Garlic and Herb Compound Butter…

July 9, 2020youbetchcanmakethis Leave a comment

A while back I had an out of town guest and I decided to make a special dinner for her, steak and lobster. I have a lobster recipe on this blog entitled Quick And Easy Lobster Tails, and as for the filet that recipe is yet to be posted. My guest turned me on to something that took the steak we had over the top. She mentioned that one of her favorite restaurants is Ruth Chris Steak House and said when they serve steaks they top them with a compound butter. I never tried that before but I can tell you if you want to be in steak heaven just put a pat of this compound butter on your next steak and you’ll never go back to plain old steak again!

This recipe couldn’t be any simpler and the flavor of this butter is a garlicky and herb heaven. The hardest part of the recipe is waiting for the butter to soften to room temperature. Then you simply add all the ingredients, mix, roll a log, refrigerate and serve once it’s firm again.

So lets talk garlic and herb compound butter…

Lesson Learned 1 – The butter must be room temperature soft: This means the butter must be mushy. The only way you’ll be able to evenly incorporate the ingredients is by making sure the butter is completely soft. You want the ingredients to be evenly incorporated throughout the butter as there is a lot of garlic in this recipe and you don’t want to wind up with big pockets of garlic and very little herbs.

Lesson Learned 2 – Don’t add any salt to this recipe: I recommend using salted butter for this recipe so there is no need to add any additional salt. If you add salt it may become overpowering. If you want to add some heat to this butter add some cracked black pepper or a very small amount of red pepper flakes but don’t overdo.

Lesson Learned 3 – This compound butter can be used in a variety of ways: Not only will this compound butter give you the most delicious steak you’ve ever tasted but it is fabulous for making garlic bread or putting on a baked potato. If you plan on doing a vegetable saute you can use this butter instead of an oil and it will wildly enhance the flavor of the veggies. Or just steam your veggies and put a pat of this butter on top.

Lesson Learned 4 – Don’t make this butter if you don’t like garlic: This butter has a healthy dose of grated garlic in it and the flavor is very robust. If you don’t like garlic you won’t like this compound butter. I recommend using fresh cloves of garlic and a grater to process the garlic. Grating fresh garlic, in my estimation, allows the full garlic flavor to shine through.

Lesson Learned 5 – The ingredient amounts in the recipe are a guideline: The beauty of this butter is that you can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste. If you don’t want the butter quite as garlicky then use a little less. If you want a little more flat leaf parsley, feel free to add it. When I make this butter I normally just eyeball what I put in always erring on a little less until I mix everything together and see what I’ve got. The flavor combinations are really all up to you.

And that’s it. I am originally from Chicago and there was an Italian restaurant on the North Side that made the best garlic bread. Since moving away from Chicago I have not been able to find anything close to that garlic bread – until now! This butter slathered on top of a sliced baguette and baked in the oven (I bake it in my toaster oven) is simply divine. And when I pull this bread out of the oven I take some more of the butter and let it melt on top of the warm bread. I guarantee you it will be garlic bread heaven!

So try this compound butter and let me know what you think. These days I am never without a stick of it in my refrigerator!

Garlic And Herb Compound Butter...

Servings: 10-12
Time: 10 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
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INGREDIENTS:

1 stick softened salted butter

4-5 medium cloves of garlic, grated

1 Generous TB chopped chives,

1 Generous tsp. chopped flat leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients until well mixed. Place softened butter in the center of a piece of clear plastic wrap. Fold one side of the plastic wrap over the butter and roll the butter back and forth until it forms a log. Use the remaining plastic wrap to completely seal the rolled log. Chill until firm. Serve with steak, on bake potatoes, or garlic bread. Actually the possibilities are endless.

Parmesan And Garlic Herb Baked Cod…

February 7, 2019February 7, 2019youbetchcanmakethis Leave a comment

Fish has become a staple in our household. Years ago I hardly ever made fish – I was too afraid of it and frankly not all that enamored with it. But now it has become a mainstay in our diet. Not only is it good for you but there are also a variety of ways to cook fish that make it super delicious. This recipe is one of those.

