Tothill

Not Turkey time in Canada but what I do.

I buy good quality bread at a local bakery. No 99 cent loaf for me. I cube it the day before and put it in a large mixing bowl with a dry tea towel on top. I use the crust and all. By cubing it the day before it has a chance to dry out a bit, but is not bone dry.

I make sausage stuffing, so I cook pork sausage with lots of celery and onions, add loads of poultry seasoning and mix it with the bread. I stuff the bird with this. If I plan to cook extra stuffing in a casserole dish, I add some stock to it. I used to work for a catering company and we added eggs to the dressing when it was cooked in a casserole dish.

illinois

I, too, use basically the same methods as all of you. I don't mind the day-old or cheap bread and it is torn into pieces a day or so ahead so that it dries a bit but not crunchy. This is also a good use for bread products that have been in the freezer for awhile. Same seasonings, no eggs. Start out with broth and then, if it needs more moisture, heat water in the skillet that was used to cook the onion and celery. I make mine rather sloppy going into the baking pan.

By the way, I posted earlier about the possibility of making dressing in a crockpot since it was going to have to travel. It did well. Needs a bit of tweaking if I do it again but it did put a crust along the sides of the crock. The "recipe" I used called for eggs but I'll leave them out next time. It changed the texture.

Aurora

I make cornbread dressing and use turkey stock for the liquid, I also saute oysters in butter, chop them, and add them to one pan of dressing for those that like them. We never stuff the bird, but bake the dressing separately. We also never add bread as it makes the dressing gummy. We do add lots of broth and sage to taste.

farmquilter

Guess I used the wrong term when I said 'fresh bread', just that it would be a lot fresher than the really dried stuff most everyone else calls for.
BARES, Tothill and illinois can you give the amounts for your versions. I put in a LOT of sage for my remake version, I do the onions and celery in butter but still want the crust.

I made one recipe using raw sausage and eggs,it turned out like a meat loaf--but rather good.
The search continues.

SusieQOH

My Mom always made 2 dressings, one in the turkey, and one separate. However, they were two different recipes. I don't have the recipe for it but I can get it from her. It was awesome.

On a different note- my husband puts pork sausage in his dressing. His Dad always made it that way. I like my Mom's better

BARES

WOW! I don't measure anything! I would guess that to a loaf or loaf and half of bread, I use a good cup to cup and half celery, chopped, cup of onion chopped, I don't use much salt in anything but I would guess 1 1/2 teaspoon full of salt. Sage - I love it so probably 2 tablespoons full. Mostly I just shake the spices and taste when I get it all mixed up. If it needs more of something, then I add it.

My SIL used to get so mad at me cause I never measured anything and couldn't give her a 'real' recipe. If I were going by my 'recipe' I would start with smaller amounts and adjust. Everything I put on here were estimates. My mother and my aunt were the best cooks and I am not near the cook they were. Mother had odd things she used as her measurers. She had a large coffee type mug that she used to measure flour to make biscuits. It looked like it would hold 3 cups of flour. But they were the best biscuits! Most of the time tho she would just make a well in the flour bin and put all the ingredients in it and mix them right there. I could never do that and get anything that tasted worth eating.

farmquilter

SusieQOH, would you get the information on your Moms recipes. Do not recall 'stuffing' in the turkey, just the big dish baked separate.

recycler

Bares, I cook like you do...no recipe and no measuring. My mom was a great cook and I just add stuff and taste it til it tastes like hers did. Sometimes it works out well this way, and sometimes not so much! My DIL says when she used to (doesn't anymore) ask me for a recipe I would have the "deer in the headlights" look.

Jingle

I use 2 bags of Pepperridge Farms cornbread crumbs. 1 cup or more of chopped onions, chopped celery cooked in a stick of margarine. Add chopped up canned mushrooms, about a cup of chopped up walnuts. Chop up giblets, except for liver. Brown Italian sausage, Add all to a big stainless steel bowl, mix together add 4 eggs, holds all together and add turkey broth from giblets, mix in salt, pepper. poultry seasoning about 2 tsp. of each. Stir real good, I use enough broth to make it kinda soupy. It dries out in the oven. We all love it. I make double amount because Daughter and one Grandson wants lots more.

My Mom made the juicy kind, I could not eat it.

grandma nurse

To get the nice golden crusty edges, use more butter. I use 1 cup to cook my onions and celery in.the crusty edge is the best part. I also bake a bit longer , at least an hour, to get it crusty.