Our Award-winning Best Stuffing Recipe Contest Winner at Emerson Creek Pottery

Congratulations E. Sweet of Dallas Texas: You've Won Our Cranberry Pattern Stuffing Bowl, Gravy Pitcher and Butter Dish With the Following Recipe!

Award-winning Southwestern Sunshine Tortilla Dressing

1 tbsp bacon drippings
1 tbsp yellow cornmeal

For cornbread:
1 cups buttermilk
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cups stone-ground cornmeal

Other dressing ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas, halved and cut into ½ pieces
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, stemmed and minced
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
½ cup cilantro, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp each, salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place bacon drippings in cast iron skillet and, place pan in oven to heat. Once heated, sprinkle 1 tbsp yellow cornmeal evenly along bottom of skillet, return to oven to bake and brown for a few minutes.

2. Mix together buttermilk, baking soda and powder, salt and eggs. Add the cornmeal and stir just until moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan and place in oven to bake for about 18 minutes. Cornbread is done when lightly browned and when it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven leave pan sitting out overnight uncovered.

3. Heat vegetable oil in frying pan and when hot add tortilla strips (in batches) and fry until golden and crisp. Remove strips from pan with slotted spoon and place on paper towels to dry.

4. Heat olive oil in large skillet, add onion, celery, poblano, jalapeno and garlic to the skillet, cook and stir for 6 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin and toast for 1 minute, stir to combine ingredients. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5. Crumble cornbread into large mixing bowl, stir in beaten eggs and chicken broth, add salt and pepper. Add vegetable mixture, tortilla strips and cilantro to pan, toss ingredients.

6. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray, spoon dressing into dish, dot butter on top and cover with foil and place in hot oven to bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes.

We were absolutely blown away by the quality of the stuffing recipes we received. What follows are recipes from all over the United States. Find out how they make stuffing in the South, the Southwest, New England, the Midwest, and in the Pacific states and islands. Some of the recipes are recent creations that kids helped invent - others are as much as five generations old! Our mouths were literally watering reading these contest entries, and we felt like we were learning a lot about the rich, regional variations of our country, as well as the individual creativity and expert culinary skills of our customers. We thank each and every one of you for submitting these treasures to us!

Apple'n Craisin Family Stuffing
From M. Gauer, Spicer, MN.

1/2 cup butter
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cups white dry bread cubes
2 cups whole wheat dry bread cubes
3 cups onion bagel dry cubes
2 tablespoons minced parsley (fresh preferred)
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium/large apples peeled and chopped
2/3 cups craisins
3/4 cup chicken broth (May want to add a little more during baking,
drizzling on top to desired moistness)

In a large skillet, cook butter, onion and celery until tender. In a very large bowl, combine bread cubes, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, apples and craisins. Toss to coat seasonings and mix evenly. Add chicken broth to butter and onion mixture and drizzle evenly over dry stuffing mixture folding mixture together until covered. Place in a 9 x 13 pan covered with foil and bake for approx. 25 minutes or until steaming hot. You can also stuff in your turkey or bird.

This is a family favorite that started out as Grandpa Roesner's favorite recipe. Over the years we have modified the breads to be more healthy and more flavorful and updated the raisins it used to have to craisins. I am assigned to bring this dish to every Thanksgiving Dinner. Even when I'm not at the in-laws...they request it. I make an extra pan for them and drop it off. We are addicted to it! Enjoy

Bek's Cheesy Sage and Sausage Stuffing
From R. Anderson, Austin, TX.

¼ C of fresh chopped Sage
1 lb of sage sausage
1 cornbread mix (such as Jiffy) cooked 8 x 8
½ bag of dried bread crumbs (3-4 cups)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
2 cups of parmesan shredded cheese
1 cup white cheddar shredded
1 tbsp of poultry seasoning
1-2 tbsp of cajun seasoning
3 tsp of garlic salt---salt & pepper to taste
2 quarts of chicken stock
½ sleeve of crackers
2 cups each of chopped onion/ celery/ green pepper
2 sticks of butter & 3 tbsp of olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
3 large eggs

Bring large saucepan to medium high heat. Add sausage and fresh sage. When browned, blot with paper towel and spoon sausage into a separate bowl. Add olive oil and 1 stick of butter. Add minced garlic, green pepper, onion, and celery. Cook until carmelized. Mix sausage back into mixture and turn off heat. Crumble cornbread into a very large bowl and add bread crumbs and crackers. Add soup, and 1 quart of chicken stock. Add all of the seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Add sausage mixture and cheese. Mix thoroughly. Add remaining chicken stock until mixture feels like mashed potatoes. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Add eggs. Pour into a large casserole dish 9x 13 or larger. Slice up remaining butter and place on top of stuffing evenly. You can also separate stuffing to put ½ in the turkey. Bake at 350 for 45-60 min. until golden brown. To cut the richness of the stuffing, you could 1 cup of cranberries and 1 cup of diced apples. Mushrooms are another flavorful add in.