I’ve mostly cooked cod, red snapper, halibut, tilapia, trout, swordfish, and salmon. The main kind of fish I cook for me and my husband is salmon. I’ve got cooking salmon down to such a science that if I prepare it a certain way it always comes out perfect. This is a recipe for cod and I am still perfecting my cod prowess. But I made this the other night and it turned out wonderful so now I have a baseline to work from.

So let’s talk Parmesan and garlic herb baked cod…

Lesson Learned 1 – Cod is plentiful, easy to find and a great choice for this type of recipe: Whenever I go to the grocery store I can always get salmon, tilapia (although lately I’ve shied away from this because of everything that has been written about it) or cod. Finding other fish can be iffy for me. Trout is somewhat plentiful, halibut and red snapper are iffy (and halibut is very expensive) and swordfish I normally can only find frozen. But I’m in Colorado and not near the ocean so I’m sure in various parts of the country availability of various types of fish is much different.

I’d like to stop for a moment here and talk about frozen fish. Years ago frozen fish was not very good. The freezing process tended to dry out the fish and so you basically started out with dry fish once it was thawed – not good. Today the flash freezing methods they use keep the fish extremely fresh which makes frozen fish rival fresh fish and at a much better price. So don’t be afraid of frozen fish anymore.

The Herb Mixture

I also found that thawing frozen fish matters. I’ve been in a hurry and just put the frozen fish on the counter to thaw. That tends not to be a recommended process but when you’re in a hurry you do what you can do. But I found that if I thaw the fish in the refrigerator overnight the fish tends not to dry out in the baking process. Now I’m not sure if that’s true or if it’s just me, but I recommend thawing your fish overnight in the refrigerator if you can.

I found a package of six flash frozen 4-5 ounce cod pieces at Whole Foods at a great price. But cod is easy to find just about anywhere and often you can find it fresh. And no matter what way you make it, cod is the type of fish that easily takes on any flavor palate you choose. That’s what makes it so versatile.

One last point – don’t be afraid to let the fish sit outside of the refrigerator a bit before you bake it. I normally let my fish sit out for about one half hour. That way some of the chill is taken out of the fish. I find it bakes better that way.

Lesson Learned 2 – The art of cooking fish: As I mentioned earlier, I used to shy away from fish and one of the main reasons why was the fear of over or under cooking it. And when you have two pieces of halibut that cost over $20 you really don’t want to mess up. But even if you pay much less, cooking fish can be tricky and if you have enough failures you may just say enough is enough. But don’t do that. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll make great fish meals more and more.

If you’re really nervous just keep in mind that baked cod should be cooked to an internal temperature of 155 degrees. To test the temperature just use a food thermometer and stick it in the thickest part of the fish keeping the tip near the center of the filet. I’ve cooked fish enough that I’ve learned to eyeball it by either looking at the sides to see how opaque the color of the fish is or by sticking a fork on the edge to see if it’s flaky. But that skill comes with time and I recommend using a food thermometer if you’re new at it.

And while we’re talking food thermometer I would recommend getting a good one. The more inexpensive ones can work but they can register temperatures incorrectly, especially over time. Invest in a good food thermometer and it will become you’re best friend.

Ready To Go Into The Oven

Lesson Learned 3 – Grate your own Parmesan for this recipe: There is a BIG difference between jarred Parmesan cheese and grating your own. First the quality of the cheese can be much better as you choose what kind of Parmesan wedge you’ll use. Second the consistency is different. Homemade grated Parmesan tends to have slightly bigger pieces, tastes more robust and stands up better to the melting process in the oven. Now I know it takes a little extra time to do it but it is so worth it. I just zip out my little mini food processor, cut my Parmesan into small pieces and let the food processor do the rest. It’s so easy really and so worth it. I always make more than I need and use it for other things. Once you grate your own you may find that you’ve become a Parmesan snob and always grate your own versus buying it in the jar. It wouldn’t surprise me.

And that’s basically it. The recipe I am sharing is for two but you can certainly make more – just increase the amounts for the mayonnaise mixture. Also if you use larger sized filets you’ll need to increase the baking time. I served this with my cinnamon roasted butternut squash, a side salad and some garlic knots. It was a fantastic meal. Try it and tell me what you think!

Parmesan And Garlic Herb Baked Cod...

