Old Fashioned Bread Dressing

One of the favorite traditional holiday side dishes.... Bread dressing (stuffing). This recipe is simple and delicious. Make it just once and you'll never go back to boxed stuffing again! 

Old Fashioned Bread Dressing

Ingredients

• 3 loaves of white bread
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons rubbed sage
• 3 tablespoons poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
• 3 cups chicken or turkey broth, slightly warm *

Preparation

I always buy a very large foil pan to prepare and bake this dressing right in the pan. It makes for easy clean-up.

Cube or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces. Add the spices to the bread and toss to lightly coat. Add the onions and celery and mix into the bread. Pour the melted butter over the top. Pour the broth over the top.

You can use this as a turkey stuffing or baked on the side. 

• Stuffing the turkey: Lightly stuff the bread mixture into the chest cavity of the turkey. Bake as usual.
• Baked on the side: Cover the pan with foil and bake on 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, stirring half-way through.

I never stuff our turkey. I have always baked this dressing on the side. Either way you prefer your bread dressing, it will turn out deliciously wonderful!

* If you prefer your bread dressing moister, use additional broth. We make ours as-is and top it with some fresh-made turkey gravy. On the day after Thanksgiving my sister-in-law piles leftover dressing on a turkey sandwich and tops it with cranberry sauce.  :)

Should you be lucky enough to have any leftovers, this dish re-heats very well.

Bon Appetit!

Pumpkin Bread

Today's rainy fall weather is perfect for baking up a batch of this bread. Bon Appetit! 

Pumpkin Bread 

(Our "healthier" option)

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
• 1 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 1 - 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
• 2 1/2 cups 100% whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax meal
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray.

Combine all wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Combine all dry ingredients in another mixing bowl and mix well. Combine the wet and dry mixtures together and stir until lumps are pretty much gone.

Evenly divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Makes 2 loaves.