A Thanksgiving Day Stuffing Recipe from The Team at UMC

Tis’ the season for obsessive conversations about food, so lest we be remiss…let’s talk stuffing! Whether you’re one who prefers the out-of-the-box stuffing, or someone who likes to add all the extra fixings to your stuffing (like cranberries and walnuts!) – our expert chefs at United Methodist Communities have you covered. Their recipe is for all the diehard stuffing fans out there: it’s simple and classic, but you really can’t go wrong with fresh herbs, fresh ingredients, and a lot of butter!

Buttery Herb Stuffing Ingredients:

• 18 to 24 ounces bread cubes preferably toasted or stale, (1.5 loaves of bread, or about 12 to 14 cups)

• 1 cup unsalted butter

• 3 cups diced sweet onion (roughly 2 large onions)

• 2 cups diced celery

• 6 minced garlic cloves

• kosher salt and pepper

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

• 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 2 large eggs

• a mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling

A Note About The Bread Cubes:

If you don’t have stale bread on hand, you can cube the bread and toast it in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Ideally, prep the night before so you can cut the bread into cubes and leave it out overnight loosely covered with tin foil. You can also mix the types of bread you use. For this recipe, we love using half sourdough bread and half Italian bread for a nice mixture of flavor.

Instructions for Thanksgiving Buttery Herb Stuffing:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush your baking dish with olive oil, butter, or a non-stick spray. You can use various different sizes for this, but we will be using a 9×13 baking dish. Start by placing your bread cubes into a large bowl, or right into the baking dish (whichever is easier for you to stir).

Next, we are going to heat the butter in a large skillet, and stir in onions, celery, and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper ( approx. ½-1 teaspoon each). Let simmer until the onions and celery soften and become translucent. Stir in the sage, parsley, and rosemary and cook for another minute. Then, stir in 1 cup of stock. Turn off the heat and pour over bread cubes and toss well to coat.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and the remaining 1 ½ cups of stock and pour over the bread cubes. Fold in breadcrumbs until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

Bake the stuffing for 45 to 50 minutes, until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees. If the stuffing is getting too browned, you can tent it with foil.

Note about reheating: You can make this the day before and reheat it, but we recommend you remove the stuffing from the fridge an hour before you plan to reheat it. If you are serving 12-18 people, it’s best to double the recipe and bake in two 9×13 baking dishes and bake approximately an extra 15 minutes.

UMC HomeWorks Can Help Seniors Prepare for the Holidays

If mom or dad is still living at home and insists on hosting this holiday, they will most definitely need help shopping and preparing the signature Thanksgiving feast. This is rewarding work, but it is work nonetheless and it may not be something you have time for this year with your own family to worry about. Fortunately, our home health aides across New Jersey are ready to step in!

Whether temporarily for the holidays or regularly each week, our certified aides can come into your loved ones’ homes to help prepare meals or to assist with other daily tasks of living like getting dressed, going to the bathroom, or managing medications. With UMC Homeworks, you can find the perfect person to meet your loved ones’ needs and schedule. For more information, give us a call today or visit our website at: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/elderly-home-health-care-nj/