You guys! Thanksgiving is next week. Next week! How is this possible? Where has the time gone? How are we almost to 2018? While I sit here and ponder the science of time, you guys should go make this recipe right now. My easy homemade stuffing recipe is bound to be a crowd pleaser with unique ingredients like fresh mint and blackberries, it's got everything you need for something tasteful and different at your Thanksgiving table this year. Many people make stuffing out of a box or a package, which is cool, but why do that when you can use fresh sourdough bread that's fluffy and delicious tasting?! My fresh stuffing recipe is super easy to make and most importantly it's fun!
My take on stuffing is a little different than most. I added in fresh blackberries, pomegranate seeds, mint, and tarragon to mine, but if you are not into those ingredients you don't have to add these in. I find the fresh fruit and herbs give the stuffing a super refreshing aftertaste and feel good on the taste buds!
I don't know about you guys, but I like to prep and make most of my recipes (especially side dishes like this) a few days before Thanksgiving. You can easily do this with this stuffing too. Make it just as instructed and then wrap it up and store it in the fridge in a glass container. Add the fresh toppings (blackberries + herbs) right before you serve it. This homemade stuffing will keep in the fridge for up to 5-days. Keep in mind if you decide to prep it ahead, I suggest doing it no more than 2-days prior to the holiday.
If you like your stuffing on the more soggy side, add twice the amount of organic chicken stock. If you prefer it on the more dry side like I do, follow the recipe like so. Base the amount of chicken stock you use on your personal preference. All taste buds are different!
What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Do you sit back and watch football? Get a workout in before the cooking? Do you cook on the big day? I wake up super early on Thanksgiving (and by early I mean 5 am, yup you read that right, 5 am.) I do some yoga first thing and then I grab Roxy and we hit the trails first thing. I like being outside first thing on the holiday because usually the trail is dead and it's just us and it's oh so nice. Then we grab coffee at a local coffee shop and head home and let the cooking commence! And then I spend the rest of the day in the kitchen cooking, drinking hot liquids while listening to jazz music and taking the day in as much as possible.
I like to enjoy and savor it because it goes by so fast. Some think it's just another regular Thursday, but I adore Thanksgiving and take it all in. Then, the next day we always opt outside and go hiking or kayaking or really anything outdoors away from people and away from stores. We hate shopping, especially on Black Friday, so we usually get as far away from a store or mall as humanly possible. Then we come home, make gigantic turkey sammies with leftover turkey (and stuffing!) and watch Christmas movies. It's a tradition I know and love!
What are your plans for Thanksgiving? What do you like to cook? Let me know if you make my fresh stuffing and stay tuned for more Thanksgiving-themed recipes coming your way until the big day next week!
- ½ stick Grass-fed Butter
- ½ cup Red Onion
- 1 cup Celery
- ½ cup Bacon
- ½ cup Mandarin Orange Slices
- 1 cup Organic Chicken Stock
- 4 cups Cubed Sourdough Brea
- 1 Egg
- 1 cup Fresh Parsley
- ¼ cup Fresh Mint
- 2 sprigs Fresh Tarragon
- 1 cup Fresh Blackberries
- ½ cup Pomegranate Seeds
- ½ cup Honey-crisp Apples (Cubed)
Sautee butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until melted Next, add onion and celery and simmer in the butter until golden brownAdd cubed apples, bacon, and mandarin orange slices and continue to simmer over medium-high heat Next, add chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil then add fresh cubed sourdough bread Kepp on simmering everything together then add the egg over the top of the stuffing mixture in the pan and mix until combined, then add the fresh parsley and mix until combined. Pop in the oven at 450 ˚ for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5-minutes then top with fresh blackberries, pomegranate seeds, mint, and tarragon (optional)
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 6 servings
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