Bread Stuffing
Since I love bread stuffing, if I'm cooking a turkey it will be stuffed. This same stuffing can also be used in a chicken, or made on the side (baked in a casserole dish rather than inside a bird).
Short-cut Stuffing (what I do these days):
- I use Mrs. Cubbison's Classic Dressing (seasoned bread stuffing mix), following the "lite recipe" on the box, but I double the celery and omit the onion.
- I don't bother to sauté the celery, but chop it medium-fine.
- Sometimes I add some chopped mushrooms, pecans, or raisins—you can be as creative, or simple as you like.
- Growing up, my grandmother usually added the (precooked and finely chopped) turkey liver, heart, etc., and honestly nothing beats grandma's cooking.
Scratch Stuffing - If you want a more "scratch" approach you can make your own bread cubes by drying out bread. You can also buy plain dried bread cubes from the bakery section of most stores (at least during the holidays). Season plain bread cubes with 2 tsp. of poultry seasoning per pound of bread (which is enough to stuff a medium [15- to 20-lb. turkey).
- 16 oz. of bread slices, layed out to dry for 2- to 3-hours.
- cut dried bread into 1/2-inch cubes, and put in a large bowl
- add 2 tsp. poultry seasoning
- add 1/3 c. melted butter
- add 2-1/4 c. water
- add 3 c. finely diced celery
- mix well
- now either stuff your bird (I make tennis-ball-size balls of dressing and lightly press those into the bird's cavity), or press dressing into a greased casserole dish.
- If baking in a casserole dish, bake covered for 30 minutes at 350-degrees, and then uncovered for 15-minutes (45-minutes total) to crisp the top.
Nutrition information:
Cubbison's LITE Recipe: [makes 10 servings]
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 174 protein: 4.2g total carbohydrate: 26.6g total fat: 6.1g
sugars: 1.3g saturated fat: 3.1g sodium: 490mg dietary fiber: 1.3g
Scratch Recipe: [makes 15 servings]
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 129 protein: 2.9g total carbohydrate: 17.2g total fat: 5.3g
sugars: 1.8g saturated fat: 2.8g sodium: 225mg dietary fiber: 1g