Fall recipes wouldn't be complete without this stuffing recipe that is easy and fruity. It's a great turkey stuffing that can also be used for stuffed chicken, stuffed pork chops, and stuffed pork tenderloin. And don't forget lamb. Or, avoid stuffing, and stir ground meat into the stuffing with some broth and bake. Above all, avoid the mummified prepackaged stuffing in plastic bags. Use the best bread you can find.
Cranberry Stuffing Recipe
Note that the amount of bread can vary, depending on the size of the loaf used. It's better to slightly over-season stuffing so when the meat is added the flavor isn't overwhelmed. Feel free to add more of the following ingredients until satisfied.
- 1 cup of dried cranberries
- 1/2 of a 12 oz. container of frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1 loaf of good crusty bread, cut into cubes
- 1/2 sweet diced onion
- 1 cup of diced celery
- 1 cup of chopped pecans
- sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup of chicken broth (if not using a a stuffing)
Method:
- Mix the undiluted orange juice concentrate with the dried cranberries in a small bowl and let sit for about an hour to plump the cranberries.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients except the chicken broth, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix in the cranberries and juice after the cranberries are plump.
No Time to Stuff?
Bake the meat in the stuffing. If you're short on time, break off nickel sized pieces of ground chicken, turkey, ground pork, or even ground sausage to mix into the stuffing in a baking dish. Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth over it, mix well, and bake at 350° F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Variations
Try substituting apple cider for the orange juice, or, for an even more intense cranberry flavor, use cranberry juice. For a more traditional taste, add some dried sage. Use herb or cheese bread for extra flavor. How about macadamia nuts, peanuts, or walnuts instead of pecans? Or, you can be exotic, and substitute dried apricots cut into pieces for the cranberries, and pine nuts instead of the pecans.
Pork and fruit seem to have always been paired together. Try this cranberry stuffing recipe to combine fruit with chicken, turkey, or lamb. Don't want to stuff a whole chicken? Stuff boneless chicken thighs and bake, or just bake chicken thighs over a layer of the stuffing. The variations are many, and can really open a lot of new possibilities for quick and easy meals.
Corinne Shibley - Corinne Shibley studied sculpture in art history and created her own sculpture on the way to a B.A. in Studio Art. "There's something ...
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