Kiessling's Stuffing Recipe
From E. Kiessling, Haverhill, NH.

6 cups of cubed. herbed stuffing mix
2 tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups finely chopped granny smith apple
1 lb bulk breakfast sausage, cooked, broken apart and drained
1 cup butter
2 cups chicken broth or water

Melt 2 tbsp butter in saute pan. Add onions, celery and apples. Cook over medium heat until all are softened. Approximately 8 minutes. Put into a large bowl on top of bread cubes, Brown sausage and drain. Add to bread, vegetables and apples. Heat chicken broth, or water, and 1 cup of butter to boiling. Add to bowl with the other ingredients. Mix all items together well. Scoop into muffin pans and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through.

My son, Hunter, and I developed this recipe three years ago for a Thanksgiving dinner. Hunter was 10 years old at the time. He wanted to help me cook but he wanted to invent something so this is what we came up with. We put the stuffing into muffin pans to make serving easier. All our friends ask for this stuffing whenever they visit but they really like "stuffin muffins" for breakfast the next morning so we have to double and sometimes triple the recipe. Hunter so enjoys cooking with me that he now feels he would like to go to culinary school.

Wild Mushroom and Blueberry Stuffing
From M. Anderson, ID

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 small Walla Walla sweet onion, diced
1 small purple onion, diced
4 ribs celery, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pounds various mushrooms (morels, criminis, chanterelles are great choices), sliced as needed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
Kosher salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup Pinot Gris, Northwest Varietal
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 egg
1/2 pound day old challah bread (or any nice egg bread), cubed into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes
1 cup chopped dry roasted pine nuts
1 cup dried blueberries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons truffle oil (optional)

Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery; cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and mushrooms. Continue to cook until mushrooms are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the milk, chicken stock and eggs. Stir in the bread cubes and cooled mushroom and onion mixture. Stir until well combined. Stir in the pine nuts, blueberries and parsley. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.

Place stuffing into a well buttered, 2 quart baking dish. Cover and bake stuffing in an oven preheated to 350° for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and drizzle with truffle oil; bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.

Sophie s Amazing Turkey Stuffing
From L. Julow, Gainesville, FL.

Enough for an 18 to 22-pound turkey

Don't be deceived by the simplicity of this recipe. Occasionally I've been foolish enough to try fancier turkey stuffings, but none hit the spot like my mother s simple combination of egg bread and fragrant caramelized vegetables. My memory of this goes back at least to the 30s and I'm sure she was making it long before then. It may well have been her mother's recipe. Generations of Sophie s family continue to make it every year because their families would revolt if they made anything else.

2 (1 pound) loaves egg bread
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup chicken or turkey broth

Dice the bread (crust and all) and spread it out on a tray to dry overnight. Pile into a large bowl.

In the morning, melt butter in a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook without stirring until they begin to brown, then toss but not frequently until a lovely golden brown color and fragrant. Don't hurry this step the flavor is worth waiting for. Cool a few minutes and add to bowl.

In a small bowl, beat egg and chicken broth together and dribble over stuffing, tossing all the while with a fork, until slightly moistened remember, those lovely turkey juices will dribble into the stuffing while they re roasting together. Add as much salt and pepper as you think it needs, again remembering that more flavor will take place inside the bird.

Holiday Dressing with Cranberries and Toasted Pecans
From K. Pelz, Arden, NC.

This recipe has been in my family for at least 50 years and is made by my grandmother. On the occasions that we could not all be together on Thanksgiving, she would make a batch of this dressing and freeze it for us so we could enjoy it at our own Thanksgiving feast. Making dressing can be quite time-consuming for a mom like me with three small children so I make a double batch of this and freeze half to enjoy later. Although I use a cornbread mix to save time, feel free to substitute your own homemade cornbread.

Ingredients:

1 7.5 oz package dry cornbread mix, prepared and crumbled
1 cup butter
2 onions, chopped
6 stalks celery, sliced
1 pound sage pork sausage
14 slices white bread of choice
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup toasted and chopped pecans
4 eggs
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

Directions:

1) Bake cornbread according to package directions. Let cool.
2) Saute onions and celery in butter until soft, over medium heat, about five minutes.
3) Cook sausage in separate skillet until completely done.
4) Combine white bread and cornbread in a food processor and pulse into a crumbly mixture.
5) In a large bowl combine bread mixture, cooked vegetables, and sausage with drippings. Season with spices and parsley. Add cranberries and pecans.
6) Beat the eggs. Combine with stock and add to bread mixture.
7) Transfer dressing mixture into a greased 9x13 pan and bake on 325 degrees for an hour.
8) Remove dressing from oven and allow it to cool and set for about 10 minutes. Dressing can be scooped out with a spoon or cut into squares.

