Stuff Yourself

It's stunning that Thanksgiving is only a couple weeks away, but it's true, and I would like to share with you the stuffing recipes that are the mainstays of Thanksgiving dinners on my side of the family. The rice stuffing recipe comes from my paternal grandmother, the bread stuffing from my maternal grandmother, and the cornbread/wild rice stuffing from my dad. While these may not be what you usually make or have ever had, I hope you consider adding one of these new recipes to your Thanksgiving table this year, in an effort to try something new as well as continue to share the joy these recipes have brought to many in my family over the years. Times may not always have been easy, but gathering at the table at Thanksgiving was always a very important piece of family life for both sides of my family. Enjoy!

Grandma W's Rice Stuffing

Cook one cup of regular rice per package instructions.
Allow to cool and stir in one beaten egg or two egg whites.

Saute chopped onion and celery to taste in 1/8 cup butter or margarine. Add rice along with salt, pepper, and sage to taste. (If you don't like celery in stuffing, substitute celery flakes and/or parsley flakes.)

Stuff in chicken or turkey as you would bread stuffing (but never stuff the bird or add egg the night before). New health information suggests baking the stuffing outside the bird.

If you aren't going to stuff in the bird, cook the rice in chicken broth and bake in a greased, covered dish on top rack at 325 F for an hour or so, stirring half-way. (Or leave out the egg, heat on the stove or microwave, and eat right away!)

Grandma H's Bread Stuffing

Leave thick slices of French or Italian bread out to dry for 12 hours. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes.

Fry or broil some bacon. Break into 1-inch pieces.
Saute chopped onion and celery to taste in 1/8 cup of butter or margarine.
Stir in one beaten egg or two egg whites (or Egg Beaters).
Add mixture to bread cubes along with bacon, salt, pepper, and sage to taste.
If stuffing is too dry, add another beaten egg or a little bit of water or chicken broth. (If you don't like celery in the stuffing, substitute celery flakes and/or parsley flakes.)

Stuff in chicken or turkey (but never stuff the bird or add the egg the night before). New health information suggests baking the stuffing outside the bird.

If you aren't going to stuff the bird , bake in a greased, covered dish on top rack at 325 F for an hour or so, stirring twice. (Or leave out the egg, heat on the stove or microwave, and eat right away!)

Papa W's Favorite Vegetarian Cornbread and Wild Rice Stuffing

Bake one pan of cornbread per package or corn meal instructions.

Cook 1/2 cup of wild rice or mixed rice per package instructions. (Cook in vegetable broth instead of water)

Crumble in cornbread in a large bowl and stir in the cooked rice.

Saute chopped onion in a bit of butter or spread.
Add to rice along with celery and parsley flakes, salt, pepper and sage to taste. (*If you use a prepared/boxed wild rice mix with seasonings, eliminate these ingredients.)

If mixture is too dry, add a bit of vegetable broth.

Bake in a greased, covered dish on top rack at 325 F for a half hour or so, stirring once. (Or heat on the stove or microwave, and eat right away!)

Variation: Cook rice in chicken broth and add some chopped bacon to the mixed stuffing.


I hope some of you try one (or more!) of these awesome recipes, they have brought a lot of joy to our tables over the years!