We are in our third Saturday sharing recipes and I don't know about you, but I am now starving for next week's Thanksgiving meal! I can't wait to entertain family and gather together for a wonderful holiday.

Today we are talking stuffing, dressing, filling, or whatever you may call it. All describe the same thing, it just depends what part of the country you live in that determines what you call this Thanksgiving Day staple. Everyone makes it different based on what they grew up eating. Some put in sausage, maybe nuts and fruit. I've even enjoyed one made with fig & nuts…so delicious. However fancy it may be, I am always drawn back to the basic recipe that I grew up with. This is the recipe I grew up with- straight from Pennsylvania Dutch country! Five simple ingredients is all you need. Depending on how much you need to make will determine the amount of ingredients. The recipe below will make a 9×9 pan.

Basic Stuffing Recipe

• 1/2 loaf of sliced bread, broken into bite size pieces (I use wheat, but you can use what you like)
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 egg
• Chicken stock
• salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In your baking pan or dish, grease bottom and just up the sides with a pat of butter. In a bowl, add broken bread. Set aside. Meanwhile, in frying pan, melt 1/2 stick of butter. Add in onion and celery, salt & pepper and cook over medium heat until onions become soft and translucent. About 10 minutes. Pour entire contents over bread. Add one egg per half a loaf of bread and stir to incorporate. Bread should be moist. If too dry, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken stock. Place in buttered dish and bake in oven uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until top becomes golden brown and slightly crispy.

Other sides that we enjoy are basic as well. Corn, green beans (plain!), salad, mashed potatoes, bread, cranberry sauce, and lasagna. What? Not everyone has lasagna at Thanksgiving??

Now for some…

***Kitchen Tips***

* Leftover stuffing can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. If you think you will need to keep  longer, place in freezer for up to a month.

*You added too much chicken stock and now the stuffing is mushy? No problem. Add broken bread cubes 2 slices at a time, incorporating gently. The extra bread will soak up the moisture without losing the flavor.

* Speaking of bread…Have your soft chewy cookies turned hard? Did you know if you place 1 slice of bread in a bag or box of those cookies the next day they will be soft again? It is true!

Most important tip for today? Enjoy this time with your friends and family!

Next week, we are talking:  Cocktails!!

Woo-hoo! I have a few fantastic recipes to help cheer the holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Are you planning a holiday meal? Here's some other recipes you might like to make:

• Easy POM Fizz – a non-alcoholic drink
• Easy Cherry Hand Pies
• Holiday Cookie Recipes
• Homemade Apple Pie, Apple Crisp, & More
• Pumpkin Drop Cookies