ENJOY!

* Note - Dressing mix can be made ahead and frozen in a large freezer bag. Just defrost and bake according to directions when ready to serve

RAISIN, APRICOT AND ALMOND STUFFING
From R. Pope, Greensboro, NC.

1 Tablespoon butter
2 large onions, sliced
2 oz seedless raisins
1½ oz almonds (blanched and split)
2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
½ cup sliced canned apricots
salt and freshly ground black pepper
grated zest and juice of one lemon

Slice onions and sauté in butter until beginning to turn brown. Add raisins and almonds and continue to cook for a few minutes. Turn into a bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix lightly with a fork. Stuff inside turkey before roasting.

A friend gave me this recipe many years ago in South Africa when I lived there. I used it to stuff the Christmas turkey but now that I have moved to the US, I use it at Thanksgiving. It is also really good the rest of the year used in duck or as a stuffing for thick veal or pork chops.

Tangy and Tasty Tempting Turkey Stuffing
From J. Davis, Knoxville, TN

1 sm. onion, chopped (about 1/2 c.) 8 tbsp. butter or margarine 2 c. brown rice 4 c. chicken broth or water 1/2 c. chopped parsley 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. leaf sage, crumbled 2 c. sliced celery 2 c. cranberries 2 c. diced dried apricots 2 c. pecan halves, coarsely chopped 1 c. raisins 1 c. diced apples

Sauté the onion in butter in a large saucepan until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice. Add the broth; bring to boiling. Lower the heat; cover. Simmer, covered until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in parsley, salt, sage, celery, apricots, cranberries, pecans, raisins and apple. Stuff the turkey with stuffing and cook until turkey is done. Now you're ready for a holiday feast.

This is a wonderful recipe that I came up with while I was in college. I also stuff ¼ to ½ inch slices of Lemons, Limes and Oranges between the skin and meat of the turkey. That really sweetens the whole thing up. Lastly Do not baste the turkey with its broth; I use room temperature apple juice.

Grandma Sara's Stuffing
From D. Knicos, Bangor, PA.

This stuffing was made every Thanksgiving, then snuck in on the menu for Christmas---because my family loved my grandma's stuffing so much!!! This recipe is over 40 years old, and I would sit in my grandma's kitchen as a small child and I would be the only one to help her with this amazing stuffing recipe every year. I would help her measure all the ingredients, eating stuffing from the pan while it was cooking (and it was prepared in the hugest frying pan I had ever seen!) Everyone loved this stuffing so much that we would all pile it high on our plates and fight for seconds!!! I am 36 now and grandma has passed on-- but every time I make this recipe, It brings back memories of my childhood, and it reminds me of her and myself spending time together in her kitchen!

Ingredients: 1 14 oz. Bag Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned cubed Bag Stuffing
1 Sticks butter-unsalted
1 Medium onion
6 links Italian pork sausage
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 2/3 cup chicken stock

In a large frying pan over medium high heat, add butter and onion, saute onion until translucent. Take the sausage out of casing, cut into small pieces and fry sausage with onions until slightly browned about 8 minutes. Pour the bag of stuffing over the sausage and onions, add black pepper, salt and 1 2/3 cup of chicken stock, cover, reduce heat to low 5 minutes, After 5 minutes uncover and add remaining cup of chicken broth, stir again and cover 4 minutes, until stuffing is fluffy and moist. In medium sized 9 x 12 casserole dish, add stuffing, bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, until top is slightly browned and hot. Serves 10.

Zesty Herbed Wild Rice and Broccoli Stuffing
From B. Barnhart, Makawao, HI.

I have long been a lover of stuffing, and invented this recipe to combine several food groups in an attractive and tasty way. I wanted to have a nice change from regular stuffing - plus it's a great way to make sure your children eat their vegetables!

2-1/2 cups wild rice, rinsed well and drained
3 cups full-bodied chicken broth
3 cups water
3 green onions, chopped
1 (12-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 pound broccoli florets, steamed until crisp-tender, drained well and cut in bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1 small navel orange, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

Place the rice in a large sauce pan and add 2-1/2 cups each of broth and water. Stir to blend. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. If liquid absorbs too quickly before rice is tender, add remaining broth and water as needed. When done, place in a large mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients, tossing gently but well to blend evenly. Use to stuff your turkey or place in a large greased casserole, cover and bake in a 350F oven for 45 minutes or until completely heated through. Serves 12.

Butternut Pecan Cornbread Stuffing
From S. Sibthorpe, Shelby Township, MI

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped celery 6 crumbled cornbread muffins (about 8 cups)
2 teaspoons ground sage
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs, stirred together
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 -1 1/2 cups chicken stock

Heat olive oil on medium setting in a large skillet . Add squash, onion, garlic and celery, and cook until squash is softened but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Place vegetables in a large bowl. Add cornbread, sage, thyme, pecans, melted butter, eggs, salt and pepper and toss until combined. Stir in enough chicken stock to make the mixture moist, but not soggy.

