day.

:iagree:Oh yeah, baby. That's a great one! I wish that any kind of "gourmet" cooking was not so lost on my in-laws or I would have such an awesome time! But I try and they still just want regular ol' cornbread dressing and sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. *sigh*

[Catherine]

spicy sausage, cooked and crumbled, lots of sage, celery, and onions. I cook and then crumble the bread, lay it out on a cookie sheet to dry a bit. I mix it up with the veggies and spices and dampen it a lot with chicken broth.

[MyThreeSons]

I start with a couple of bags of seasoned bread cubes. I pretty much just add celery and onion, sauteed in lots of butter.

 

But I do STUFF my turkey. My sil makes dressing from scratch, which is baked in a separate pan and then cut into blocks. I've come to like it okay, but I REALLY like the flavor of stuffing cooked in the bird.

 

What I can't get past, though, is my sil's gravy that dh's family loves. She puts chunks of hard-boiled egg in it ..... :tongue_smilie:Everything else she cooks is great, but I can't do that gravy.

[MamaT]

leftover biscuits, crumbled

cornbread, crumbled

lots of turkey or chicken broth

chopped onions

chopped celery

salt & pepper to taste

 

and absolutely NO sage! (Yuck!)

 

Optional ingredients include:

small pieces of chicken or turkey meat

chopped boiled eggs

 

Yes, I'm from the South and we make cornbread dressing. I make my dad's cornbread recipe and use that. I make it just as above with small chopped pieces of turkey meat.

[Mom22ns]

I use half cornbread and half chopped up dried bread. Then I add chopped onion and mushroom. Pour lots on lots of turkey broth, add chicken broth if there isn't enough turkey. Finally season with salt, pepper AND sage :).

 

Chopped turkey or giblets in the dressing are optional.

 

Oh - now I am sooo hungry!

[CalicoKat]

We are having roast chicken tonight, accompanied by Arrowhead Mills Classic Herb Cornbread Stuffing which I am preparing with stock, butter, onion and apple. This has me wondering about something. Do some of you make your stuffing/dressing from scratch (as I remember my Mom doing)?

 

Two separate questions, really. If you make stuffing/dressing from scratch, please tell this inquiring mind what you do.

 

My Mom's "Recipe"

1. Bake or buy a loaf of french bread, or buy a sage & onion stuffing in a bag. Or any loaves of near stale bread on hand -- this is my 2nd choice.

 

2. Cut into cubes and toast in the oven until crisp. Or skip this step if I've run out of time and proceed to #3

 

3. Add dried sage to the bread cubes. We've gotten into growing our own each year. Which reminds me, I need to go pick mine and dry it. :)

 

4. Pour chicken broth over bread cubes & sage until just moist and let it

sit while I do the rest.

 

5. Saute in butter (1 stick) diced gibblets and 1 diced onion. I like to add a bit more sage here because I love sage.

 

6. Toss #5 with the bread cubes and sage

 

7. Add salt and pepper to taste. DIVINE.

 

8. Stuff into cavities (neck too) of your bird JUST before popping the whole shebang in the oven. If you've got extra that won't fit put it in a small casserole dish and bake.

 

YUM.

 

If you have time to start with your a fresh loaf of bread the result is spectacular! It's a change in texture that's delightful and hard to describe. The others good too. It just depends on how much time and energy I have to expend. It's not a deal breaker if you can't start with a fresh loaf of bread.

 

 

Secondly, what do you like in your dressing/stuffing? Sage, onion, gibblets, salt & pepper

[CalicoKat]

We are having roast chicken tonight, accompanied by Arrowhead Mills Classic Herb Cornbread Stuffing which I am preparing with stock, butter, onion and apple. This has me wondering about something. Do some of you make your stuffing/dressing from scratch (as I remember my Mom doing)?

 

Two separate questions, really. If you make stuffing/dressing from scratch, please tell this inquiring mind what you do.

 

My Mom's "Recipe"

1. Bake or buy a loaf of french bread, or buy a sage & onion stuffing in a bag. Or any loaves of near stale bread on hand -- this is my 2nd choice.

 

2. Cut into cubes and toast in the oven until crisp. Or skip this step if I've run out of time and proceed to #3

 

3. Add dried sage to the bread cubes. We've gotten into growing our own each year. Which reminds me, I need to go pick mine and dry it. :)

 

4. Pour chicken broth over bread cubes & sage until just moist and let it

sit while I do the rest.

 

5. Saute in butter (1 stick) diced gibblets and 1 diced onion. I like to add a bit more sage here because I love sage.

 

6. Toss #5 with the bread cubes and sage

 

7. Add salt and pepper to taste. DIVINE.

 

8. Stuff into cavities (neck too) of your bird JUST before popping the whole shebang in the oven. If you've got extra that won't fit put it in a small casserole dish and bake.

