Tia makes the best stuffing, but I think this one is a close second.

My great aunt Tia Nancy makes the best stuffing.  Every Thanksgiving and Christmas my family drools over it, and makes sure to take heaping amounts home with them for leftovers.  I have never been given the recipe, so I decided I would take a stuffing recipe out of my favorite cookbook and add some of my own twists.

What you'll need to make this almost better than Tia's stuffing:

• 1 14oz package of Pepperidge Farm seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 12 oz ground linguica
• 1 3/4 cups of water
• 1/4 cup roasted garlic (which I roasted myself!)  To do so, cut the tops of 2-3 pieces of garlic, drizzle olive oil over it, wrap in aluminium foil and cook at 350 for an hour
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Put the bread crumbs in a large bowl.  In a skillet pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, celery, salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is soft - about 8-10 minutes.  Pour this mixture over the bread crumbs.

Then in the same skillet add the linguica.  BJ's has a great deal on ground linguica, especially if you are making this recipe times 2 to feed your large family.  Cook for 5-7 minutes.  Transfer the linguica to the bowl using a spoon. 

Now, in the same skillet once again (think of all the dishes you don't have to wash by using one skillet all this time!), add the water, roasted garlic, sage, thyme, parsley, and the remaining butter.  Bring to a simmer and then pour into the bowl.  Combine all the ingredient WELL.  Then transfer to the baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and cook 30-40 minutes, then uncover and cook another 10 minutes.  It should get a nice crisp on top.

Before it went in the oven

Running short on time, prepare this the night before, store it in the fridge, bring to room temperature about 1/2 hour before cooking time!

Next time, I think I will do half linguica and half spicy sausage to give it more kick!  Watch out Tia I'm coming after the best stuffing award :-)

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas with your families!


Source Bride and Groom First and Forever Cookbook