Turkey and stuffing are simply a MUST on the Thanksgiving dinner table each year.
You may however, be ready to try something just a bit different, or, maybe even offer 2 stuffing choices to, perhaps, start a new family stuffing tradition?
If that sounds like something you’d like to try, we’ll give you the traditional base stuffing recipes and all you’ll have to do, is add in the additional ingredients of any one of the delicious choices below (with the exception of the Apple Corn Bread Stuffing which is a separate, fully complete recipe in its own.)
Here is the Base Bread Stuffing Recipe you would make first, before adding your chosen recipe’s add ins.
Base Bread Stuffing
Makes 6 Cups
1 cup White Onion, Diced ½”
1 cup Celery, Diced ½”
1 stick Salted Butter
1 tablespoon Poultry Seasoning (or, use Ground Sage with a pinch of Thyme & Rosemary)
6 cups Dry Bread Cubes, Diced ½ to ¾”
1 1/2 – 2 cups Strong Chicken or Turkey Stock (or Broth)
1 tablespoon Dry Parsley Flakes
To Taste Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Sauté onions and celery in butter until softened. Do not brown.
Add the cooked onions and celery to a medium mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients and toss or fold gently until all are combined and the dry bread cubes are moist and softened.
Note: If your stuffing is a bit too dry, add additional stock.
Once your base stuffing is prepared, choose any one of the following recipes below and add it to that recipe.
Delicious Alternative Stuffing Recipes to Enjoy
Start with the Basic Stuffing Recipe above and add one of the following stuffing versions below then bake or stuff your finished stuffing afterwards, as you would normally.
ITALIAN
8 ounces Sweet Italian Sausage, Casing removed
4 ounces Ground Beef
4 ounces Ground Pork
1 tablespoon Garlic Clove, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon Fresh Rosemary, minced
1/4 teaspoon Fennel Seed
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
Method: Sauté Italian sausage, ground beef and ground pork in olive oil over medium heat until well done and crumbled. Add garlic and spices and continue to cook one minute. Cool mixture and toss into bread stuffing.
OYSTER
1 cup Raw Oysters with natural juices
4 ounces Bacon, raw, cut in 1/4 to 1/2 inch
1/2 cup Fennel, fresh, cut in fine julienne strips
1 tablespoon Garlic Clove, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
Method: Sauté bacon until crisp. Add fresh fennel and garlic to bacon and continue to sauté one minute longer. Add oysters with juices to bacon mixture and cook one to two minutes longer or until oysters curl up on the edges and are just cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in parsley. Cook. Chop up oyster mixture and toss into bread stuffing.
APPLE, & APRICOT with WALNUTS
1 ea. Apple, Granny Smith, diced 1/2 inch
1 cup Apricot, Dried, sliced 1/4”
1/2 cup Walnut Meats, chopped
1/4 cup Green Onions, sliced in 1/4’ bias cuts
1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Dark Raisins
2 tablespoons Butter
Method: Sauté walnuts in hot butter one to two minutes. Add apple pieces and continue to sauté until lightly browned. Remove from heat and add dried apricot, raisins, green onions and sugar. Toss and allow to cool. Add to bread stuffing and toss in.
WOODLANDS
4 ounces Bacon, raw, cut in 1/4” to 1/2” pieces
4 ounces Ham, cut in julienne strips
4 ounces Pork Breakfast Sausage (bulk) uncased
2 cups White Mushrooms, sliced 1/4’ thick
1 tablespoon Garlic Clove, sliced thin
1/4 cup Green Onion, sliced in 1/4” bias cuts
1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomato, cut in 1/4” slices
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
1/4 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
Method: Sauté bacon until crisp. Add pine nuts and sauté two minutes to brown. Add pork sausage and sauté one minute. Add ham & mushrooms. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add remaining ingredients. Sauté one minute. Remove from heat and cool. Toss mixture into stuffing.
Apple Corn Bread Stuffing with Bacon & Sausage
NOTE: This recipe below uses the Dry, Corn Bread Stuffing Mix instead of the Basic Stuffing mix like the other recipes above.
Yield Approximately 3 Quarts or Enough for a Large Turkey
4 ounces Maple Bacon, Raw, Cut in ½ inch Pieces
1 pound Italian or Breakfast Sausage, Uncooked
3 ea. Apples, Granny Smith, Peeled, Cored cut in ½ inch pieces
1 cup Red Onion, cut in ½ inch pieces
¼ cup Green Onions, cut in ¼ inch bias pieces
¾ cup Celery, cut in ¼ inch dice
1 cup Sweet Corn Kernels, (Fresh if Possible)
1 teaspoons Garlic, Fresh, Minced
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 teaspoons Thyme, Dry, Crushed
4 cups Dry, Corn Bread Stuffing Mix
2 cups Water
1 teaspoon Salt
Method:
In a large pot, sauté bacon until nearly crisp, then add sausage and continue to cook while chopping it to small pieces.
When the sausage is cooked through add the apples to bacon and sausage mixture and sauté one to two minutes longer.
Add red onions, green onions, celery, garlic, corn, brown sugar and thyme. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes longer on medium heat.
Add to the pan the corn stuffing mix, water and salt. Cook over medium-to-medium low heat until water is absorbed and stuffing is hot.
Remove from heat and cool.