Lightly stuff mixture into the cavities of a medium (about 12-14 pounds) turkey, and roast. Or, place stuffing in a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake separately for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover for the last 10 minutes of baking for a crisper crust.

When done, scoop stuffing into an Emerson Creek Pottery stuffing bowl, Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve.

I first made this stuffing recipe about 25 years ago when living on a small Kansas farm. I had tossed a packet of old butternut squash seeds unti a compost pile, and they must still have been good because we got so many squash that I was hard pressed to find a use for all of them. We ate squash in everything for several months because I couldn t bear to waste them. In the recipe above, the squash makes the stuffing very moist and a tiny b1t sweet., plus it gives the stuffing a great golden color. Sometimes I throw in a handful of dried cranberries for variety.

Toscana Apple Stuffing
From L. Smith, Topeka, KS

2 links Italian sausage, casing removed
6 ounces smoke flavor bacon, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1 medium red potato, cubed
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup half and half
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large red apple, diced with skin on
1 1/2 cups fresh kale, finely chopped
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1- 14 ounce pkg. herb seasoned stuffing

Preheat oven to 400. In a large pan crumble the sausage and bacon over medium heat until lightly browned. Drain fat. Add celery, onion and potato. Continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, half and half, broth, garlic, apple and the kale. Season with the pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes and kale start to soften. Remove from heat and toss in stuffing until liquid is completely absorbed. Spoon stuffing into a baking dish and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 6 to 8 servings

Mayfield Stuffing
From Mrs. Mayfield, Chicago, IL

2lbs chicken backs and necks uncooked
1 1/2 medium red bell pepper
1 red onion and 1 bunch scallion onions with the green stems intact
3 stems of celery
1 package of sage sauage Bob Evans
lemon pepper
Lawery,s seasoned salt
ground sage
poultry season
cornbread crumbs 16oz (dry crumbs) peppridge farms is a good brand
sage dressing crumbs 16oz (dry crumbs)

boil the chicken backs and necks with 1/4 red bell pepper,1/4 chopped red onion, 1 stem of celery and 1 green scallion onion add 1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper, dash of lawery's seasoned salt and boil until tender in a quart of water. (30 minutes of so)

chop the red onions, celery and red bell pepper in a chopper cut the green scallion onions finely

sautee the red onions, celery, red bell pepper, and green scallion onions in a skillet with a stick of margarine and the sage sauage until transparent and soft.

Mix the veggies that were sauteed and the juice from the chicken together in a large pan or bowl and the entire bag of cornbread dressing to the bowl and 1/4 of the bag of sage dressing to the mix, stir and mix well. De-bone the chicken backs be careful not to get the bones mixed with the tender meat. Add the meat to the dressing and mix well if the dressing is not moist add 1 cup of water to the mix add 2 raw eggs to the mix and stir well and 2teaspoonfuls of lemonpepper and 1/2 teaspoon Lawery,s seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon of sage, 1 teaspoonful of poultry seasoning and mix well into the dressing.

Place the dressing into a pan and cover for 30 minutes cooking at 350 degrees, uncover the pan and continue to cook for another 45-60 minutes. Then enjoy a good olde fashion dressing with your turkey.

The chicken necks can be stripped of meat and used in the turkey gravy with the turkey giblets if you like.

San Francisco Sour Dough and Rye Stuffing with Green Apples, Cranberry, and Bacon
From E. Mylroie, Santa Clara, UT

10 tablespoons butter
1 and ½ cup finely diced onion
1 and ½ cup chopped celery
2 cups Granny Smith apples with skin, seeded, cored, and chopped
4 cups small sourdough bread cubes, toasted
4 cups small rye bread cubes, toasted
8 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
¼ cup chopped fresh sage
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
¾ cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter. Add onions, celery, and green apples. Cook until very tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the bread cubes, bacon, cranberries, sage, and pecans. In a small bowl, combine chicken stock, maple syrup, and mustard. Toss with bread mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into buttered 9 by 13 inch baking dish and bake at 325 for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

****After a trip to San Francisco, I was inspired to add sourdough and rye bread to a traditional family stuffing recipe. WOW! It was an overnight sensation. The dish was scraped clean. My family begs me all year to make this stuffing, but I always save it for Thanksgiving to keep it special. The maple and mustard add a very subtle sweet and tangy twist, while the bacon and pecans lend smoke and crunch. The flavors are perfect compliments to the roast turkey and gravy. And wouldn't it look so beautiful in that gorgeous cranberry bowl? I'm hosting this year for twenty and everyone's looking forwatd to the stuffing. I'd love to surprise them with that stunning cranberry bowl!

