Growing up, Thanksgiving dinner meant that I would strategically position myself at the table between the fruit salad and the apple-walnut stuffing. Being that I put most of the food on the table, it was not a difficult feat.
For the past 30 years, my Mother and I split holiday cooking duties. I would take Thanksgiving and she would prepare Christmas dinner. Stuffing is the very first thing that I prepare in the morning of Thanksgiving and still one of my favorite holiday staples. The recipe below is as close as I can get to documenting my recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Apple-Walnut Stuffing Ingredients
- 2 small onions diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 2/3 cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- black pepper
- salt to taste
- 12 cups bread cubes
- ½ small apple, diced
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- 3-4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs sage, thyme, rosemary
Stuff prepped bird cavities and roast in Turkey. Stuffing will add cook time to the bird. Keep an eye on stuffing throughout roasting and cover with foil when crisp / brown.
Instructions if cooking in casserole dish:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Melt butter and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and poultry seasoning (and rosemary if using). Cook over medium-low until tender (do not brown), about 10-12 minutes.
- Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Add onion mixture, parsley, apple & walnuts (optional) and fresh herbs.
- Pour broth overtop until cubes are moist (but not soggy) and gently toss. You may not need all of the broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place mixture in a serving dish and cover.
- Bake 35 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.