The Right Stuff

I personall, am glad they changed it to "dressing"....leaves me to get stuffed

"Y"...there should have been a "Y" in it.....it was part of the recipe

That reminds me...where did the "wishbone" originate in legend and lore?

The Wishbone formation

A variation of the T-formation invented at the University of Texas at Austin by Emory Bellard, then offensive coordinator under Darrell Royal. It consists of three running backs: a fullback lined up directly behind the quarterback, and the two halfbacks split behind the fullback. It can be run with two tight ends, one tight end and one wide receiver, or two wide receivers. It is used as a running formation for the most part.

Stoney, nicely done! 

I've always made homemade cornbread dressing and always stuffed the bird with it. No one's ever gotten sick from eating my turkey and dressing and I plan to continue to stuff away, though I do take it out first thing on taking the bird out of the oven. I only heard about the dangers of stuffing a few years ago when my step-daughter started roasting the turkey. She wanted me to make the dressing, but she wanted it on the side. We've now gone to her family's house for Thanksgiving for the last 4 years, but this is the first year she's making the dressing.  She's a good cook and loves trying new recipes, so we'll see how her dressing turns out. I still plan to stuff and roast a small hen.
 
I love that it's potluck and wonder why we didn't do it this way for all the years that I cooked everything myself. It's nice to share the cooking....letting India do the turkey and the rest of us bring side dishes, rolls, desserts etc.
 
Yesterday at Costco, I sampled some cornbread "stuffing" made with turkey sausage and cranberries. It wasn't bad for ready made.

jalapeno cornbread-with honey....mmmmmmmmmmm

oh yeah, this year, my contribution is cranberry sauce. I'm making two...whole berry sauce and a tangy relish. Happy thanksgiving to you all.

for what its worth, I have authored a review. Had to do it twice, couldn't find the ooops key

S.Blume~ Too right, dressing is stuff you put on salads. To call stuffing "dressing"  is a prissy affectation akin to crooking your little pinkie while taking tea from a bone china cup.
Turkey is a rather bland meat, the stuffing and vegetables & sauces & however many pans you have in the kitchen to make other things to accompany the bird meat & don't foget the gravy ..... all the side dishes taste better than the bird.
I'm giving thanks that I'm on this side of the ocean & don't have to get involved in all that palaver.
Road Yacht~ A wishbone is part of the front suspension of a car. It is also known as a Thanksgiving Bone. Whatever, they don't work, I wished for a pony & got a puppy.
Stuffing is stuff to stuff yourself with. It comes from the days when you had to stretch the meat out as far as possible & make something inexpensive to fill empty plates & hungry stomachs. A bit of stick-to-your-ribs stodge. It's funny that it has become a culinary challenge capable of inducing paranoia & insecurity  in (mostly) women who do a fine job of feeding their families every other day of the year.
 
 

HAZEL:  It has been, Cornbread Dressing all of my life, in the South, and "Stuffing" I never heard anywhere but in the Mid-West ....... I am taking a little Break now, Coffee cup full, and Steak & Eggs for a little Nosh ... At Mid-Nite we started Preparations for fixin' the Thanksgiving Dinner we will serve at the Mission this year ... Last year we fed about 2,600 people, and expect more this year ... I'm guessing we can get by with 600 pounds of Dressing ... All the Food has been Donated by THE Local Grocery Chain, Blessem, and we have plenty of Volunteers in the Kitchen ... I'd rather be in my own Kitchen, mainly cuz I have a Superior Stove with a 60X40 Griddle, 6 Burners and a Double Oven, and half a dozen Knee-Highs off to one side, but at least here, I don't have to worry about cleaning up ... All I have to do is cook, and I have lotsa help with the Prep Work ... People always come back for Seconds on the Dressing, and the Dessert ... This year we're doing Cherry Cobbler (for myself I am making a Buttermilk Pie) ....... Home-Did Cornbread Dressing with Giblets and all the proper Goodies has always been a Favorite of mine, and for Dressing I Bake the Cornbread, so it crumbles easier, rather than fry it the way we do Hotwater Cornbread, which has a firmer texture ... You should try it someday ...

