Apple, Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing

Apple, Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing
Enough to stuff a 10 lb bird


5 1/2 cups cubed white and whole wheat bread (Add rye for a bit of extra flavor!)
1 pound ground turkey or pork sausage (if you use pork, drain off the fat)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 apple, cored and chopped - Golden Delicious work best
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped (Optional)
3/4 cup turkey or chicken stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (unsalted is best as the sausage and stock are fairly salty already)

Preheat oven to 350 degree F . Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, until evenly browned, breaking up the sausage into small pieces. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme stirring, for an additional 2 minutes to blend flavors.

Combine sausage mixture and the bread in bowl. Mix in the chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Pour the turkey stock and melted butter over the top, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey’s chest cavity loosely.

Or you can place into a large casserole dish and bake covered for 30 minutes. Be sure if you do this method that you add an additional 1 cup of turkey or chicken stock so it does not dry out.

New England Roast Turkey with Cranberry-Pecan Stuffing

1 cup chopped celery


1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 cups dry bread cubes
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 6- to 8-pound turkey
1 to 2 tablespoons chicken broth (optional)
1 teaspoon cooking oil





For stuffing, cook celery and onion in margarine or butter in a small saucepan until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sage, thyme, and pepper. Place dry bread cubes in a mixing bowl. Add celery mixture, pecans, and cranberries. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, tossing to moisten.

Release turkey legs from leg clamp or band of skin crossing the tail. If desired, remove leg clamp from body cavity. Rinse turkey inside and out; drain and pat dry with paper towels. Just before roasting, spoon some stuffing into neck cavity. Pull neck skin over stuffing; fasten to back with a short skewer.

Loosely spoon stuffing into body cavity (no more than 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey.) Do not pack stuffing tightly, or it will not get hot enough by the time the turkey is cooked. (Transfer any remaining stuffing to a casserole, adding the 1 to 2 tablespoons chicken broth, if desired, for additional moistness; cover and chill casserole.) Tuck legs under band of skin or reset into leg clamp. If leg clamp has been removed, tie legs together with string. Twist wing tips under back.

Place stuffed turkey, breast side up, on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with cooking oil. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of an inside thigh muscle so the bulb does not touch bone. Cover turkey loosely with foil, leaving some space between the bird and the foil. Press foil over legs and neck.

Roast in a 325 degree F oven for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 180 degree F and juices run clear. The center of the stuffing should be at least 165 degree F. Add covered casserole of stuffing during the last 30 to 45 minutes of roasting. If desired, during roasting, baste the turkey occasionally with drippings. Remove the foil the last 30 to 45 minutes to let the bird brown.

Remove turkey from oven and cover loosely with foil. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving. Release legs from leg clamp, or snip string or band of skin. To avoid possible burns, do not remove leg clamp from the hot bird after roasting. Remove stuffing from turkey. Store leftover turkey and stuffing in separate containers as soon as possible after serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.



recipe source

BHG.com

Thanksgiving Turkey Tips

Is Thanksgiving at your house this year? Here are some tips to help you out so your guests are impressed!





Fresh or Frozen?

Before you buy the turkey, figure out your guest list. You should have
1 to 1½ pounds of turkey per person.

Your next decision will be selecting between a frozen or fresh turkey.

• A fresh bird is more expensive, but will save you time and precious
  refrigerator space. Buy the bird the day before you wish to roast it, but remember to reserve your turkey with the butcher. Most grocers don’t keep a
  large stock of fresh birds on hand.


• You will need to plan ahead if buying a frozen bird as well: it can be catastrophic to find that the only turkey available for your intimate four-person dinner is a 26-pound glacial beast.


• A frozen turkey needs to be defrosted. The preferred method is to defrost it in the refrigerator. (Yes, the one filled with the rest of the holiday fare.) Allow one day per 5 pounds. A 15-pound turkey will require three days to defrost
  thoroughly.


• An alternate method is to defrost the bird in a cold water bath. Allow 30 minutes per pound. That 15-pound turkey will require only 7½ hours to defrost using this approach. It is also possible to use a combination of these methods.

How to Roast Your Turkey

To prepare the turkey for roasting, first remove the giblets! Not only is it is concerting to find these paper-wrapped lumps when carving the bird, but you may also wish to use the giblets in your gravy or stuffing. Next, rinse the bird inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels.

If you are stuffing the bird, stuff it loosely, allowing about ½ to ¾ cup stuffing per pound of turkey.

Brush the skin with melted butter or oil. Tie drumsticks together with string (for stuffed birds only).

Lastly, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The thermometer should point towards the body, and should not touch the bone.

Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. Use the following chart to estimate the time required for baking.
Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent.

During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but helps promote even browning.

Weight of Bird Roasting Time (Unstuffed) Roasting Time(Stuffed)
10-18 lbs 3-3.5 hours 3.75-4.5 hours
15-22 lbs 3.5-4 hours 4.5-5 hours
22-24 lbs 4-4.5 hours 5-5.5 hours
24-29 lbs 4.5-5 hours 5.5-6.25 hours