Aunt Phyllis Thanksgiving Stuffing Food

THANKSGIVING STUFFING FOCACCIA

Steps:

• For the dough: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until foaming but not brown. Add the celery and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the sage, bouillon cubes and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir in 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring often, until the bouillon is dissolved and has coated all the vegetables and the water has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, whisk the flour, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook on low speed, stir in the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, mixing until the flour is completely moistened. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. (The dough will tighten up, then begin to relax. After 5 minutes, it will be very wet and stick to the bottom of the mixer but not the sides.) With the mixer on low, add the cooled vegetables and the parsley.
• Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil around the bottom and sides of a large mixing bowl (big enough to hold at least double the volume of the dough). Using a scraper or spatula, transfer the dough to the bowl, flipping once to coat completely with oil. Cover with a plate and let sit until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
• Pour the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil into the bottom of an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Use your hands to evenly distribute the oil along the bottom and up the sides. Scrape the dough into the baking sheet, flattening it slightly with your hands. Flip the dough once and gently stretch it to fit into an even layer in the baking sheet. (The dough may not stretch to the edges at this point. If it starts to pull back, let rest 10 minutes and re-stretch, making sure to pull from the center as well as the edges to get an even thickness.) Top evenly with the sausage and use your fingertips to make dimples over the surface of the focaccia, pressing firmly but not so hard you make holes in the dough.
• For the brine and finish: Dissolve 1 teaspoon kosher salt in 1/4 cup warm water. Drizzle over the surface of the focaccia, letting it pool in the dimples. Cover with an inverted baking sheet or cover loosely with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let sit in a warm place for 45 minutes to relax and rise again.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Uncover the dough and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through, until the focaccia is deep golden brown on the top and bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Drizzle with the olive oil and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to remove the focaccia to a wire rack to cool completely.

RAFFY'S TURKEY SAUSAGE AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium saute pan add the apples, onion, 1 tablespoon oil and butter cook over a medium low heat for 10 minutes to soften. Add the wine, cranberries, and salt and pepper, simmer for about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
• In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and turkey sausage meat and break up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl toss together the fruit and onion mixture, the sausage, the chestnuts, the cornbread and red pepper flakes. Combine all the ingredients.
• Add the chicken stock, and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan. Gently place into an 8 1/2 by 8 1/2- inch glass Pyrex baking dish and top with the remaining Parmesan. Dot with butter. Place in middle rack and bake until top is golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

AUNT PHYLLIS' CLAM CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Saute first 4 ingredients in a large skillet, simmering for a few minutes.
• Combine and add the next 7 ingredients and then add the stuffing slowly until you have an oatmeal consistency.
• Place in a casserole dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 325 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes.

TURKEY SAUSAGE AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Core the apples and dice them into 1-inch cubes. Dice the onion into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Over medium low heat, sauté the apples and onion in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil melted together with the unsalted butter. Cook for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the wine, cranberries, salt, and pepper, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool; set aside.
• Over medium high heat in a large pan, heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil and add the turkey sausage removed from the casings. Cook until browned well, breaking the pieces up with a wooden spatula or spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl combine the sautéed fruit/onion mixture, cooked sausage, chestnuts (whole or chopped), cornbread, and red pepper flakes (if using). Toss gently but well. Add the chicken broth and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan and toss again (may add another 1/2 cup broth if you feel the stuffing is too dry).
• Oil a large casserole dish (8.5 x 8.5 inch) with olive oil or pan spray, then pour stuffing into dish. Be gentle when spreading it in the pan, you don't want to smash the bread cubes.
• Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan, and dot with the butter pieces.
• Bake in 400 degree F oven on middle rack for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is golden brown.