As November winds down, we find a holiday that is stuffed (pun intended) right in between Halloween and Christmas: Thanksgiving!  During this holiday we take the time to sit down with our families to share a nice, home cooked meal and the occasional football game.  It’s a time of loving and sharing, giving and receiving.  With any meal, preparation comes in handy, and many families spend Thanksgiving day cooking the giant feast for the night.  One of my favorite foods that is specifically part of this preparation is the stuffing, specifically my grandmother’s stuffing.  She takes it upon herself to cook one of the best meals I eat every year, and this year I’ve asked her to share her some of her secrets.  Below you’ll find one of the best stuffing recipes out there, and though it’s no small task, it will leave you with a tasty part of your meal that you will be eating for the next week.  (WARNING: in this recipe your hands will get messy, so be forewarned)

Ingredients:

3 bags of Schmidt’s Croutons
1 bunch of celery
1 large onion
3 eggs
1 box of Chicken Stock
Butter
Salt and Pepper (for flavoring)

Chop the celery and onion.  Saute in butter (judge the amount you use…maybe 1/2 stick) until soft.  You can use a low-medium flame and stir constantly.   (set aside to cool a bit)

In a very large bowl, empty the bags of croutons.  Dump the celery and onion mixture into the croutons.  Use your clean hands to mix everything together.  If the celery/onion mix is too hot, be careful and wait a few minutes.

In a separate bowl, break the eggs and mix together with a fork or whisk.  When completely mixed together, add to the croutons.  Again, use your hands to mix everything together.

Let this all sit for a few minutes.  (maybe about 5 minutes)   Open the box of chicken stock and pour half of the box into the crouton mixture.  Mix thoroughly with your hands, making sure you turn everything over so that the croutons are getting soft.

At this point, let all the ingredients flavor, soften, and mix together.  You may wish to add more of the chicken stock if stuffing is not soft enough for you.

Remember:  You can make the stuffing ahead of time; but, be sure to refrigerate before using as it does contain eggs.

Special thanks to my grandmother who took the time to share this amazing recipe with me.  Enjoy your fabulous cooking endeavors!