The Stuff in the Photo abpve is just, WRONG !!!
 

Sounds like great fun, Ivan, wish I could come & give a hand & taste all the unfamiliar dishes. The stuff in the pic above bears some resmblance to what we call stuffing. Enjoy slaving over a hot stove. x

Cornbread dressing with those special ingredients that result in record breaking flatulence as you watch the classic (though often disappointing) Lions or Cowboys game is no doubt the kind of stuff(ing) that would even make Canterbury's Tales' author Chaucer blush like a cranberry salad. When you get all us boys in the man cave with our pants unbuttoned, it can become a repeat of the campfire scene from Blazin' Saddles with Slim Pickens.

hazel ~
On this side of the water, that affected little crooked pinkie has an official title: "The Emily Post."

oyster dressing, eyesters.

I have an exceptionally busy cooking day myself, hosting 23 at our home, a 24 year tradition for my lovely bride and I. Our blessing is serving, and we love our families and friends.

Stuffing or dressing, matters not, just pass it this way and the gravy too!

Ah, the wishbone offense, when properly executed is still unstoppable, just need an intelligent QB that knows when to handoff, tuck and run, or flip that 'tater at the last minute and take a lick, meaning he's gotta be smart and be tougher than a two dollar steak.

This year, the lucky side of the wishbone will be needed by Nick Saban to beat Auburn in the Iron Bowl, consistently the single best football game of the year regardless of each team's individual record. To stop Cam and the boys, Saban may need voodoo, Santaria, and the aforementioned winning side of the turkey wishbone to prevail.

My greatest prayer today, for each if you is this:

Peace.

Peace between your ears. In the end, it's all gonna be alright, if it ain't alright, it ain't the end. Remember that.

Family. The brotherhood of man. That's our business.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

God does indeed love you.

Shalom. And blessings, many many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving village, there are seats for you at my family table tomorrow.

An omen. I awoke to 4 wild turkeys this morn down by my creek. Cats are in crouching tiger mode. I think Ben Franklin wanted them to be the national bird.

TT~ Ol' Ben dint invent the reading specs to know that crouching cats will never be the national bird......

RY- maybe my Wild Turkey was bottled and I saw as SGT Schultz would say "Nothing"

Good morning all............IVAN; you food maven...........I grew up in the midwest & that stuffing in the photo is exactly what I grew up w/ & what I cook. I love it so much that I have it for breakfast w/ gravy for 3 days after Thanksgiving.....................I love it & I know I would love yours...............
 
HAZEL..................I will put a plate out for you, all you have to do is eat & relax..............
 
JANE...................I keep missing you, hi chickletta!

IVAN or anyone............have you made gravy & put some Calvados brandy in it? If so, did you like it?

When I married, there was a obligatory merging of 2 dressing traditions, yielding the best of both worlds. You can even forget the turkey and enjoy this one dish meal anytime! Be creative with the amounts for lots of variations and do not forget the gravy.

Toasted cubed bread; sauted celery, onion, mushrooms; pork sausage; walnuts; raisins; chicken stock; LOTS OF BUTTER; sage, poultry spices, salt and pepper.

By the way, it goes very well with the whole cranberry, pecan, kirsch or brandy sauce.

Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone.

I say two mart O & you say too made O,
I say pot ate O & you say poddado -
I say stuffin' & you say dressing.
Great, isn't it?

BEBE:  Viejo Virgil or Presidente ... Calvados and Bisquit are strictly for Sippin' .......
 
Dressing is something I fix thru out the year, by Popular Demand ... and along with any kind of dish, tho' History has proven that it is entirely too Rich to accompany any kind of Seafood except Dolphin or Kingfish ...
 
ULIGGAM: And "Lots of Butter"  ... Yes ..............
 
Before I Forget;  HAPPY  THANKSGIVING   TO   YOU   ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Back To Work !!!

