Apple Brown Rice Stuffing

Apple Brown Rice Stuffing

1 1/2 cups brown rice, uncooked
3 1/2 cups Apple Flavor LIBBY'S® JUICY JUICE® 100% Juice, divided
1 apple, diced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup bran
1/3 cup slivered almonds

Prepare rice according to package directions, using 3 1/4 cup apple juice for the liquid.

Cook diced apple, chopped onion, sliced celery, raisins, poultry seasoning, thyme, and pepper in butter in a large skillet until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in the cooked brown rice, bran, slivered almonds, and remaining apple juice.

Use as stuffing for poultry or pork roast, or bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Makes 8 servings

Basic Bread Stuffing

Basic Bread Stuffing

1/2 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium celery ribs with leaves, chopped
1 (15-ounce) bag cubed seasoned stuffing*
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 cups homemade turkey stock or chicken broth, as needed
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning**
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is golden, about 10 minutes.

Scrape the vegetables and butter into a large bowl. Add the stuffing and parsley. Stir in enough of the stock to moisten the stuffing, about 2 1/2 cups. Season with the poultry seasoning, if desired, add salt and pepper to taste. Use to stuff the turkey, or place in a buttered baking dish, drizzle with an additional 1/2 cup stock, cover* and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C) for a side dish.

Makes 10 cups.
*For a crispier top, remove cover the last 10 minutes or so.

Variations:
Sausage and Apple Stuffing: In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook 1 pound bulk pork sausage, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add to bread stuffing along with 1 cup dried apples (about 3 ounces).

Oyster Stuffing: Drain two 8-ounce containers of shucked oysters and reserve the juices. (Or shuck 24 oysters, opening them over a fine wire sieve placed over a bowl to catch the juices.) If the oysters are large, cut them into 2 to 3 pieces. Add to stuffing along with the bread cubes. Add enough turkey broth to the reserved oyster juices to make 2 1/2 cups and use to moisten the stuffing.

Chestnut Stuffing: Preheat oven to 400*F (205*C). Using a small sharp knife, cut a deep "X" in the flat side of each chestnut. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until the outer skin is split and crisp, about 30 minutes. They never seem to be done at the same time, so work with the ones that are ready and continue roasting the others.) Place the roasted chestnuts in a kitchen towel to keep them warm. Using a small sharp knife, peel off both the tough outer and thin inner skins. To loosen the peels on stubborn, hard-to-peel chestnuts, return to the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or microwave on high for 1 minute. You can also use one 15-ounce jar of vacuum packed chestnuts, available at specialty food stores. Coarsely chop the chestnuts and stir into bread stuffing 101. If desired, substitute 1/4 cognac or brandy for an equal amount of the turkey stock.

* Or 1 pound firm white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (10 cups) and dried over-night in the oven

** To create your own poultry seasoning mixture combine 1 teaspoon each: crumbled dried rosemary, crumbled dried sage, dried thyme, dried marjoram, and celery salt with 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Crush together using a mortar and pestle, mini food processor, or spice grinder.

Apple-Walnut Stuffing

Apple-Walnut Stuffing

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup water
3 MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 cup Apple Flavor LIBBY'S® JUICY JUICE® 100% Juice
14 ounces stuffing mix
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples
1 cup chopped walnuts

Heat butter in a large skillet; add celery and onion and sauté until tender. Add water and bouillon. Stir until bouillon is dissolved; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine juice, stuffing mix, apples, and walnuts. Add celery mixture; toss to mix well. Place stuffing in a baking dish and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until top is browned.

Pecan Cornbread Dressing

Pecan Cornbread Dressing
Serves 10

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
4 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dish
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
16 cups cubed store-bought cornbread (about 2 3/4 pounds)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, heated

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread pecans on a large rimmed baking sheet, and toast until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes; set aside. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium. Add onion and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine, and cook until evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool slightly.

To bowl, add cornbread, sage, eggs, and pecans. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and teaspoon pepper. Pour 1/2 cup hot broth over cornbread mixture. Toss gently (cornbread will break down into smaller pieces). If necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more broth so stuffing is moist but not soggy.

If stuffing turkey, set aside 4 cups dressing. Spoon remaining dressing into a buttered 2-quart baking dish; pour up to 1 cup remaining broth over top to moisten. (To make ahead, refrigerate, up to 5 hours.) Bake, covered, for 30 minutes; uncover, and bake until browned, about 15 minutes more. Makes 12 cups

From: Veronica Norris

SQUASH DRESSING

SQUASH DRESSING

1 Box Jiffy Cornbread Mix - (baked according to package directions)
1 stick butter
2 cups cooked yellow squash
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
1 TBSP sugar
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Bake cornbread according to package directions. Cook yellow squash till tender, and drain. Mix all ingredients together, stirring in crumbled cornbread well. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes in ungreased casserole dish.

Apple Stuffing

Apple Stuffing
Serves 8

8 cups country bread, cubed
4 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dish
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 leeks (white and pale green parts), thinly sliced into half-moons
4 Macintosh apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 large egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss bread with 3 tablespoons melted butter; season with salt and pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; toast, rotating halfway through, until browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Heat remaining tablespoon butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add leeks; cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add apples; cook, turning occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine bread, leek mixture, rosemary, and broth; season with salt and pepper. Add egg; stir until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a buttered 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.

Bake until golden on top and crisp around edges, 40 to 45 minutes.