Mid Atlantic Stuffing Food

ROAST CHICKEN WITH APRICOT STUFFING

Steps:

• Put 1/3 cup olive oil, the garlic, 1 tablespoon marjoram, the lemon zest and juice, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor and pulse to make a paste. Loosen the chicken skin with your fingers. Rub the paste under and over the skin and inside the cavity. Put the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Make the stuffing: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, celery and dried apricots and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the bread and parsley and cook, stirring, until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fill the chicken cavity with the stuffing, tie the legs together with twine and put breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan; tuck the wings underneath. Roast until the skin begins to brown, about 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue roasting until deep golden brown, about 1 more hour. (Cover loosely with foil if it's browning too quickly.)
• Whisk the preserves and vinegar in a small bowl; brush on the chicken and continue roasting until the skin is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 20 more minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Garnish with marjoram sprigs.

MID-ATLANTIC MUSHROOM AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Divide bread between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until golden, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms; stir until mushrooms begin to soften and release juices, about 5 minutes. Add celery and stir 2 minutes. Mix contents of skillet into bread cubes. Mix in chestnuts, thyme, rosemary and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• TO bake stuffing in turkey:
• Mix 1/2 cup chicken broth into stuffing. Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover stuffing with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in a dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 45 minutes.
• To bake all stuffing in pan:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/2 cups broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake until heated through, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

MID-ATLANTIC MUSHROOM AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400. Using two large baking sheets, divide bread and bake until golden, about 25 minutes--stirring occasionally. Place in large bowl.
• Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high; melt butter.
• Add onions and cook, about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms and stir until juices are released and mushrooms soften (5 minutes.).
• Add celery, cook 2 minutes.
• Mix onion/mushroom mix into the bread cubes.
• Add chestnuts, herbs and nutmeg. Mix and season with salt and pepper (can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate).
• To bake IN turkey: Mix 1/2 cup broth and fill main cavity of turkey. Add enough chicken broth to remaining stuffing to moisten it. Spoon into buttered baking dish and cover with buttered foil. Bake along with turkey until heated through.
• To bake all stuffing IN pan: Preheat oven to 350 and butter a 15X10X2" baking dish. Mix chicken broth into stuffing until moist and place in buttered dish. Bake until heated through, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.