Old-Fashioned Dressing, made in your slow cooker

2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 cups cubed day-old white bread
6 cups cubed day-old whole wheat bread
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Chicken Broth

In a large skillet, saute the celery, onion and mushrooms in butter until tender. Stir in the seasonings. Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Add vegetable mixture and toss to coat. Stir in broth.

Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through. Yield: 8 servings.

Date Pudding

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking
powder
2 cups packed brown
sugar
2 cups water
5 tablespoons butter
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease one 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Combine the sugar, flour, milk, salt, dates, nut, vanilla and baking powder and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat combine the brown sugar, water and butter or margarine and bring to boil. Pour brown sugar mixture over batter.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minute or until the cake tests done. Serve warm with whipped cream.

This recipe is similar to the one we always used to make for the holidays.

Sue

My mama's turkey stuffing

1 loaf white bread, diced & dried
12oz bacon, diced & fried, not drained
1 med onion diced & fried in the bacon grease
1 bunch celery, 2lbs
1 TBL ground sage
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a super large mixing bowl or punch bowl, mix all ingredients together. It can be used to stuff a 30lb turkey or baked in muffin cups or a roasting pan. Variations can include; adding cooked & crumbled sausage or using corn bread instead of white bread or oysters.

Correction on my mamas turkey stuffing: 2 tsp ground sage (I changed it from the original) :0)

These would be a light, healthy pre-Thanksgiving dinner munchie. We had them before dinner at my nephew's wedding in May and they were a hit. This isn't the exact recipe, but close enough.

CAPRESE SKEWERS

2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 ��" 1 ý lbs fresh mozzarella, small balls
25 ��" 30 leaves fresh basil
3 inch wooden skewers
olive oil
salt and pepper
favorite dried herbs (I used dried Italian seasoning)

Skewer two cherry tomatoes, one mozzarella ball and fresh basil leaves in an alternating pattern. Repeat until the tomatoes and mozzarella are gone. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and your favorite herbs. Makes roughly 35 ��" 40 skewers.

Velveeta Fudge and YES I have made several times

8 ounces Velveeta cheese shopping list
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) shopping list
2 pounds powdered sugar shopping list
1/4 cup cocoa shopping list
1 cups nuts (I use walnuts or pecans) shopping list
1 teaspoon vanilla shopping list
How to make it
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
lightly butter 8x8 square pan
put sugar, cocoa, and nuts in large mixing bowl.
place cheese and butter in heavy sauce pan.
cook cheese and butter on low-medium heat until melted.
stir continuous to prevent burning.
when completely melted, pour over sugar mixture. add vanilla
stir all together until mixture is too thick; then use hands to completely mix.
put in pan. may need to blot the top to get rid of excess melted butter.
cut fudge when cooled and completely set.

Those little square boxes don't need to be there ;-) Instead, there should be a - (dash) as in 1 to 1/2 lbs. and 25-30 basil leaves.

Cornbread and Andouille dressings

ingredients
÷ 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
÷ 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
÷ 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
÷ 1 cup chopped celery
÷ 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
÷ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
÷ 3 slices white or whole-wheat bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
÷ 1/2 cup chopped green onions
÷ 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
÷ 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
÷ 1 teaspoon salt
÷ 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
÷ 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
÷ 2 large eggs, beaten
÷ 1 to 2 cups chicken stock, as needed
÷ BASIC CORNBREAD:
÷ 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil
÷ 1 cup yellow cornmeal
÷ 1 cup all-purpose flour
÷ 2 teaspoons baking powder
÷ 1 teaspoon salt
÷ 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
÷ 1 cup buttermilk
÷ 1 egg

preparation instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ðF. Generously butter a 13- x 9-inch baking dish and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the sausage until brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool.

Crumble the cornbread into a mixing bowl. Add the torn bread, green onions, parsley, and thyme, and mix well with your hands. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and eggs, and mix well with your hands or a large wooden spoon. Add enough broth, 1/2 cup at a time, to moisten the dressing, being careful not to make it mushy.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings

BASIC CORNBREAD:
Preheat the oven to 400úF.

Pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil into a 9-inch baking pan or heavy cast-iron skillet. Place the pan into the oven as it preheats, allowing it to heat for at least 10 minutes.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk and egg to the mixture and stir well to blend.

Pour the cornmeal batter into the preheated pan and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving or using in the dressing.

(Note: When making the dressing, make cornbread the day before.)

Makes one 9-inch round

Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

12 large mushrooms
4 ounces cream cheese softened
4 teaspoons sour cream
2 teaspoons dried chives
1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
Bacon slices partly cooked, halved (6)

Twist stems from mushrooms
Mix cream cheese, sour cream, chives and salt together. Spoon into mushrooms. Cover mushrooms with bacon. Tuck ends underneath. Arrange in baking pan. Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes, or broil until sizzling hot.