This is the one and only stuffing recipe I make. I came across a similar recipe many years ago and have changed it over the years to make this the last and final version as my family loves it and it would not be a holiday without it!
INGREDIENTS
14 ounces( 12 cups) white bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 pound JImmy Dean Maple Sausage
1/4 cup butter
6 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only) (2-3 leeks)
1 pound Granny Smith apples, peeled,cored and chopped
2 cups chopped celery
4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 cup dried cherries
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cups low salt chicken broth
2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide bread cubes between 2 large baking sheets and bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. Sauté sausage in large heavy skillet over medium high heat crumbling as you cook. When it’s almost cooked through at the maple syrup and continue to cook until completely cooked through.
When the sausage is cooked through transfer to a large bowl. Using the same skillet melt the butter over medium high heat. Add leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning. Mix and continue to sauté until leeks are softened about 8-10 minutes. Mix in dried cherries. Add this mixture to the sausage, then mix in the bread. Season stuffing with salt and pepper. (This part can all be done up to one day ahead cover and refrigerate)
Mix in eggs into stuffing. To bake stuffing in turkey, fill the main cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into the remaining stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 cup to one cup) Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake stuffing along side turkey OR do what I do and put the stuffing in the oven while the turkey is resting. This takes about 45 minutes Remove the foil the last 15 minutes of baking.
To bake the stuffing all in one pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. butter a baking dish, mix 1 1/3 cups of broth into stuffing. Cover with foil and bake until heated through about 45 minutes taking the foil off the last 15 minutes of baking.
Enjoy!
I came across this citrus dry brine recipe a couple years ago from Bonappetit and have been very happy with it! My turkey always comes out moist and well seasoned. I have tried other various types of brines and this one is by far my favorite! This can also be made up to three days in advance and with a ll the craziness of the holidays, that is a huge bonus!
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons of black peppercorns
1 Tablespoon of Pink peppercorns
2 teaspoons of white peppercorns
2 teaspoon coriander seeds
6 bay leaves
1/2 cup Kosher salt
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon zest
2 Tablespoons orange zest
DIRECTIONS
Toss all of your peppercorns, coriander seeds and bay leaves in a skillet and heat over medium heat until fragrant. Let cool.
Remove the bay leaves and discard. Place the cooled peppercorns and coriander in a heavy duty Ziploc bag, While using a rolling pin or heavy skillet, crush the mixture. Take out of the bag and mix with the remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. I apply this to my turkey the night before I am going to roast it. Cover completely and refrigerate.
In the morning remove the turkey that you have covered in the dry brine and rinse all of the brine off of your turkey. Pat dry and continue to prepare your turkey to roast.
Enjoy!
I am sure you are all wondering who Great Grandma Cotten is? She is my good friend Leanne’s (who I work with) great grandmother. Leanne and I were talking at work one day and wondering what to make for dinner. I was at loss this particular day and Leanne suggested meatloaf and her great grandmother’s spaghetti and cheese. Needless to say that’s what was for dinner! Everyone was VERY happy at dinner time! My favorite part is that I made both the meatloaf and the spaghetti and cheese ahead of time and when I was ready to make dinner, I put them both in the oven at the same time and 45 minutes later dinner was done,… and so delicious! I used my meatloaf recipe from this site and here is great grandma Cotten’s spaghetti* and cheese.
INGREDIENTS
1 16 ounce package of spaghetti, cooked
1 16 ounce package of sharp cheese, sliced
1 stick of butter, sliced
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
Milk -enough to cover the bottom of the casserole dish
*NOTE – I used elbow pasta because that is what I had on hand. I suggest using the spaghetti as the elbow pasta was a little dry. I have made it using the spaghetti and it really makes a difference.
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta until al dante. Drain pasta. Using a large round casserole dish pour enough milk in the bottom of the dish to just over the surface. Put the drained pasta in the dish and add the slices of butter and cheese throughout the spaghetti. Crush the Ritz crackers and top the spaghetti with all of the cracker crumbs.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Thank you Leanne!
Enjoy,
Have you been to the new Patty B’s Restaurant location on Dover Point Road? If you said no, I highly suggest you get in your car and drive! Drive there NOW! You can thank me later! Jim and I went on a Friday evening and LOVED EVERYTHING about it! The decor, the lighting, the colors, the seating! LOVED IT! I also liked that they had some taller tables by the open kitchen area where you might be able to catch a glimpse of the magic that happens there! We had a wonderful server, Sam, who just happens to be the owner’s daughter! She was so knowledgeable, gave us great suggestions and her service could not have been better. She recommended the Italian Margaritas with sugar on the rim. Well, it was a Friday night after all. I had the Margarita and Jim had a cold beer. Both excellent!
Jim was really in the mood for a steak and cheese so that is what he had and I had the Shrimp Scampi. His steak and cheese was HUGE and filled with savory beef and topped with melted cheese. He ate every single bite!!!
My shrimp scampi was also H
UGE! The shrimp (insert moment of silence here) yes, it was that good. Cooked perfect with just the right amount of spice and a hint of heat! Pasta that too… perfectly cooked! This dish comes with a side of garlic bread . This garlic bread deserves its own post..no joke that too was insanely good, crispy, garlicky and buttery! Excuse me for a moment as I 
wipe the drool! Take some time to stop by Patty B’s. I know you will enjoy it as much as we did! We will be going back very soon. Next time sitting at the tables by the kitchen to watch the magic!
I love manicotti or ANY Italian pasta dish really. I mean who doesn’t… right? Comforting and filling and can also be made ahead! Nothing better… add a side salad and dinner is done! I made these for dinner over the weekend and they were delicious and even better the next day for lunch! I found this recipe in Southern Living Magazine and really liked the ease of this dish. I did have extra filling left over so next time I will make a few more shells! I used sweet italian sausage, but use whatever you like.
INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package of manicotti shells (I recommend a few more than
that as I had left over filling)
1 – 16 ounce package sweet Italian sausage (ground)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 26 ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 8 ounce container of chive and onion cream cheese
6 cups of mozzarella
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 15 ounce container of ricotta cheese
Fresh ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
Follow package directions for the manicotti shells and drain. Cook sausage, onion and garlic in a large pot over medium high heat, stirring often and crumbling the sausage until no longer pink. Stir in pasta sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cream cheese, 4 cups of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese and add a large pinch of ground pepper. Mix until blended. Cut a slit lengthwise in each manicotti shell. Spoon about 1 cup of the sauce mixture on the bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Spoon cheese mixture into each of the manicotti shells, gently pressing the sides together and placing them seam size down in the prepared dish. Spoon remaining sauce over shells and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake covered for 50 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Enjoy,
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