Recipe(tried): My Favorite Stuffing.... New England Pride Turkey Stuffing

Hi Sarah,

Yes, Thanksgiving is around the corner. I also havea been planning my menu as we are entertaining 12 friends and family members this year. It is the premier holiday at our home.This is the stuffing that everyone invited swoons over and call to make sure, "you're not changing anything this year, are you?" It is, by far, the best stuffing I have ever tasted. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. It is a herb stuffing but it is studded with nuts, dried cranberries, and other good stuff. This is enough for an 18-22 pounder. Its soul and what gives it depth is the sauteeing of the onions and celery. I stuff my turkey simply because there is nothing better than stuffing that is redolent of all the succulent juices it has absorbed during roasting. This recipe leaves enough to be put in a casserole and cooked but the one in the turkey is so much more moister and tastier.

New England Pride Turkey Stuffing

This is a typical New England stuffing using the last of the harvest's best before the cold, hard winter would set in. It is reminiscent of times past, delicious and memorable. It will become your favorite.

1 lb. Tennessee Pride or Jimmy Dean Pork mild sausage
2 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery, incl. leaves
1 bag 14 oz. Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing plus a small bag of stuffing
2 c. chicken broth (Swanson's canned)
2 sticks butter
1 c. golden raisins
3 red apple, washed, cored and chopped
1/2 c. chopped almonds or pecans or walnuts
1t. cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
2 packets GWashington's Seasonings
Cook sausage in skillet till browned. Drain and set aside. Heat the broth and melt a stick of butter in it. Set aside. Saute onions and celery in butter till onions begin to golden.

In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry stuffing, the onions and celery, sausage, chopped apple, raisins and nuts and begin blending, with your hands, add 1 c. of broth at a time till you get to the mushy stuffing stage.

Taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff the turkey both ends and truss. In the tummy area, cut an apple in thirds widthwise, and put this slice over the opening so stuffing does not leak out. You should have enough left over to put in a casserole with foil over and bake the last 45 minutes of the turkey.