Stuffing recipes from the seventies
Stuffing in the seventies is a cinch to prepare. The dry mix may be combined with water and butter or margarine and placed in the turkey just as is. Or you can add your own pet touches — celery, onions, nuts, raisins, other dried fruits, giblets, oysters, chestnuts.
Some like to give their family and friends a choice. One recipe can be prepared for the neck cavity, another for the body cavity, and a third for a casserole to bake alongside the last half hour of roasting time. Leftover stuffing is also delicious the second time around — just remember to remove it from the turkey before refrigerating.
Given below are three choice stuffing recipes for the 1972 Thanksgiving turkey. All begin with dry stuffing mixes. They may be increased or decreased to suit your holiday needs.
Oyster stuffing recipe
1 lb. pkg. herb seasoned stuffing
1 quart oysters, drained, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Prepare stuffing according to package directions, using oyster liquor. Cook oysters, celery and onions in butter 5 minutes. Add oyster mixture and seasonings to stuffing. Stuff and truss turkey. Yield: Stuffing for 10-12 lb. turkey.
Cranberry-mushroom stuffing recipe
1-7 oz. pkg. cube stuffing
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup cranberries cut in half
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onions, mushrooms and pecans in butter 5 minutes. Combine cranberries and sugar. Add all ingredients to stuffing, stirring only to blend. Place in turkey or 1-1/2 quart casserole and bake, covered, last 30 minutes of roasting time. Yield: 6 servings.
Sausage-pecan stuffing recipe
1 8 oz. pkg. cornbread stuffing
1/2 cup water or broth
1/4 cup butter
1/2 lb. pork sausage links
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup pecans
Prepare stuffing according to package directions, using 1/2 cup canned condensed chicken broth (or stock, from turkey giblets) to replace water. Meanwhile, cut sausage links in quarters and brown with celery and onions in skillet, draining off any excess fat. Add to stuffing. Stir in pecans. Taste for seasonings. Bake in covered 1-1/2 quart casserole last 30 minutes of turkey roasting time. Serves 6.
Variations to stuffing recipes
(Enough for a 12-to 16-pound turkey)
APPLE RAISIN. Melt one-third pound butter or margarine in 2 cups hot canned chicken broth. Add 2 cups unpeeled diced apple, 1/2 cup raisins, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning and one 1-pound package herb seasoned stuffing.
GIBLET. Simmer turkey giblets with water, onion slices, celery stalk, parsley sprig, salt and pepper until tender. Drain; chop coarsely. Add to packaged herb seasoned, corn bread, or cube stuffing, following general directions printed on bag. Use broth to replace water. Sauteed onions and celery optional.
MUSHROOM. Saute 2 cups sliced mushrooms with 3/4 cup chopped onion and 1 cup chopped celery in one-third pound butter or margarine. Add with 2 cups water to one 1-pound package herb seasoned stuffing.
PECAN. Toast 1-1/2 cups pecans in one-third butter before adding to two 7-ounce package herb seasoned cube stuffing with 2 cups water. Almonds, filberts, walnuts or drained water chestnuts may be substituted for pecans.
ALSO TRY: One pan turkey ‘n’ stuffing recipe (1983)
The new stuffing mixes
The stuffing — no longer the product of home baking, followed by aging of the loaves, the tearing of slices into uneven cubes, sometimes the drying of cubes in the oven, and finally the uncertain seasoning with sage, thyme, savory and whatever other spices happened to be on hand — today’s perfectly prepared and seasoned stuffing comes from a bag.
It may be corn bread stuffing, only slightly reminiscent of the corn bread available on that first Thanksgiving, this one being even-grained, fine of particle, and perfectly seasoned every time.
It may be herb seasoned cube stuffing, tasting and looking like that made by the very best cooks in grandmother’s day. Or it may be the crushed herb seasoned stuffing, beautifully aromatic as you open the bag, and slightly dry when you remove it from the roasted turkey if you follow the recipe on the bag closely and don’t add an egg.