Servings: 2
Time: 20-25 Minutes Including Prep
Difficulty: Easy
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INGREDIENTS:

2 four to five ounce cod filets

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 scallion chopped, including the green parts (you can substitute 2 Tbs. shallots)

1 garlic clove, grated

1 Tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. Place the cod filets on the foil and set aside.

In a small bowl mix together the remaining ingredients. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the fish. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the fish starts to look opaque and will flake.

If you desire the topping to be more browned, at 8 minutes switch the oven to broiler and brown the tops of the fish until lightly golden (not longer than 2 minutes). Remove from oven and serve.

Mustard Herb Salmon With Oven Roasted Butternut Squash…

September 6, 2017youbetchcanmakethis 2 Comments

Although this recipe may sound difficult it is incredibly simple to make. Even non-fish lovers will find this recipe hard to resist. Couple that with delectable butternut squash and being able to cook both at the same time – well the result is you have one heck of any unbelievably easy, flavorful meal!

My husband and I have been trying to incorporate more fish into our diet and salmon is one of our favorites for a few reasons: 1.) It has a nice, mild, non-fishy flavor, 2.) Salmon is a reasonably priced fish, and 3.) Salmon can be made in a wide variety of ways. And what can I say about butternut squash? When you roast it the sides caramelize and give a nutty/sweet flavor to the squash. You definitely can’t beat that!

So, lets talk mustard herbed salmon with roasted butternut squash…

Lesson Learned 1 – Use a piece of salmon that is at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick at its widest part. A thinner piece will not stand up to this roasting time. You want the fish to flake but you don’t want it to dry out. My husband and I tend to opt for approximately 4 ounces each and you can go up to 6 ounces. Just make sure that the filet is not thicker than two inches at the widest part or thinner than 1 1/2 inches. The length of the piece does not matter.

Also keep in mind the cost of your filets will be less if you buy them with the skin on. For this recipe I remove the skin. As long as you have a sharp boning knife that should not be a problem whatsoever.

2. Choose any herb blend you think will work well with salmon: I used a Tuscan Garlic Seasoning Blend. It contains onion, garlic, spicy red pepper and lemon peel. I like it because it gives a gentle spicy kick to the salmon. If you’re not sure what to use read the label on the jar your considering. Quite often it will tell you whether it works best with meat, poultry or fish. Think of the herbs you enjoy and find a blend that resembles that. Or mix up a blend of your own.

When using herbs in any recipe always start from the standpoint that less is more. With the herb blend that I use if you add too much the salmon gets overpowered and the fish is too spicy, at least for us. I’ve found that as you repeatedly make a recipe you get a good feel for the amount of herbs to add. I lightly coat the mustard with the herbs and the combination of both gives a wonderful zing to the fish. So start out with less, you can always add more.

Lesson Learned 3 – Cut the butternut squash into 1 inch square pieces: Now I know that is easier said than done and there will be variances in your pieces but you want to make sure the pieces are large enough so the squash cooks through but does not become mushy. The beauty of this recipe is that you can roast both the fish and squash together, albeit you put the squash in the oven ten minutes prior to the fish. That way they are both ready to come out of the oven at the same time. Here’s at tip – check out any pre-prepared butternut squash you might find in your grocery store. I can get squash that is already peeled and cut into large chunks. I only have to do minimal prep when I buy my squash that way. Believe me, it saves a lot of time and effort.

I normally roast the fish on the middle rack of the oven on a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. I roast the squash on the lower rack, also on a foil lined baking sheet. Because I use olive oil in the prep of the squash there is no need to use cooking spray on that sheet pan.

Lesson Learned 4 – My secret for getting a nice caramelized squash – don’t flip it: So many recipes tell you to flip the squash half way through the roasting process. I found that if you don’t you get one side with a gorgeous caramelization, sort of like creating a crust on each piece. That caramelization provides a sweeter taste that permeates the entire piece. So be brave, don’t flip the squash. I guarantee you’ll love it!

As I mentioned earlier, the beauty of this recipe is that you can prep both the fish and squash and roast them together in the oven at the same temperature. How easy is that. This is one of my go-to week night meals and if you try it, I’m sure it’ll be one of yours as well. Enjoy!