Pesto Pine Nut Potato Stuffing
From V. Callaghan, Glastonbury, CT.

Pesto and potatoes are a tasty twist in my holiday stuffing. Believe it or not it actually started out 2 years ago as a calorie saving measure. Every holiday my plate is filled with so many calorie laden sides I knew I had to start choosing: stuffing or potatoes? I cheated a little and just combined the two and try to take one small portion. This stuffing is delicious in an Italian seasoned turkey, chicken or even crown roast of pork. I often stuff a chicken with garlic cloves and lemon before roasting and then serve with this stuffing on the side.

Cooking spray
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2- inch dice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 cups day old French bread diced
1/2 cup prepared pesto
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Lightly spray a 2-quart covered casserole with cooking spray.
2. Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water just until tender; drain and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the shallot and the garlic and cook just until tender. Stir in the day old French bread and toss to coat with the oil; cook until the bread is lightly browned. Pour the bread into the bowl with the potatoes.
4. Gently stir in the pesto, chicken broth, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, kosher salt, and black pepper.
5. Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, cover and bake for 35 minutes at 325 degrees.

Flaggs' Stuffing
From B. Flagg, Hesperia, CA.

- 1 ft. loaf crusty French bread
- 1 stick butter
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 stalk celery
- 4 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 8 oz. breakfast-style sausage
- 1 tsp. powdered sage
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. white pepper
- 2 tsp. salt

Cut or tear entire loaf into 2" strips, place in large mixing bowl. Melt butter in microwave. Add butter and chicken stock, mix well. Chop celery stalk, shallots, and galic cloves, then peel and chop apple. Set aside. Cut sausage links into 1'4" pieces, add to hot skillet and brown for 2 minutes. Add chopped celery, shallots, garlic, and apple, then brown for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add to bowl, mixing well. Fold in sage, black pepper, white pepper, and salt, evenly distributing throughout mixture. Spread into casserole. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Savory Bread Pudding with Apricots, Pecans and Sage
From C. Resnick, Cleveland, OH.

1 pound challa, brioche or other egg bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups chicken or turkey broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped (toasted if desired)
1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 Tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
6 large eggs, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish.

Combine bread cubes in broth in a large bowl. Set aside until most of the broth is absorbed.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a large skillet until it is hot but not smoking. Add the onion, the celery, the green bell pepper and the red bell pepper. Saute until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 14 - 15 minutes. Stir in the pecans and poultry seasoning. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.

Pour the vegetables over the bread cubes. Add the sage and the apricots. Add the beaten eggs. Toss to blend. Add the salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Bake until the pudding is golden on top and cooked through, about 60 minutes.

This is my favorite stuffing. Actually, I find it to be more of a savory bread pudding than a stuffing. The original recipe called for almonds but since I dislike almonds I substituted pecans. I make this pudding several times during the year. At Thanksgiving I use sage but I substitute another herb(s) at other times of the year. For instance, if I am using lamb I would probably use Greek oregano.

Herb, Cheese & Artichoke Heart Sourdough Stuffing
From C. Barnhart, Makawao, HI.

Our family is crazy for stuffing (it isn't unusual to have several kinds at a time or to serve it any time of year). It may sound old-fashioned, but there is something so nice about working together as a family in the kitchen making food we will later enjoy and share with those we love. My personal favorite stuffing recipe was created to please my family's tastes during one session in our kitchen.

8 quarts cubed and toasted sourdough bread
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped celery
2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
1 pound cleaned and sliced fresh button mushrooms
1/4 cup minced garlic (the bottled kind works fine)
3 cups drained marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3-1/2 cups regular chicken broth

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, onion and mushooms and cook until soft and starting to brown, stirring often. Place in large mixing bowl along with all other ingredients except broth. Mix well to combine. Pour broth gently over entire mixture and toss with fork to blend well. Stuff your turkey with this mix or place stuffing in a greased 5-quart casserole dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes at 350F, then uncover and bake 20 minutes more. This should serve about a dozen people easily unless everyone loves stuffing as much as we do

Dried Cherry Stuffing
From J. Gerschitz, Jericho, New York

My family has come to love this recipe that brings back wonderful memories of our days hiking in Wisconsin, surrounded by all those wonderful cherries. Dried cherries are readily available in many stores these days and adds great color and flavor to the stuffing. I have improvised on the recipe over the years and now make the same way, year after year, with confidence. It is generously praised and anticipated by friends and family. I am happy to share it.

