STUFFING 101

Serves: 12

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STUFFING 101

Ready in: 1 H & 30 MTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

Stuffed cabbage rolls are crowd-pleasers. I love the traditional stuffed cabbage but I think you will find this version lean and delicious! Savoy cabbage is used because its leaves are greener and more tender than regular green cabbage. A dollop of sour cream at the end imparts a richness that balances the acid in the tomatoes.

Ingredients

• SEE THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Instructions

1. Who doesn't love Stuffing (or Dressing, as some call it)? Consider this your plan for the very best stuffing, soon to be your family's favorite!

YOU WILL NEED:

1. a starch, such as bread, cornbread, rice, or potatoes
2. a liquid, such as broth, wine, or liquor (or a combination of these)
3. other additions that can include herbs, onions, dried or fresh fruits, sausage or other meats (optional)
4. (sometimes) seafood such as oysters, crab, or shrimp (optional)

Be creative with what you put into your stuffing -- you won

1. For each pound of uncooked poultry, you will need about 3/4 cup stuffing.
2. For every 1 cup of starch, add about 2 tablespoons of liquid, just enough to moisten the bread.
3. If you just want stuffing, there's no requirement for a bird. Safe Stuffing
4. Cook the stuffing separately in a covered casserole if you don't have an accurate meat thermometer, because there is no visual test for stuffing doneness.
5. Mix the stuffing just before you stuff and roast the bird.
6. Loosely spoon stuffing into the body and neck cavities rather than packing it. Otherwise it won't get hot enough by the time the turkey is cooked.
7. Spoon any remaining stuffing into a casserole; cover and chill until ready to bake.

1. TO STUFF OR NOT TO STUFF…THAT IS THE QUESTION! Stuffing baked inside the cavity of a turkey is generally moister than stuffing baked in a casserole…and it tastes so good! If stuffing is baked inside the turkey, it is essential to check the temperature of the stuffing as well as the turkey. The stuffing must reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
2. IF YOU PREFER NOT TO STUFF YOUR TURKEY - Place quartered onions and celery in the body cavity to add flavor to the drippings used in gravy.
3. Bake an entire recipe of stuffing in a casserole instead of using it to stuff a bird. Bake the casserole, covered, in a 325-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through.
4. IF YOU ARE STUFFING YOUR BIRD - To stuff, first measure out the amount of stuffing that will go into the bird, allowing 3/4 cup per pound of bird. (That's 11 cups for a 15-pound bird.)
5. Make the stuffing slightly dry if you are going to stuff the turkey with it. It will expand and become more moist as the turkey roasts.
6. If you choose to bake your dressing in the oven, make it more moist by adding some butter, cold water, or poultry stock.
7. The bread you use should be dried overnight at room temperature or sliced and baked in a very low oven for about an hour. Bread that's too moist will make a soggy, sticky stuffing.
8. Make sure to spoon the stuffing lightly into the turkey cavity. We want to get that stuffing to 165°F, and it won't if it's packed too tightly!

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