Happy Thanksgiving week everyone!
To me, Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday. From spending time with family and friends to the wonderful variety of delicious foods we eat until we can’t eat anymore, to Thanksgiving being the start of the holiday season… and most important of all, the many reasons we have to be thankful. So you can see why it is the perfect holiday.
Although I love everything we serve at our Thanksgiving table, my all-time favorite dish has to be the dressing or stuffing and has been since I was a little girl. Growing up my mother would make a delicious stuffing that she would stuff inside the turkey. When we sat down to our Thanksgiving meal, this drool-worthy stuffing would be moist, savory, and tasty beyond belief. It would be the first thing I took a bite of and I would then use it to mop up my plate. For years I have made her recipe, but lately I have added my own twist. This recipe is worthy of being stuffed inside the turkey or served as a dressing (baked in a casserole dish). Recently my sister visited and we had fun perfecting our mother’s stuffing.
This is what you will need….
- 1 Loaf Pepperidge Farm white bread, cut off all crust and cube
- ½ Loaf of challah bread, cut into slices then cut off bottom crust and cube
- 1 stick butter
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups milk, steamed
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp. dill, minced
- ½ bunch of parsley, chopped
- 4 or 5 pats of butter evenly distributed over casserole dish
- 3 tbsp. or more chicken broth
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Place cubed Pepperidge white bread and cubed challah into a large bowl.
- Heat 2 cups of milk until bubbles form around the edge of the pot and steam begins to rise, pour milk over bread cover and let steam for 10 minutes.
- Melt butter; add olive oil and sauté onions and celery until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or more.
- Add sautéed onions, celery and garlic to steamed bread.
- Add salt, pepper, dill, parsley and cranberries and stir gently.
- Butter a casserole dish and add the dressing mixture.
- Place pats of butter over dressing.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes,
- Uncover add chicken broth, cover again and bake another 10 minutes.
- Uncover and bake until the top is golden brown (approximately 30 minutes).
Take out of oven and let cool until dressing separates from the edge of the casserole dish. The dressing should be golden in color, crispy and oh so good.
Whether you choose to bake this as a dressing or stuff a turkey…this will certainly take center stage on your table. This is a delicious recipe that is bound to please many a palate!
Enjoy!