8 0z. dried cherries
1 cup Madeira wine
14 slices of good quality white bread, toasted and torn into pieces
1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts
1 cup yellow (Spanish) onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 Granny Smith (or other tart)apples, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup yellow raisins
2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
2 tsp. dried thyme
10 dried sage leaves
1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper

1. Place dried cherries in a bowl with the Madeira wine and soak for about two hours.
2. Combine the bread pieces and toasted walnuts in a large bowl.
3. Drain the cherries, reserving the Madeira, and add to the bread mixture.
4. In a skillet, saute the onion, celery and shallots in the butter until the vegetables are softened. Add to the bread mixture.
5. Add apples, raisins, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt,pepper and reserved Madeira - mix well.

Makes enough for stuffing an 18 lb. turkey.

Nemitz Bread Stuffing
From D. Nemitz, Ludington, MI.

Okay,I know this probably isn't the most creative stuffing recipe you'll receive, but I have converted even stuffing haters into stuffing lovers. When I was a kid, my best friend used to come to my house for leftover stuffing - she thought her mother's was too dry. We love stuffing more than turkey, we eat it cold for breakfast the next day. We buy the biggest turkey we can find, just so we can fit more stuffing into it.

In my family, we always crammed as much of the stuffing as possible into the bird, and it was always the traditional bread stuffing flavored with onions and celery. It s still my favorite, and I ll give you the recipe which has now been handed down to four generations. We like it moist, served with plenty of gravy. This recipe makes enough for a 12-15 pound bird.

one large loaf cheap white bread
1 stick butter
two medium or one large onion, diced
6-7 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup minced parsley
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage if available
chicken or turkey broth, if needed

The night before, get out your largest bowl. Tear the bread into pieces and put it in the bowl. Toss it around with your fingers a few times to make sure it is evenly stale. This is traditionally a job for the children in the family. You might need extra bread as they tend to eat some of it. Next day, in a large skillet, melt the butter over very low heat. Add celery, onion and parsley (and sage if you have it) and cook for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Pour the vegetables into the bread, add the poultry seasoning and salt and toss lightly. If it seems dry, add a little chicken or turkey broth. Then stuff as much as you can into the turkey, both in the body and the neck. Do this right before you put the turkey in the oven to prevent nasty microbes from growing in your stuffing.

Remove the stuffing as soon as the bird is out of the oven, both for easy serving and storing, just in case there are leftovers. Note: This can also be cooked in a crockpot, in which case it is dressing, not stuffing, but tastes almost as good. After putting in the crockpot, pour on a little more broth and about four tablespoons melted butter. Cook on high for ten minutes, then on low for as long as it takes the turkey to bake.

A note about turkey stock. Since we never adulterate our stuffing with giblets, sausage, chestnuts, fruit and other additives, we use the giblets and neck to make broth, very useful for later gravy making. Rinse the neck and the giblets and put them in a saucepan with about six cups of water. Add two celery stalks cut in half, half an onion, a carrot cut in four pieces and a handful of parsley. Cover and cook over low heat for about an hour. Strain the broth and save it for gravy. Chop up the vegetables and the giblets and give them to the dog as a special treat. Don t give him the neck, the bones could be harmful.

SAVORY CORN AND SAUSAGE BREAD STUFFING
From M. Bergfeld, Eugene, OR.

1 pound well-flavored bulk pork sausage
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
16 slices day-old bread, cubed
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14.5-oz.) cream-style corn

1. Cook sausage in a large skillet, stirring to break up, until browned. Remove sausage from the skillet. Add butter or oil to the drippings in the pan to make 1/4 cup. Add onions to pan and cook until soft.

2. Combine bread cubes with parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add onion mixture, sausage and the can of cream-style corn and toss until well combined. Makes 10 cups.

This dressing has been used to stuff turkeys in my family for over 40 years. It was passed to me by my mother and I, in turn, have passed it on to my daughters. It has remained our holiday favorite because it is easy to assemble and packed with flavor. I really appreciate recipes that produce great results in a short period of time. This recipe does that.

Stonefruit Stuffing
From C. McMenamin, Lexington, SC.

1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped
1 large ripe peach, pitted, peeled, and chopped
1 large nectarine, pitted, peeled, and chopped
2 ripe plums, pitted, peeled, and chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1 (16oz.) package herbed stuffing mix
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
1/ 2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the avocado, peaches, nectarines, and plums in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and Add to fruit mixture and toss gently to combine. Add stuffing mix and pecans; toss to combine. Drizzle the chicken broth and butter over the stuffing mixture. Gently toss to mix well. Place mixture in a 3-4 quart glass baking dish that has been prepared with non-stick cooking spray. Place in preheated oven. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 8 servings

I created this stuffing to showcase the wonderful peaches that are grown in South Carolina. I have served it many years and it has evolved into the present recipe. The additional fruits and avocados add a wonderful depth to the dish. I also used different spices until I came up with this combination of flavors. It has been a favorite at my house for the holidays I get a kick out of guests trying to figure out the flavors of this stuffing! But, they always ask for the recipe!

