Best Stuffing Recipe Ever

When I got married I had absolutely no idea that there were people who did not eat what I considered to be "traditional" Thanksgiving stuffing.

My mom always made bread stuffing with great spices. Sometimes she'd add oysters (not so traditional), which I Ioved but she always had to make a separate batch for members of the family who didn't think oysters should go in a turkey!

Well, then I met my husband. His wonderful family was Jewish and they always made their stuffing with matzo. Just the thought of it scared the heck out of me. "What, mess with my Thanksgiving?" Afterall, the real Thanksgiving only came once a year. My stuffing was important to me. But, we had just started dating and I had to be good when it came to his family.

He assured me that "once I tried matzo stuffing, I'd never go back". I was skeptical but he was RIGHT! Matzo stuffing has been my tradition ever since.

Now, I've got to admit that it doesn't necessarily make a pretty picture when you first see it but the flavor...oh the taste of it...makes it the Best Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe ever.

So, here's how you make it.

Ingredients:

2 boxes of matzos, lightly salted

1 stick butter or margarine

1-2 cans chicken broth

1 bunch celery, with leaves

1 large onion

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

2 eggs

1 - 2 cups turkey drippings

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Using your hands, break up the Matzo in pieces about 1 to 2" square. Put it in a baking dish.

Melt the stick of butter i a large skillet on the stove using medium heat.

Put water in a blender about 2/3 full. Cut the celery into pieces about 4-6 inches long, place it in blender and grate until fine. Using a strainer, get out excess water and put in the skillet with the melting butter. Continue until all of the celery is ground, which will take 2 or 3 times.

Do the same for the large onion. Remove the brown outer skin, cut the onion in 2 to 4 pieces, place in blender with water and grind till fine. Strain and add to skillet. Sprinkle poultry seasoning onto the butter mixture and mix.

Pour butter mixture over the matzo and mix with a spoon. Open the can of chicken broth and pour over the matzo. Mix again. Beat the eggs slightly in a small bowl and add to the stuffing mixture.

Roast your turkey. When it's near being done, bake the stuffing for approximately 30 minutes. When you get your turkey out of the oven, pour the drippings in a saucepan to make gravy. Before making the gravy, though, remove 1-2 cups of the drippings and pour over your stuffing.

Serve the stuffing alongside slices of freshly roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, yam, peas and cranberry sauce. Put the gravy boat close by. Matzo stuffing tastes even better with gravy! Good Yontiff! (That's "Happy Holiday" in Yiddish.)

So, what is matzo and where do you get it?

Matzo is a cracker-like replacement for bread. It comes in thin, crisp sheets with lines perforating it. Matzo, unleavened bread, is part of the Jewish tradition of not partaking of yeast-based products during Passover season. It is so delicious that many people eat it year-round. There are a number of companies that make matzo, Manischewitz being one of the most popular.

If you live in regions with larger Jewish populations, your grocery store may have a Kosher section where matzo can be found. If not, small specialty groceries may carry it or you can order it online.

Sinea Pies is a freelance writer for a popular parenting magazine, social media manager and professional blogger. Please feel free to leave a comment or subscribe to her RSS feed to be updated on new hubs and articles that she publishes. Click for more: Sinea's profile