Stuffing "cakes"

Use your favorite stuffing recipe (mine includes lots of finely chopped shallots, fresh herbs like sage, thyme, and parsley etc, celery) and form 1/3 to ½ cup portions into thick cakes(or if you like, balls, sorta like a maryland style crab cake). Brush with butter or olive oil and bake arranged closely together and uncovered ‘til tops are slightly browned. I have, on occasion, mixed in some cooked wild rice and finely chopped mushrooms. I have also hidden 2 or three fat oysters in the middle of each cake with wonderful results..

Attractive when arranged on the platter, these are easy to serve and there are no fights over the crispy edges in the dressing pan, as each little cake has a crispy top and aromatic tasty middle.

At pot luck events I'm always asked to bring the stuffing "cakes". These freeze well, so I always make a big batch, taking out only what I need for small family dinners later in the "stuffing' season.

I'll be stuffing myself with dressing and good company.  Speaking of good company:
 
Happy Thanksgiving to all this good company.

bebe~ Nah! No Calvados in the gravy. As they say in the circles of people who don't drink, keep it simple. Simply put a smidgin of Calvados in a nice little glass & drink it while you are making the gravy. Get somebody else to carve.

Ooops~ bebe, thanks for the invite. I'll be doing a lot of virtual eating tomorrow!

'Ey Up, DPR! Enjoy!

Cakes, that's interesting. The grandmother of a partridge hunter in our group hosted a brunch for six up in the Brule Valley in what looked to be a fancy old garage but was, in fact, more like a men's club with a fireplace and a kitchen.
She served hockey puck sized and shaped stuffing browned in duck fat and topped with a poached duck egg.
One guy had six.
The rye bread stuffing, lucky for me, was only vaguely herbal but rich with morels, hickory nuts, ramps and other goodies so local that she wouldn't have had to leave the place to gather them.
There were enough leather couches, recliners and massive chairs for everyone to spin a cocoon for a couple hours and it may be exactly what heaven is like.

HAZEL & IVAN..............I will go w/ you..............I have been making the same thing forever on Thanksgiving; I am a borarama that way, but I figure why reinvent the wheel if you like your wheel the best? I just happened to read in a magazine that a famous chef adds Calvados to his gravy & I thought, "Hmmm, that might be a nice touch." I would hate to ruin the gravy because as everyone here also seems to think; the gravy is the liquid elixir that binds it all together, so I will stay w/ the usual, delicious way I like it! Thanks!
 
MISS BLUE............those stuffing cakes sound marvelous.................thanks for sharing what sounds like a gem!
 
DPR......good to see you here........great Thanksgiving to you also!
 
STONEY.................your man cave experience sounds like heaven..............women know how to take care of men; I believe I'm jealous...............endless food, endless relaxation........aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........................................

Ah !!!  Our own Dreaded Pirate Arrives !!!  Too bad we didn't see you Monday, as it was the Anniversary of the death of the Pirate Blackbeard, in 1718AD, on Beaufort Inlet, SC ... Edward Teach, he was ... But, DPR ....... Good To See You Anytime !!!

If Alton Brown says so, it must be right.  But I think we'll stuff the bird anyhow, and put the excess in a separate bowl, and call it dressing.  Because we've done it like that for.ever and we're not changing now.  Alton knows his chemistry, but...I know our traditions.  Miss Blue:  I'm saving that recipe, it sounds wonderful.  And every tradition could do with a little tweak, every now and again.  ;)

I do not make the stuffing nor have I ever.  My late husband did a marvelous job on his stuffing....it was a very exacting science to him!  But, now my daughter and her husband do the stuffing!  I only make the pies.  I really cannot indulge too much on it (too many carbs) but I do love it!
 
To all of you here...Happy Thanksgiving!  Be safe and enjoy your blessings no matter how small or great they are.

My ideal PE stuffing would be a knock on each of your virtual doors, the opening of said doors garnering each occupant the most heartfelt hug I could supply, seasoned with respect, lavishly buttered with gratitude and toasted with the warmth of valued friends, which would certainly be a continuous feast of fat things for me, making me sleepy with contentment over the richness of life. Much more powerful than tryptophan.