Cranberry-Pecan Cornbread Stuffing
From A. Buchanan, Longmont, CA.

2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped granny smith apple
12 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecan pieces
4 cups cubed, dry cornbread
4 cups chicken stock
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use the teaspoon of butter to coat a 2-quart Emerson Creek Pottery baking dish. Set aside.

Melt the two tablespoons of butter in 12-inch skillet with deep sides. Over medium heat, saute the onion until soft, then add the celery and apple and cook until they have started to soften. Add the sage, black pepper,cranberries and pecans and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from heat.

In a medium mixing bowl, toss the cornbread with the contents of the skillet. In a small bowl, beat one cup of chicken stock with the egga, and pour over the cornbread mixture. Add the remaining chicken stock, and stir to moisten. If the mixture looks dry, add more stock, or water, as desired. Pour the dressing into the prepared baking pan, and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Makes about 8 servings.

About this recipe: In my family we always have two kinds of stuffing at Thanksgiving--this fruit-and-nut rich variety, and an oyster variety. Both have huge fans, and there is always a playful "fight" over which one is better. This one always gets my vote. I love the combination of the crunchy pecans and tangy fruit, along with the fragrant sage. It is also a good way to sneak produce into a dish that kids love.

Homecoming Dressing
From A. Bleich, California, MO.

2 regular loaves oven-toasted white bread, cubed
2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons crushed, dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1/4 stick butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup toasted and coarsely chopped pecans
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and diced
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/2 cups homade, warm turkey stock or canned chicken broth as needed Cooked, diced giblets from turkey

Mix first eleven ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add slightly beaten eggs and mix gently with other ingredients.

Add broth and chopped giblets.

Toss mixture well.

Spoon dressing mixture into a lightly greased 13" x 9" baking dish.

Place baking dish uncovered in oven set at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until lightly browned.

As our family gathers together each year on our farm to celebrate the holidays this dressing recipe is always served. Many memories of holidays past rush back with the aroma of the dressing baking in the oven. This recipe has been served at our family meals for four generations.

Mother's Cornbread Dressing
From C. Maynard, Florence, AL.

In the South, we call it dressing, not stuffing, because we bake the dressing separately. We don't stuff the bird like the northerners do. And the quintessential southern dressing is the cornbread dressing. My mother's cornbread dressing is the stuff of legends. We only had this glorious dish twice a year--Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it was worth the wait. Since Mother doesn't use a recipe for her dressing, I watched her make it the first Thanksgiving I was married and I wrote it down for me and my five sisters. Now we can all make it, but it never tastes quite like Mother's.

1/4 c. white onion, chopped fine
1/2 c. celery, chopped fine
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 8 inch skillet of cornbread
6 sliced toasted bread
10 saltine crackers
3 eggs, beaten well
1/2 c. light cream
1 tbsp. dried sage
Salt and pepper to taste
8 c. chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, saute onion and celery in butter until soft. Meanwhile, crumble cornbread, toasted bread, and crackers into large bowl. Add eggs, cream, sage, salt, and pepper and mix well. Once onions and celery soften, mix into bread mixture. Add enough broth to make a "soupy" mixture, up to 8 cups. Pour into a well-buttered 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until outside is set (the middle will remain "soft"). Serves 6-8.

Pear and Walnut Stuffing
From T. Moore, Oaklyn, NJ.

3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
3 tablespoons butter
3 pears, pared, cored and cut into chunks
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup half and half
4 cups cubed raisin bread
1/2 cup buttermilk blue cheese crumbles (or your favorite blue cheese)
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces Proscuitto, shredded, optional

Put walnuts in a dry skillet over low heat to toast while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. When toasted, put in a large bowl.

In same skillet, sauté the onion in butter until just beginning to become tender. Add the pears and celery and cook 4-5 minutes, until tender. Blend in the poultry seasoning, cranberries and half and half. Turn off heat and let cool a little while you finish preparing the ingredients.

Add the bread, blue cheese crumbles, parsley, salt and pepper, and Prosciutto to the bowl with the walnuts. Stir to distribute. Blend in the pear mixture. If stuffing is a little too dry for your taste, you can add a bit more half and half, or some chicken stock, if you want.

Stuff into turkey and roast with the bird as you normally would stuffing. Or, lightly spoon into a buttered casserole. Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

The story about this stuffing is that there s really not much of a story. I just took my favorite sandwich (pears, blue cheese, prosciutto and walnuts on raisin bread) and turned it into a delicious stuffing. Of course, I added the traditional stuffing ingredients onion, celery, and poultry seasoning. Yum! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

5 Generations Holiday Stuffing
From J. Busch, Bloomsburg, PA.

This recipe has been passed down through at least five generations! I use it with turkey, chicken, and even with steaks!

