Grandma's Favorite Stuffing

It’s that time again when we start to think of turkey and all the trimmings. Although my Grandma was very thrifty with her “waste not, want not” mentality, even she would splurge a little for the holidays.

The stuffing for her Thanksgiving turkey contained apples, chestnuts and whatever might have been plentiful at the time. Sometimes fresh mushrooms, some raisins or currents may have been added to sweeten the mixture. And of course homemade bread or corn bread that was dried was the base and occasionally even oysters or sausage would be added to flavor and add moisture to the turkey. The stuffing recipe that follows is the one that was my family’s favorite.

For a large turkey about 18-20 lbs:

• 4 loaves stuffing bread, torn into small pieces

• 8–9 stalks celery, finely chopped

• 3–4 medium onions, finely chopped

• 2 lbs. sliced mushrooms

• 2 sticks margarine

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

• 1 teaspoon sage

• 1 teaspoon rosemary

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• Black pepper, to taste

• Dash of salt

At the same time in a small sauce pan, in about 3 cups of water, simmer the neck and giblets wrapped in cheesecloth for about 25 minutes to make a stock.
Now add your saute and stock to bread mixture and 3 eggs (yolks may be omitted if you are watching your fat intake).
The giblets may be finely chopped and added, if you like, to the mixture. Discard the neck, but don’t tell Grandma.
Let cool slightly and mix with your hands until stuffing will form a ball. Lightly stuff the turkey as usual and follow directions on the turkey package for the roasting of it.

Thanks, Rick, for a new stuffing idea—and we promise not to tell Grandma about the neck that disappeared! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!