Momsgrammas Thanksgiving Turkey Dressing Recipes

MAMA'S HOLIDAY DRESSING

Steps:

• In a very large bowl, combine the bread, herb seasoning and 3 cups of the cube seasoning mixture. Mix and blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a medium size skillet over medium high heat, put the oil. When hot add the onions, celery and garlic paste. Sauté (stirring and blending often) until soft and tender, about five minutes. Pour directly into the dry bread mixture. Deglaze and clean skillet with about ½ cup of the stock mixture. Add another two cups of liquid and blend well. Add the remaining liquid, as needed, to achieve a thick pliable and 'stick' to mixture. Make individual dressing mounds and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Make sure there's adequate space, about two inches, all around each dressing mound. Place a few of the remaining seasoning cubes and diced butter on top each of the dressings. Bake in a preheated 425 oven for about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and serve.

TURKEY WITH GRANDMA'S STUFFING

Steps:

• Place giblets in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Chop giblets; set broth and giblets aside. , In a large skillet, saute celery and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, celery mixture, giblets, egg substitute and seasonings. Stir in 1 cup giblet broth., Just before roasting, loosely stuff turkey with 8 cups stuffing. Place remaining stuffing in a greased 2-qt. baking dish; refrigerate until ready to bake. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup giblet broth over turkey. Melt remaining butter; brush over turkey. , Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a thermometer reads 165° when inserted in center of stuffing and the thigh reaches at least 170°, basting occasionally. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns to quickly.), Bake additional stuffing, covered, for 30-40 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cover turkey and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving turkey. , Pour pan drippings into a 2-cup measuring cup; skim fat. Add water or remaining giblet broth to measure 2 cups. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Gradually stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with turkey.

MOM'S/GRAMMA'S THANKSGIVING TURKEY & DRESSING

Steps:

• Purchase an 18-20 pound frozen turkey on the Monday, prior to Thursday (Thanksgiving Day). Keep in its sealed covering and place on a cookie sheet or a roasting pan and defrost in refrigerator. Purchase 2 large loaves of Packaged white bread; remove from wrapper. Place on a cookie sheet to dry thoroughly.
• Thanksgiving Morning - Allow 1 hour for preparation time before cooking begins.
• Remove turkey from sealed covering.
• Loosen legs from wire clamp.
• Remove neck and giblets (liver, gizzard & heart) from body cavity.
• Thoroughly rinse turkey and cavity under running cold water, including body and neck. Set upright to drain.
• Sprinkle salt in neck and breast cavity, not on skin - it would cause it to blister when cooking.
• Place neck & gizzard in medium size pan, barely covering with cold water and simmer covered approximately 1 hour.
• STUFFING:.
• Moisten dried bread slices with cold water-pile on cake racks to absorb and drain.
• 2 large packages/loaves dried bread slices.
• 1 12 - 16 ounce package Jimmy Dean "Regular" Pork Sausage.
• 2 large onions quartered.
• Turkey Heart and Liver.
• 2 eggs.
• 3/4 Tablespoon Sage.
• 1 Tablespoon Poultry Seasoning.
• Salt and Pepper.
• 1/3 cup dried parsley - crushed.
• 1/2 stick margarine-melted.
• Brown pork sausage in frying pan -breaking meat into small pieces -drain off fat -set aside.
• Place in blender, or food processor:quartered onions, turkey hear and liver cut in halves, eggs, and seasonings. Blend to liquid consistency.
• Melt margarine; set aside.
• Squeeze excess water from bread with hands and bread into bite size pieces. Place in large mixing bowl.
• Add drained pork sausage. Mix.
• Add blended ingredients and melted butter. Mix thoroughly, but lightly. DO NOT PACK.
• By handfuls, gently place stuffing into neck cavity. Do not pack - close with small poultry nails or skewers.
• Fill body cavity - loosely - DO NOT PACK! Close cavity by replacing legs into wire clamp as originally positioned.
• Tuck wings under back. Place bird, breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan - (No need to turn bird during roasting time).
• Drizzle 1/2 stick melted margarine over bird.
• Place roasting pan on lowest shelf in 300 - 325 degree oven, uncovered - do not add water. Roast 13 to 15 minutes per original unstuffed weight (usually 4 1/2 to 5 hours total).
• Wrap remaining stuffing in foil, roll edges to form pouch and refrigerate.
• After 1 - 1 1/2 hours into roasting time, juices will accumulate in pan - use for basting chest every 1/2 hour thereafter.
• After 2 hours 2 hours roasting time, add 1 large onion, chopped, to bottom of pan - they will brown and make delicious gravy. If skin is darkening too quickly, cover with a tent of foil.
• If sufficient juices aren't forming - add 1/2 cup of water when onions are browning to prevent them from burning. Add boiled neck neck and gizzard - save water used to boil them for gravy.
• After approximately 3 1/2 hours of cooking -if skin is browned satisfactorily, cover roasting pan with its cover. Be cautious to tilt cover away from yourself to allow steam to escape before further basting. Place foil pouch of extra stuffing on wire shelf along side of roasting pan.
• Roasting time is completed when leg moves freely at thigh joint when pushed - or internal temperature is 180 degrees, if roasting thermometer is used (inserted in thickest part of thigh, but not against bone) or internal stuffing registers 165 degrees.
• Remove from oven - place turkey on cookie sheet. Cover with roasting pan cover - let sit for 20 minutes before carving to allow internal juices to flow.
• GRAVY - prepare in roasting pan over medium heat.
• Remove excess fat from pan drippings. Scrape browned residue from bottom and sides of pan-slowly add mixture of 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup water - use wire whisk and blend until thickened - add neck and gizzard water (or water from cooking white potatoes) until desired consistency is obtained - Add salt and pepper to taste - strain into medium size pan, cover and reheat before serving.
• Remove dressing from neck and body cavity - place in large serving container - mix dressing from foil pouch - cover with foil to retain heat.
• Carve turkey - serve - Sit up straight, place your napkin on your lap, pass the cranberries and ENJOY!