Background:
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. As an immigrant some 37 years ago – I continue to wonder in awe at the opportunities and joys that this glorious US of A has given me and my family – and thank with all my heart our volunteer and committed military personnel and their amazing families, who keep us safe from those who would change and destroy this land of liberty and opportunity.
With all the preparations that go into making a wonderful thanksgiving – I do cut some corners. One of them is to use Mrs. Cubbison’s Stuffing mix – and doctor it up so that it tastes spectacular. Here is my secret recipe – alas a secret no longer. Also I do not wait for Thanksgiving to serve stuffing – most times when I cook a chicken I cook stuffing too. It makes it festive!
Ingredients:
- Mrs Cubbison’s Stuffing mix – regular and corn bread (I use a bag from each box and mix the dry mix first in a bowl)
- Chopped celery ( 1 cup per bag of mix)
- Chopped onion ( 1 cup per bag of mix)
- Unsalted butter ( 6 Tbsp)
- Olive Oil ( 4 Tbsp)
- I bag of dried apricots ( about 2 cups which are snipped with a scissors or chopped)
- 1 bag of raisins ( about 2 cups)
- Salt and pepper
- Juice of two lemons or limes
- 1/4 cup of chives
- 2 Tbsp of Chicken broth concentrate ( I use Better than Bouillon) mixed with 4-5 cups of hot water
- Canola oil
Directions:
- Heat the oil and 4 tbsp of the butter in a large frying pan on medium high
- Add the onions first and saute for 10 minutes.
- Add the celery and saute for 10 minutes
- Add the two bags ( mixed in a separate bowl) of stuffing mix.
- Add the raisins, and apricots
- Add the chicken stock ( about 4 – 5 cups)
- Turn heat to low and mix very well
- Season to taste
- Squeeze the juice of two lemons over the mixture ( no pits).
- Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of chives over the mixture and mix in well.
- Mix well again and then spray canola oil onto a large Pyrex baking dish.
- Spoon half of the stuffing into the dish and put the rest of the stuffing into the turkey or chicken cavity.
- Dab a few dabs of butter of the remaining 2 tbsp of the butter, on top of the stuffing in the Pyrex dish -and place it in the oven to brown on top for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees just before serving.
- The stuffing in the poultry cavity will cook along with the chicken or turkey. Both can be served with the meal.
