Three Delicious Stuffings for Thanksgiving

Apricot, Almond and Orange Stuffing

We celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday.  Because we live in London and it is not a national holiday, we have always celebrated it on the Sunday before. Most of our guests are English and there are only two of us who are genuine Americans plus our 'half and hawlf' offspring.  Hubby, who is English to the core, roasts the turkey, cooks the vegetables and makes the gravy with practised and relaxed ease.  The food arrives at the table hot and delicious and on time.  I do all the shopping, the side dishes and the pumpkin pies. This year, however, I farmed out the stuffings. What a bonus! No mad cooking in the morning, just time to decorate the table and get myself ready.  Bliss.

Apricot, Almond and Orange Stuffing was made by our friend, Lyn.  It comes from 'Make Thursdays Special', and it is special.  Delicious! I had some for breakfast this morning.

Ingredients

40g butter 
1 large brown onion, finely chopped 

150g ham, roughly chopped 

6 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 orange, finely grated rind and 1/3 cup juice 

200g large dried apricots, roughly chopped 

1/2 cup natural almonds, roughly chopped 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

2 eggs, beaten 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Melt butter in a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and ham. Cook for 3 minutes or until onion is soft. Remove from heat. Cool.

Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, orange rind, orange juice, dried apricots, almonds, cinnamon, eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Use as stuffing for turkey or bake separately in a loaf pan lined with baking paper at 175ºC for 35 minutes.

Sausage, Sage, Onion and Apple Stuffing

Our friend, Jo, made the second stuffing, Sausage, Sage, Onion and Apple Stuffing.  This comes from BBC Good Food.

Ingredients

2 onions, sliced
25g butter
1 small Bramley apple, peeled, cored and diced
2 x 400g packs meaty Cumberland sausages, removed from their skins
handful sage, leaves chopped, plus extra for topping
140g granary breadcrumbs


Method

Fry the onion in the butter for 5 mins, then add the apple and cook briefly.

 Cool, then mix with remaining ingredients and seasoning.

Pack the whole mixture into a 1kg loaf tin and top with extra sage leaves. 

Bake with turkey for 30-40 mins. Drain off any fat and serve sliced.

Our daughter, who is a very good cook, made the third stuffing, Apple and Herb Stuffing.  Unfortunately, I slipped up and did not get a photo. so I have used one from the site. The smell wafting up from the kitchen was seductive.  I scraped the bottom of the pan this morning and ate that for breakfast too.  The recipe comes from one of my new, favourite blogs, http://Smittenkitchen.com. You will have to go there to look at the recipe and photos.  You will be hooked.