All the best to you and your loved ones, my friends.

I, being a relative newcommer to this community, don't know you like you know each other and I envy you that. I am profoundly impressed by the basic goodness I see expressed here every day. Words like ethos and pathos and vicissitudes-of-life, camaraderie, friendship across thousands of miles, season of gathering in, blessed,  come to mind.
 
May your Thanksgiving be as blessed and bountiful as ours will be..I plan on crippling myself on dressing!

This year when I count my blessings,  I'm thanking
the Maker for you, all of you.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA7ujUJCIdE

Jane, Does India sing while she cooks as well as she cooks when she sings?An unusual cranberry sauce recipe from NY Times Craig Claiborne by way of NPR's Susan Stamburg 2 C. raw cranberries
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 C. sugar
3/4 C. sour cream
2 TBS horseradish sauce

Grind together the cranberries and
onion. Add the remaining ingedients
and mix. Freeze this solid,
but a few hours before serving
remove from freezer and place in the
fridge. Makes about 1 pint.As Bebe would say....mmmmmmmmmm...if you like it

paolos: As I opened my wine of the month selections, I listened to Johnny, who house that burned is only a few stones away on Old Hickory Lake. Beautiful!
***
 
To all: I wish to say a special thanks to Mr. P and this forum where free thinking is allowed and to this group of unique human minds of all stripes with the most wonderful dish of all; a tasty brain salad that is freshened every day with new and interesting topics. I sometimes want extra portions and act like a pig (popt too much) because I fear that a world of uniqueness is giving way to a world of sameness and the voice of the individual is being drowned in collectivism. Like I learned so  many years ago when someone handed me that old standby of every salesman, "Think and Grow Rich" ; Thoughts really are things! I am attaching Coop's wonderful monologue that reminds me of y'all for your listening discretion. Peace and abundance! TT 
 
 
http://youtu.be/Zc7oZ9yWqO4

friends,  I offer you this, from a man whose name I hope never to have to pronounce:                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

paolos~ That is so sweet, thanks.
Geroge Hall~ High on my list of things to be thankful for is this lovely community. It doesn't take long for that new kid in the neighbourhood feeling to wear off.
Everybody~ Have a lovely time testing the limits of your digestive systems. Sooner or later, the environmental mafia will be lobbying to ban feast days on the grounds that the resulting flatulence produces too much methane gas than is good for the planet. There was a man who made a living in the old London Music Halls with his amusing act of being able to fart the National Anthem - maybe a skill you could attempt over the next few days. After a huge meal, my Dad would rub his belly and say "Thank the Lord for that little snack, some people would make a meal of it."

12 lbs Regular and 4 lbs jalapeno Stuffing...Check

Two gallons of graabbee (as my grandson calls it) ...check.

Seventy two deviled eggs...check.

Homemade mac and cheeze (small army size)...check

Slow cooked Limas...check.

Buttered Corn off the cobb...check.

Family and friends bringing enough other stuff to make a horse have to unbutton his Bermuda's to watch football...Priceless.

Merry Thankgiving all!

You may call it dressing, you may call it stuffing, but whatever you do..... don't call me late for dinner. 

There is one thing that I am sure of, ...... and I'm confident I'm being Captain Obvious (as usual) as well as preaching to the EyE's choir with this observation; is that there is no right or wrong way of expressing the gratitude that comes from the heart.

Thank you all for sharing so much of your selves with me and thank you for accepting and making me feel so welcome in this neighborhood. I'm grateful for John Peterman for enabling this fine confluence of fine people and their ideas and beliefs, and I'm grateful for all of you who have made this place of ours such a grand place to hang our hats.

Now as far as recipes and traditions go, they all sound most fragrant, toothsome and delightful to me...... and I'm sure that each of your homes will be filled with mouthwatering scents and almost painful anticipation for the day's feast....... But I do tip my cap to JaxZ's recipe for the day ‘cos it captures the essence of the day in a very nice way; and it's heart healthy (literally and figuratively) to boot. Let's all be sure to leave a light on for her.

