My stuffing is basically bread cubes (bread seasoned, oiled, then baked to almost crouton consistency) plus veg (can be various, lately I've been doing mushrooms and Brussel sprouts, plus parsley or other bright green veg/herb) plus texture (nuts, usually - walnuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, etc) plus a bit of sweetness (could be berries, figs, candy the nuts, dried fruit, etc). I'll add salt, pepper, garlic (minced or powder), onion or shallot, and sometimes a little butter. Sometimes egg whites.

I do two kinds. I put basic bread stuffing, which I love, DH not so much, into the cavity. This is bread cubes, onions, celery, herbs, a ton of butter, pecans, an egg and salt and pepper. Into the dip at the neck between the breasts I put a British forcemeat stuffing, DH's mom's recipe, which is sausage meat, onions, sultanas (though I substitute craisins), an egg, herbs and breadcrumbs. It's delicious and makes a great meatloaf as well.

Roast turkey is for Seder, for me, so I make matzah stuffing. I've learned that Manischewitz is best (and a combo if different versions by M is great but Yehuda, IMO best tasting matzah, doesn't work, Streit's is okay but less good than M). Also mandlin. Mother's way (beloved by all) is with onion, celery, mushroom, bell pepper, poultry seasoning esp. if not in the bird, eggs, stock. Great right out of the bird, en casserole, or leftover cold right out of the fridge.

ETA: Pretty much the same recipe with bread and buns

seagrass_gw Cape Cod

fawnridge - what is the origin of your potato stuffing? It kind of reminds me of my MIL's stuffing. She used her tourtière filling (French Canadian meatpie) to stuff her turkey at Thanksgiving and that had potatoes and ground pork with spices, but no bread. DH had never eaten bread stuffing until he came to Ohio for grad school, where we met. I always make stuffing the way my father did with seasoned bread cubes, onions & celery sauted in lots of butter, poultry seasoning, eggs, stock and oysters. He would order oysters every Thanksgiving. Some years I have to leave out the oysters to appease certain people.

I've always done bread dressing/stuffing. I put all the neck and giblets in a pot and make a broth, saute onions, garlic, celery, add the neck meat and the non liver type giblets. chopped, add broth as needed to make moist. Put in baking dish (or a bunt pan!) and bake about 30-40 min. The bunt pan is fun, cause you can turn it over and slice it!

“Certain people” don’t deserve stuffing!

I will have to try oysters in stuffing. What do they add - moisture, flavor? Could mussels work?

seagrass_gw Cape Cod

John Liu - they add both, and the oysters are shucked and packed in their juices, so the juice is also used. I don't think mussels would be as tasty.

Pepperidge Farm crumbles not cubes, celery, onion, maybe mushrooms sautéed and added, sage, butter, broth. No fruit, savory only. I've tried different mixes, organic, artisanal bakery, etc. Tho loaded with junk I normally don't want to eat, Pepperidge Farm is just how I like it, lol.

The main ingredient in my stuffing is cornbread made with no flour and no sugar, and that's pretty much the only kind I've ever had. I have made it with grits, however, and that is quick and easy and has a very similar result to cornbread. Other ingredients include cubed sourdough bread, celery, onion, sage, eggs, and turkey stock. I generally also add garlic. I also never add anything sweet.

My dressing is a cornbread dressing with oysters.

Cornbread, couple slices white bread, onions, celery, cooked neck meat and giblets with juice, poultry seasoning, eggs, and chopped oysters. Made in a lasagna pan and baked until the top is browned.

My goal is to try to cut the quantity down for just two, lol.

ETA: No sugar in the cornbread amd no garlic in the dressing.

Here is my non-fancy-schmancy but always good recipe. I use whole-grain bread of some sort, usually one with seeds and such but a good hearty plain whole wheat or oat bread will do just fine. Use hands to mix!

Stuffing

• 1 loaf bread
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 stick butter
• 2 Tbls fresh parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 large egg

1. Saute onion and celery in butter until soft and yellow. Let cool slightly.

2. Break loaf of bread into cubes and place in a very large bowl. Add cooled vegetable mixture and fresh parsley into bread and mix well.

3. Add the poulty seasoning and salt together. Beat the egg. Add the seasoning to the egg and mix well. Pour onto bread mixture, mix to combine well. If needed, can add milk to moisten.

Optional add-ins to vegetable saute:

• Shredded carrot
• Mushrooms - fresh or mix of fresh and dried (soak first)

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Method for stuffing balls:

• Shape stuffing mix into balls (size = larger than a golfball, smaller than a baseball)
• Place balls on parchment-lined baking sheet
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-45 minutes (depends on size of balls) to internal temperature of 165 degrees.

I developed my stuffing when I was very young because I don't like yams or sweet potatoes. Prior to that first Thanksgiving with my stuffing, there was no potato dish for me to eat. I was nine-years-old when I made my first Thanksgiving dinner - everything from turkey to pumpkin pie. Yeah, my nana helped, but it was my meal from wine to water.

"I was nine-years-old when I made my first Thanksgiving dinner - everything from turkey to pumpkin pie."

That's impressive for a kid!

FWIW -- I don't like sweet potatoes, either. Unless they're sweet potato french fries, and I can tolerate a baked sweet potato. Candied sweet potatoes? {barf}

Oh, boy. T'Day ear worm….

I didn't cook a turkey yesterday - my sister hosted and managed the bird. She makes an apple dressing that's very good, has done that same one for years. She makes an extra large portion in her crock pot for those taking leftovers home.

I too like the Pepperidge Farm bread mix for stuffing and if using one prepared, I'll buy that one. More recently though I've been making a mushroom stuffing//dressing. It really calls for more variety mushrooms than I buy - I don't think any one in our family has tastes sophisticated enough they need $25 worth of mushrooms in their turkey dressing. It's easy, can be made a day two ahead, drizzled with butter/broth and baked the day of....

Our mother wasn't that interested in cooking, did as little as possible, but DH mentioned a couple of times yesterday he had liked her oyster dressing. Neither my sister or I could remember what kind of oysters she bought for it....if jarred, fresh, or just in what form. I know she would keep the little tins of smoked oysters to eat on crackers but it wasn't those. Mom had announced when my sister and I were both somewhat recently married that she'd cooked her share of holiday dinners and it was 'our turn'. I remember that first Thanksgiving in our little bungalow so clearly. I'd never cooked a turkey, I didn't own a large roasting pan, and didn't have enough dishes for the whole family - had to borrow from a sister in law 😁