Aunties Favorite Stuffing Recipes

OUR FAVORITE BUTTERY HERB STUFFING

Steps:

• Note about the bread cubes! You have options here. Stale or toasty bread works best. The first option is that you can cut 1 ½ pounds of bread into cubes, place it in a large baking dish, loosely tent with foil and let it sit overnight. You can also cut the cubes and put them in oven, toasting them at 350 degrees F until they are like croutons, about 15 minutes or so. Finally, you can buy the toasted bread cubes in bags from the store. It's your choice! You can also choose the size of your cubes. They can be small or larger for a more rustic stuffing.
• My mom has always used a mixture of stale and fresh bread. Also, I like to use different kinds of bread (usually two), like a sourdough and italian, and mix the cubes. It provides great texture.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9x13 baking dish (you can also use a larger baking dish or a larger foil roasting pan too!) with melted butter, olive oil or spray with nonstick spray. Place the bread in a large mixing bowl (this may be easier for you to stir!) or the baking dish that you will bake it in. You can also separate this into two baking dishes if it's easier.
• Heat the butter in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the onion, celery and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper - at least ½ to 1 teaspoon each. Cook until the onions and celery soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the sage, parsley and rosemary. Cook for another minute. Stir in 1 cup of stock.
• Pour the onion celery mixture over the bread crumbs and toss well to coat.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 1 ½ cups stock and 2 eggs.
• Pour that mixture into the bread cubes and stir and fold the bread cubes until thoroughly combined. Bake the stuffing for 45 to 50 minutes, until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees F. If the stuffing is getting too browned, you can tent it with foil.
• I have successfully made this a day ahead of time and reheated it - it's just as good! emove the pan from the fridge 60 minutes before reheating it. You can also use this mixture to stuff the bird if you wish!
• To serve 4: Cut this recipe in half exactly and bake it in an 8x8 or 9x9 inch dish. I bake for the same amount of time.
• To serve 12 to 18: Double this recipe exactly. Bake in a large baking dish, like a 10x15 roasting pan, or baking in two 9x13 baking dishes. I bake for roughly the same amount of time, or about 15 minutes longer.

AUNTIE ANNE'S PRETZELS - COPYCAT

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.
• Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic.
• Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda.
• Be certain to stir often.
• After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape.
• Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.
• Allow pretzels to rise again.
• Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.
• Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
• Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously.
• Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.
• Notes: The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be.

AUNTIE'S STUFFING

Steps:

• Saute rice, celery and onions in margarine over medium heat until lightly browned.
• Gradually add water and seasonings and bring mixture to a boil.
• Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 4 minutes.
• Stir in cereal and mix well, being careful not to make mushy.

FAVORITE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the challah and cornbread on separate baking sheets and bake until lightly toasted and dry; transfer to a large bowl.
• Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and celery and cook until the onions are translucent, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the sage, parsley and 2 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• Pour the broth mixture over the bread in the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth with the egg in a small bowl; add to the stuffing mixture and toss to combine. Spoon the stuffing into the prepared baking dish, pressing it down gently so it is evenly distributed. Bake until dry on top and golden brown, about 1 hour.

TEST KITCHEN'S FAVORITE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread in a single layer. Bake, stirring a few times, until crisp and dry, about 40 minutes. Let cool. Break a piece open to make sure it's dried all the way through; if not, bake a few more minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onions, celery, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and golden in places, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic, sage, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 1 minute. Pour in wine; cook until mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Brush a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with butter. Transfer onion mixture to bowl with toasted bread; add parsley. Drizzle with stock, stirring to combine. Stir in eggs to evenly coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Top with buttered parchment; loosely wrap with foil. (If making ahead, refrigerate at this point until you're ready to bake.) Bake 20 minutes. Uncover; continue cooking until golden on top, about 20 minutes more. Serve, with more parsley sprinkled on top.