 

YUM.

 

If you have time to start with your a fresh loaf of bread the result is spectacular! It's a change in texture that's delightful and hard to describe. The others good too. It just depends on how much time and energy I have to expend. It's not a deal breaker if you can't start with a fresh loaf of bread.

 

 

Secondly, what do you like in your dressing/stuffing? Sage, onion, gibblets, salt & pepper

I've found that people's stuffing taste buds are all different and dependent upon what their mother made. The stuffing will make or break my Thanksgiving/Holiday mood so I've discovered and when I go to my in-laws I bring my own. I roast my own turkey and make my own stuffing even thought I'm invited to their home for dinner. The smell of a turkey roasting in the a.m. and the leftovers, my fav. stuffing are all necessary ingrediants to a successful holdiay season.

 

I'm passionate about my stuffing. :D

[CalicoKat]

I'm a don't mess with my stuffing kind of gal. I like it one way - mine:). My family stuffing is onions, celery and apples saute'd in butter, then add chicken stock, bring to a boil and then dried bread cubes (half white, half whole wheat.) I season it with sage, salt and pepper. If I don't make it with our own bread, we will use the Pepperidge Farm half/half bread cubes. Dh has been making stuffin' muffins lately because everyone seems to love the crunchy outside, so this works:). Just plop the stuffing into muffin cups and bake.

:lol: Amen!

[lllll]

I had oyster stuffing one time that was really good! Just the canned oysters cut up small and added.

 

My mother (Louisiana born and bred) always put oysters (and other things I can't recall now) in her stuffing. She wasn't much on cooking, but come Thanksgiving, she whipped it up from scratch. I always thought that was the only way to make it until I was well into my 20's. Unfortunately, I never got the recipe. But it was good.

[LBS]

My grandmother, a strong Southern lady, was a stupendous cook, who never measured anything. She put an egg or two into her recipe, and it gave it a moist, solid texture...she would make little patties, and cook them on a cookie sheet (jelly roll pan, actually) for buffet service. Also, rather than use butter to saute the vegetables (LOTS of onion and celery) she would use the turkey pan drippings, saving enough to make gravy....and use the broth from cooking the innards, to finish out the moistening. She taught me to toss it lightly, never pack it into the casserole, too.

 

I love the muffin tin idea....sounds more manageable, and reheatable.

 

SO, any ideas about how to fit three 15/16 pounders into one regular sized oven, at one time, for a Court of Honor Monday night? What was I thinking???

 

YiS,

LBS

[MommyRyan]

Onions, Chestnuts, Sausage.

[Janet in WA]

I grew up with oyster stuffing. Except that we called it "dressing". YUM! This tradition came from my father's (New Orleans) side of the family.

[smrtmama]

We have a cornbread dressing, which is quite simple -- white cornbread, stock, onion, spices (so sage), and a few other bits n' pieces.

[Daisy]

I'm a southern gal, too.

 

Homemade cornbread (not sweet, blech) crumbled

Onions and celery (I like to saute mine, first)

Moistened with stock, butter, and an egg.

 

I DO like sage and marjoram, rosemary, or thyme. Whatever I have fresh on hand gets thrown in there. Yummy!

 

I tried a wild rice stuffing one year and really liked that as well. This recipe is close to what I used.

[Renai]

leftover biscuits, crumbled

cornbread, crumbled

lots of turkey or chicken broth

chopped onions

chopped celery

salt & pepper to taste

 

and absolutely NO sage! (Yuck!)

 

Optional ingredients include:

small pieces of chicken or turkey meat

chopped boiled eggs

 

 

This is almost my grandmother's recipe-- plus sage and only (homemade) cornbread. Sorry, can't do without the sage :tongue_smilie:. And most of the family are Georgia folks (though they moved to Ohio when my mom was still young).

 

When my mom passed me the recipe, it included Lipton's onion soup mix and canned cream of mushroom/chicken/or celery. I don't use either of those. I add plenty of fresh onions and make my own white sauce with sauteed mushrooms. Unfortunately, I just realized the recipe is locked up in my Mac, which will not turn on :001_huh:. Oh well, there were no measurements anyway, it's all by taste. :D

[mrsrevmeg]

I start off with a big cornbread, grated with my salad shooter. My kids and husband don't like to bite down on anything in their dressing so it has celery seeds, onion salt, sage, rosemary, parsley, paprika, thyme, and chicken broth. When he turkey is done, I pour some of the pan drippings in, like my grandmother used to. It is not healthy, I know, but we only have it a few times per year, so we splurge.