The upcoming week will be very food oriented. This time of year, most are planning their favorite dishes, preparing for an influx of family, and probably stressing just a little bit. At least, this is my reality. I spent all last week deep cleaning our house, washing down walls, freshening things up a bit, and taking care of organizational projects I have put on the back burner. This year, I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner for our family. At this point, the only guest confirmation I have is GramBarb. However, we are hopeful a few other favorite people will be joining us.
Thanksgiving dinner is somewhat challenging because The Bibbed Wonder and The Bean are such picky pains in the aszzzzz….I mean, they have definite opinions about what they like and dislike. For example, they don’t like pie. No pumpkin, apple, or pecan pies are welcome at our meal. Who doesn’t like pumpkin pie? It’s the crowning glory of the Thanksgiving meal. Who turns up their nose at tradition, utter deliciousness, and the pinnacle of the holiday? My two goobers, that’s who.
They also don’t like cranberry sauce…sheer blasphemy! They won’t touch a sweet potato or yam and wait for it; THEY DON’T LIKE TURKEY! WTF is wrong with these people? How can they be related to me? I feel like I live with strangers during the holiday season. Every Thanksgiving, I question my life choices. I live with Thanksgiving party poopers. Yes, dear reader, they poop on my Thanksgiving party. Every. Single. Year.
Every October, I begin contemplating purchasing a turkey for our Thanksgiving meal. I like to buy a local farm-raised turkey if I can find one. However, there are years when Butterball has to suffice. Every October, my bib overall wearing wonder buns fusses about turkey for Thanksgiving. He yammers, “Nobody likes dry anything! I don’t like turkey! Why can’t we just cook a big chicken?” Seriously, when was the last time you heard someone refer to their Thanksgiving chicken? Who even says that with a serious face? It is ridiculousness, is what it is! I live with ridiculous turkey-hating, party-pooping boobs.
They make outlandish requests for foods like chicken, green beans not in casserole form, gob cake, and deviled eggs. I simply don’t know how I survive life with these two. It’s a challenge. I make concessions on some things. I mean, it’s their holiday, too; I at least try to make them happy and less party pooper-y. I always make deviled eggs for them. It’s an appetizer; I feel like there is some flexibility with appetizers. I will also make a gob cake for one gob cake eating turkey, The Bean. This girl can eat her weight in gob cake. However, that is where my diplomacy ends.
I will not cook chicken for Thanksgiving. I will not not make all the traditional sides. There will be turkey, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sausage stuffing, green bean casserole, brussel sprouts, jello salad, coleslaw, rolls, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin roll. Not having any of those dishes is just unacceptable. One can only compromise so much, and then one loses one’s integrity as a Thanksgiving-celebrating American. Seriously, chicken for Thanksgiving? So unacceptable!
The one dish we can all agree upon for Thanksgiving is sausage stuffing. Eric’s brother-in-law handed down this recipe, and it is delicious. Of course, anything with sausage is a hit in The Bibbed Wonder’s book. Even my bean, who is Grinch-like regarding holiday food, likes sausage stuffing. Per request of one bib overall wearing wonder buns, I share our family’s favorite sausage stuffing recipe with you. Enjoy!
Keith’s Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 Package Dried Seasoned Cubed Stuffing Mix (I like Pepperidge Farms)
1 Shallot Finely Chopped
2 Medium Granny Smith Apples Finely Chopped
1 Small Can of Mushrooms
Poultry Seasoning to Your Liking
1 Can of Chicken Broth
1 lb. of Loose Bulk Sausage
2 Stalks of Celery Finely Chopped
Directions:
Prepare stuffing mix as directed on the package.
Brown the sausage.
Cook shallots, celery, and mushrooms until the shallot is translucent.
Mix the prepared stuffing, sausage, celery, mushrooms, and shallot.
Add the broth, poultry seasoning, and apples. Mix thoroughly.
Add to a prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until heated through; serve hot.
I hope you enjoy our family’s favorite sausage stuffing. It’s the one dish we can agree upon and enjoy. Although I will continue to struggle with my Thanksgiving party pooping, blue-eyed boobies, I hope you and your family have a blessed, love-filled, full-tummy holiday.
On this last Friday before Turkey Day, you see that it’s called TURKEY DAY, not Chicken Day; sigh, stay safe, be smart, enjoy good food that is holiday appropriate, and keep washing your hands.
FYI: our Buy Two Get One Free Sale continues through Sunday at Midnight.