An update on the Greatest Stuffing Recipe in the World

 

When you marry into some families, you marry into great wealth, power and prestige.

Not me.

I married into a family with the best turkey-stuffing recipe in the world — according to them. Many years ago, I declared that I would “love” to make Thanksgiving dinners. Little did I know that I’d just volunteered to make THE only dressing recipe in the world, and not only that but to make 40 extra pounds of the stuff.

I’d forgotten memories of my mother-in-law running up and down the stairs in her south Minneapolis home tending to a ga-zillion extra pounds of bread stuffing. I’d forgotten the glimpses of Dick and his father sneaking into the basement to “check” on the gigantic roaster filled with the stuff. I’d forgotten the huge Ziploc bags of extra dressing we always brought back home.

But I came full circle and, nowadays, not only understand the fixation but also have joined the ranks of the addicted. This year, I’ve already set out four loaves of bread slices to dry (since using Pepperidge Farm pre-seasoned stuffing is considered by the family as a mortal sin) and stocked up on chicken broth. I’m not sure how I became a convert, but the fact that Dick does most of the work helps.

One of the reasons I love the stuffing is that Dick has claimed the job as his. I sauté the onions and celery and open chicken broth cans, but he does the bulk of the work – the cutting and chopping and stirring and seasoning and tasting.

He sets up a large roaster in the basement and jogs up and down the stairs to check the ba-zillion pounds of slow roasting stuffing; he does the tasting and cleans the huge roaster when the meal is done. And he claims the kudos. Even I have to admit that his dressing really is good.

Other people may make claims to the greatness of their cornbread or apple spiked or oyster flavored stuffing, but my family will defend to the death our simple but wonderful sage recipe.

The numbers at my Thanksgiving dinners have been small for the past 10 years, but my daughter and family have moved back to Minnesota, and this year the table will be crowded. No problem. As always, Dick will make enough stuffing to feed a mob.