lazy susan: november (thanksgiving stuffing)

I was working a snack bar shift during one of my son’s water polo games when I got a text from Amy and a phone call from Shannon at the same time. I answered and got totally ambushed by them all at once on speaker. They were driving around Temecula chewing on an idea Amy had about starting a virtual food fest with friends, based on the format of a blog project Shannon was a part of. They told me they wanted to get a bunch of bloggers together to post recipes on the first of every month, and then link to each other, forming a kind of blog link circle love fest.

I said, “Oh my god you guys, it’s like a Lazy Susan! We can call it Lazy Susan!” And they loved me for that and said I could join.

We decided to start November 1, with the theme of Thanksgiving.

A bunch of other people were invited, and here we are. If you follow along the links at the bottom of all of our posts, you will be taken to the next Thanksgiving recipe and the next blogger. At the end you will have clicked through a full course meal.

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THANKSGIVING STUFFING

This stuffing recipe has been handed down through at least four generations of women in my family, with some tweaks to the recipe being made in the name of modern convenience. Last year was the first year I made my own turkey dinner, so I called my mom to get the recipe. I was totally shocked at what she told me. “It’s the recipe on the Mrs. Cubbison’s Dressing box, and I just throw in some sausage, onion, green apple, and pecans.” Measurements? I asked. “Not really,” she said, “You just add stuff until it looks right.”

Typical.

But I did what she said, and it turned out juuuuuust right.

Yesterday I called her to ask about the history of this stuffing. She told me that stuffing was always the most important part of the Thanksgiving meal for her family. She remembers her grandma, and then her mom, using a legit meat grinder that was attached to their kitchen counter, and the old fashioned sausage that came in links. Once she was old enough, it became her job to pass the sausage through the grinder. She was taught to put everything else through it as well – pecans, apples, onion, sage, celery…everything had the same texture. And they ALWAYS used the Mrs. Cubbison’s dressing box.

We obviously do not have old timey sausage links or permanent meat grinders. So, once she grew up and started cooking the meal on her own, she made a few adjustments.

And now I know them. And I am going to teach you.

To make this recipe you will need these ingredients, plus some good music playing.

I chose the Grateful Dead.

INGREDIENTSES: (You have to watch RHONJ to get that one. On the video at the very end. And hilarious.)

1 box of Mrs. Cubbison’s Class Seasoned Dressing (Two 6 oz bags)
1 lb SAGE Sausage
2 green apples
1 cup celery
1 cup yellow onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup butter
1 cup pecans

You follow the recipe on the back of the box, with the addition of some of the items.

First, you chop everything up. I don’t like big chunks, so I chop everything pretty finely. I also like to chop while sitting at my kitchen table, so I bring everything over and get comfortable.

Peel and core the apples before you chop!

Then, you saute the sausage with the onions until they are brown and golden, respectively.

While the sausage and onions are cooking, you melt your butter in a large bowl, and then add the stuffing to the butter. Stir and coat.

Then, you add in everything else you just chopped – pecans, apples, celery – and give it a good stir. ( I just crush my pecans up in the bag with the butt of a knife )
Next, you add in 1 cup chicken broth, and stir that up as well, coating everything.

Once the sausage and onion are finished, you drain them and then add them to the bowl, giving another stir.

**Now, on Thanksgiving, I shove as much of this deliciousness into the rump of my bird. And it is awkward, but worth it.

For the purpose of this blog post, I simply cooked it in a casserole dish, following the directions on the box. It tastes better from the bird, but still good from the dish.

And I ate it, and I was happy, and it was delicious.

Hope you like it. The smell is HOME to me. And MOM. And FULL TUMMIES. And SPARKLING APPLE CIDER.

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Join us on the first of each month as this diverse group of food lovers share their favorite recipes, tips and tricks inspired by the seasons.

To keep moving along our Lazy Susan, click here to be taken to Chenin Boutwell’s blog for another version of stuffing!