Dressing/Stuffing, It's What's For Dinner

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Too often we save certain favofrite foods for special occasions, and holidays. I feel like dressing is one of those foods. It is a delicious savory bead pudding that uses up old bread, and can hide nutritious veggies in it for those who don't like to eat their veggies.

Last night, I had a half loaf of homemade bread that I felt needed to be used up before it went bad. The idea struck me to turn it into a sage dressing. Now i had no turkey or chicken broth, no giblets, and no chestnuts. So what is a guy to do?

I looked into the fridge and found some homemade kielbasa, half of a large yellow onion, a stalk of celery, and some Better than Bouillon Roast Chicken flavor. So I diced up the bread, chopped the vegies into rustic slices, made a cup of broth using the BTB, and seasoned with fresh-ground black pepper, and sage. I diced the kielbasa and added it to the mix. Stirred it all together and tasted. It was good. I added one egg and mixed it in well. Nine minutes in the microwave and it was done. It made a wonderful accompaniment to a chef's salad/

Dressing, and easy and tasty side dish, or even main course if you like it as I do. Just another option we too option er too often overlook.What are some of your favorite recipes/foods that are seen only during special meals, that are inexpensive, and delicious, that could be served regularly?



Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[taxlady]

I like that idea Chief. We don't often have stuffing, even at the holidays. But, it's not something I grew up with, so I don't tend to think of it. When my mum cooked a bird for Xmas, she would usually stuff it with a meatloaf mix and that sure did make a tasty meatloaf.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I like that idea Chief. We don't often have stuffing, even at the holidays. But, it's not something I grew up with, so I don't tend to think of it. When my mum cooked a bird for Xmas, she would usually stuff it with a meatloaf mix and that sure did make a tasty meatloaf.

My own Mom stuffed both acorn squash, and cabbage leaves wigth a meatloaf mix. I loved them both.

I'm now thinking that a wonderful rouladen could be made with a stuffing of a beef pate containing pureed beef, mushrooms, onions, garlic, pepper, and marjoram, like a good mortadella using the beef covering instead of a casing, and with the mushrooms minced and added. I'll bet that wold be wonderful
with gravy and smashed sweet spuds. You could even add a little pork fat chunks, or liver to the forcemeat.

Oh, and sager flavored bfead dressing is a wonderful filling for Rpuladesl, or rouladen.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I think acorn squash just begs to have its cavities filled. I have used some Italian sausage concoction and leftover taco mix, leftover Spanish rice. Stuffing in acorn squash sounds like a winner.

 

[RCJoe]

One of my fondest childhood memories was helping my Grandmother tear up bread to place in a large earthenware crock so it could stale. We would toss it a bit during the day so it could all get dry. she had made Turkey broth, and had some of Great Grandmother's sage from her herb garden.

Then she would work her magic with it.

The only boxed dressing I have found that taste like it is Stove Top's Turkey dressing. I've resorted to it in times when I didn't have much kitchen resources
(back in school days when a toaster oven and electric skillet were my go to's).

 

[RCJoe]

Was looking thru some of Grandmother's index cards and found this.

Granny's Turkey Sage Dressing

13-15 cups dry bread cubes* (we tore up bread and let it dry out so it soaks up more juice)

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup diced onion

1 1/2 cups butter

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 to 4 larger leaves of dried sage rubbed and crumbled (or more to taste)

1 1/2 cups turkey stock

2 large eggs

In a frying pan, saute the onion and celery in the butter for 10-12 minutes, or until the onion and celery are tender.

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour the butter, onion and celery mixture over the breadcrumbs and mix. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Put the stuffing in the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

You could also make patties in your hands to bake on a cookie sheet. I've even stuffed this into a 1/3 cup measuring cup as a mold in order to offer as uniform presentation.