Heat a nonstick skillet and add about 1/2 stick of butter. Add salt & pepper. Next add one large white onion chopped, and about two celery stalks chopped. Add a pinch of parsley and some celery leaves and allow to simmer until your onion is transparent.

In the meantime, use about a loaf of round top white bread. (I like to use fresh bread and not bread cubes) Tear it into small pieces in a large bowl. Then, pour about 1/2 cup of chicken stock over your bread just until it gets "mooky." Add about another 1/2 cup of chicken stock to your onion & celery mixture.

Finally, when your onion is transparent, turn your heat off in your skillet and allow the ingredients to semi-cool.

Pour your mixture over your bread and mix well. You should be thinking "this looks too wet" but thats okay. Separate your stuffing into batches or put into a zip lock bag and let it sit in the fridge overnight. (This recipe is also great for freezing.)

When you take it out of the fridge it will mostly stick together, stuff your bird, bake, and enjoy!

(This recipe is almost if you just fry it up real crispy like a pancake too!)

Cranberry Crunch Cornbread Dressing
From S. Cyr, Danville, VA.

1. Use 1 pkg. of Jiffy Cornbread Mix to make a pan of cornbread according to directions on the box. Cool.

2. Use the following recipe to make 1 batch of biscuits. Place in bowl and stir together:
2 c. self-rising flour
1 Tblsp. sugar
Make a well in the center.
In a small bowl, put:
1/3 c. Canola oil
2/3 c. buttermilk
Pour moist ingredients into center of dry ingredients.
Stir with a fork JUST until dough follows fork around the bowl.
Put a little flour onto a sheet of waxed paper and flour your hands. Turn the dough onto the paper and pat into a smooth oval or circle ca. 1/4-inch thick.
Cut out biscuits with a round biscuit cutter or the end of a glass.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for ca. 12 to 15 min. or until light brown. Cool.

3. When both breads are totally cooled, crumble coursely into the same bowl and gently toss.

4. Chop the following ingredients:
2 medium Vadalia onions
5 or 6 spears of celery
1 cup of fresh cranberries (An electric chopper works best for the cranberries.)
Toss together with the bread mixture.

5. Use one slice of lean, cooked turkey or chicken. Place in a medium sized pot with ca. 3 c. of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer ca. 15 min. to make a very light and no sodium broth.

6. Using a ratio of one part broth to one part water, add one cup of each at a time to the other ingredients, gently tossing after each addition. Add just enough broth and water to moisten, but mixture should remain crumbly.

7. Butter two casserole dishes and loosely place dressing in them. Put additional dots of butter across the top of each.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min., or until lightly browned on top. 12 to 16 Servings

Auntie Em's Hot Mashed Stuffing
From J. Davis, Knoxville, TN

2 c. hot mashed potatoes
1 egg, well beaten
4 c. dry bread cubes
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
¼ tsp. lemon juice
Pepper to taste

Combine potatoes and egg. Sauté bread cubes in butter. Combine potato mixture with bread cubes. Stir in remaining ingredients; mix well. Makes 6 1/2 cups stuffing for a 6 pound turkey.

My aunt always makes her "special stuffing" and brings it to both our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. I absolutely LOVE this recipe and I cannot imagine another dinner without it. She is 92 and I was thrilled that she wanted me to keep the legacy alive in our family. I do not know the entire history of the recipe but I DO KNOW that it is a fantastic taste and everyone loves it!

Kenney Croissant Stuffing
From H. Kenney, Arlington, VA

Ingredients:
3 cups crumbled stale cornbread
4 stale croissants, torn into pieces
1 cup chestnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup raisins
2 Granny Smith apples, finely diced (not peeled)
4 cups chicken stock (canned or boxed is fine)
2 cups milk
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon tarragon
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl combine the corn bread crumbles, torn croissants, chestnuts, raisins and apples. Toss to combine. In a medium bowl combine the stock, milk, sage, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Whisk until combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined and all of the bread had been moistened. Can be used to stuff the turkey or served as a side dish. To serve as a side dish, bake in a prepared 13 by 9 inch baking pan on 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, unitl golden brown and the top is crunchy.
Serves 6-8

Southwestern Chorizo, Sweet Potato & Pecan Stuffing
From C. Perry, Elizabeth City, NC

1/2 pound bulk chorizo sausage
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
4 cups cornbread cubes, toasted
2 cups shredded & peeled sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 cups warm chicken stock
Non stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees. In a large skillet, add the chorizo and cook over medium heat for five minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Stir in the celery, red bell pepper and onion, stirring occasionally and continuing to cook for another five minutes; remove from heat. Drain any oil from mixture and stir in the toasted cornbread cubes, sweet potato, cilantro, pecans, salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir in the chicken stock and spoon into a 2 quart baking dish which has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Cover with foil wrap and bake for 35 minutes then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until most of the moisture has evaporated from the stuffing. Makes 8 servings.