~ Lynn Craig
Hard to believe it's already time for Thanksgiving, which Bob, our son Bryan and I usually spend in Tucson, AZ, where we have family and friends.
The Turkey Day menu may be different each year in some respects, but we always serve a barbecued turkey and cornbread stuffing with sweet Italian sausage. Wish I could say that this is an old, old family recipe, but it's really based on one that I clipped out of a Sunset Magazine decades ago and have used ever since, with a few embellishments of my own.
We've shared the recipe many times with Thanksgiving guests, so I can safely say that it's passed the taste test! Hope you enjoy it as well.
Wine pairing: Robert Craig 2009 or 2010 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay and any vintage of our Zinfandel ~ Howell Mountain.
Serves 8-12
Makes approx. 9-10 cups of stuffing
1 (6-1/2 - 8 oz) cornbread stuffing mix
1 cup cooked wild rice
½ to ¾ lb sweet Italian sausage
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped mushrooms – preferably baby bellas or cremini
½ cup canned sliced water chestnuts, slivered
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 cup home-made turkey stock or canned chicken broth
• Prepare wild rice according to directions for 1 cup of cooked rice.
• Remove casings from Italian sausage and crumble into a frying pan. Saute over med. heat until lightly browned.
• Without draining the sausage, add chopped onion and minced garlic to the pan and continue cooking until onion is limp. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes longer. (Some sausages do not produce much drippings, so add a little olive oil if needed for browning.)
• Put stuffing in a large bowl. Add cooked wild rice, water chestnuts, oregano, and parsley. Then add the meat mixture and toss.
To bake in a casserole:
When ready to bake, add turkey stock or chicken broth and stir until evenly blended.
Spoon into a greased 3-quart casserole. Cover with lid or foil and bake in a 325 – 350 degree oven for 25-30 min.
Uncover and drizzle with 1/4 cup turkey drippings or melted butter. Continue baking uncovered for another 5-10 minutes or until as crisp and dry as you like.
To bake inside the bird:
Drizzle 1/2 to 3/4 cup turkey stock or chicken broth over the stuffing, depending upon your preference for dry or moist stuffing (remember that the juices from the turkey will add more moisture).
Loosely fill the breast cavity just before roasting. Any left-over stuffing can be baked in a small casserole dish, as above.
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