As my very favorite horse whisperer says..... ‘life is good' , ......and I'm so grateful for it and that you all are part of it.

Peace out....... they will be serving egg nog with an extra warm glow in the club car tonight. Catch ya on the flip side of Thanksgiving ...... which is just Friday btw

Veggie Platter and assorted cheeses (warm up)

Champagne (Brut, Blanc d Noir and Brut Rose'....something for everyone)

Roasted Turkey (brined with herbs etc)

Gravy

Cranberry Relish

 Stuffing Cakes

Mashed ‘taters (lumpy)

Baked Haymans and sweet potatoes with butter and brown sugar glaze

Turnip Greens

Hot Yeast Rolls

‘Nana Pudding

Pecan Pie

Our family likes an early Thanksgiving Dinner. We eat around 1PM, take a long walk, take a nap and then start on the leftovers around 7PM.

Remember the less fortunate. Give to your local Food Bank and, my personal favorite, the Salvation Army.

Xoxoxox and Blessings for all !!!

Peter Lake, I'll have a glass of that ‘nogg.

JaxZ  has  the  lowest  calorie  highest  user  satisfaction  entree  of  all......the  warmth  of  good  friends.   Miss  Blue  has  the  champagne,  and  perhaps  a  secret  stash  of  oysters  for  the  stuffing. Life  is  good.....

JAX..................If you came to my door I am afraid an ambulance would have to be called as I would just hug the air out of your tiny self...............I would have to explain to the EMT's that I crushed you out of love................
 
PAOLOS........there's not enough mmmmmmmmmmmm..............in this world!
 
HAZEL & SPRING............2 plates will be left in the oven for you both......if I'm asleep, help yourself.................
 
Will be making my pie dough in a little bit to chill overnight.............the top crust which I don't need will be made into "dobies", my mother made them w/ my grandmother & I made them w/ my mom..........roll out leftover scraps of dough, spread w/ butter & sprinkle w/ brown sugar & cinnamon........fold in half, fork crimp, make a few fork pokes & bake at 350 until it looks done.........about 25-30 min. Perfect w/ morning coffee..............
 
Be safe, be well........all of you enjoy those you will be with.............you have given me more pleasure than I thought possible............
 
 
 

Happy Thanksgiving, villagers!  Make some wonderful memories...p.

In honor of the Holiday, I have left a bowl of "free" chips for use in the coin operated mirror(use the one on the left-it is the'slimming' one)...and the customary "TOYS FOR TOTS"barrel is adjacent

off topic slightly- - I was cleaning out some unrecognizable remains from the "fridge"- -to make room for dishes I was making to take- - and I ate things   in the spirit of turkey  they were foul

I almost forgot!
 
At 7:30 pm this day 28 years ago, I met my wife. I remember seeing her and looking at my watch, and thinking "That's the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life". We were married two short years later and this December 29th, we'll be married for 26 years.
 
I still have the card she wrote her phone number on. I took it out and showed it to my three grown kids. They were stunned to say the least. It has been a challenge at times, like any relatiopnship, but we have been blessed and we are living proof of God's hand at work.
 
Happy day tomorrow!

'Twas the night of thanksgiving,

but I just couldn't sleep

I tried counting backwards,

I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers  beckoned

the dark meat and white

But I fought the temptation

with all of my might.

Tossing and turning

with anticipation

The thought of a snack

became infatuation.

So, I raced to the kitchen,

flung open the door

And gazed at the fridge,

full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey

and buttered  potatoes,

Pickles and carrots,

beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling

so plump and so round,

'til all of a sudden,

I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling,

floating into the sky

With a mouthful of pudding

and a handful of pie.

But, I managed to yell

as I soared past the trees....

Happy eating to all

pass the cranberries, please.

May your stuffing be tasty,

may your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes 'n gravy

have nary a lump,

May your yams be delicious

may your pies take the  prize,

May your thanksgiving dinner

stay off of your thighs.

Have a wonderful thanksgiving!

tip of the cap to Gil Ross