Mustard Herb Salmon With Oven Roasted Butternut Squash

Servings: 2
Time: 45 Minutes Including Prep
Difficulty: Medium
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INGREDIENTS:

Mustard Herb Salmon:

2 four to six ounce salmon filets, skin removed

2 tsp. dijon mustard, I use Grey Poupon

1/2-1 tsp. herb blend, I used tuscan garlic blend

Olive oil cooking spray

Roasted Butternut Squash:

12 oz. butternut squash cut into 1 inch. cubes (I get mine pre -packaged and cut)

1 Tbs. dried thyme (you can use a little more if you need to evenly apply it to the squash)

Garlic infused olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat salmon dry and place it on a foil lined backing sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Dollop one tsp. of dijon mustard on each piece. Spread the mustard to coat the entire top of the salmon. Sprinkle the herb blend over the mustard. Set aside.

Place squash pieces on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the squash. With your hands mix the squash pieces to make sure all are covered with the olive oil. Spread the pieces apart so they do not touch. Sprinkle pieces with salt, pepper and thyme.

Place the squash on the bottom rack and roast for 10 minutes prior to putting the salmon in the oven. After 10 minutes put the salmon on the center rack in the oven and roast both the salmon and squash for and additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

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Herb Roasted New Potatoes…

July 7, 2015January 17, 2017youbetchcanmakethis Leave a comment

As you can imagine, I check out a lot of food blogs to see what others are making. I am impressed by the skill and creativity I see in a lot of them. And I say to myself, why can’t I be like that? But I am who I am, and what I make is based on my upbringing, my tastes, and sometimes even an adventurous spirit. But by and large, I am a pretty simple cook who likes to make simple things and be very successful at doing so.

Don’t get me wrong, my palate has matured over the years and I now enjoy many things I never would have dreamed of eating when I was younger. But when push comes to shove I’m basically a meat and potatoes girl (as is reflected by my recipes). So this recipe will come as no surprise.

I like this recipe both for it’s simplicity and its flavor. Plus during the summer months I grow a lot of herbs and am always looking for ways use my fresh herbs in recipes. So this one fits the bill. I used my flat leaf parsley and lemon thyme as well as garlic to provide the aromatics. I love the added boost of the lemon thyme, but if you don’t have it or can’t find it, you can achieve the same affect by adding some lemon wedges to the roasting process. All in all, the hardest part of this recipe was making sure I didn’t slice the potatoes all the way through but just deep enough so they would fan out slightly. The rest was a breeze.

Lesson Learned 1 – Know your oven: I researched similar recipes to mine and many of them suggested baking the potatoes for an hour at 350. That would never work for me. At high altitude you often have to set your oven temperature higher and cook things longer. I set my oven temperature at 375 and for the last ten minutes cranked it up to 400. Next time I make this recipe I will start at 400 degrees and check the potatoes after 45 minutes. For me, I am thinking that 400 degrees for an hour will be optimum. At sea level, I would suggest starting at 375 and checking the potatoes for doneness at 45 minutes. If they are not done, make a decision from there whether to cook them longer at the same temperature or to crank up the oven. Keep in mind the size of the potatoes matter. New potatoes are small but can still vary in size and that will affect the roasting time. The larger the new potatoes the longer the roasting time. Check your potatoes at 45 minutes and plan for at least an hour. That way you won’t go wrong.

Lesson Learned 2 – Don’t throw out the garlic: I recommend using a full head of garlic when roasting the potatoes (you can even use more if you like). You don’t need to peel it, just cut off a small portion of the top. It will not only provide a delightful aromatic during the roasting process, but will also give you sweet soft garlic cloves that you can either spread directly on bread or use with butter to make a garlic herb butter that’s great for making garlic bread. You get that extra added benefit with this recipe.

If you like rich, creamy potatoes infused with an herb and garlic flavor, this recipe is for you. Let me know what you think about the recipe after you make it.

Herb Roasted New Potatoes…

Servings: 4
Time: 75 Minutes Including Prep
Difficulty: Easy
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INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed

1/4 cup olive oil (I used garlic infused olive oil)

2 Tbs. melted butter

1 Large head of garlic, top trimmed

1 – 2 Tbs. chopped flat leaf parsley

4 – 6 sprigs lemon thyme (if using regular thyme cut up half a lemon into wedges and add)

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 (for high altitude 400 degrees). Melt the butter and add the olive oil to it. Cut slits into the potatoes being careful not to slice them all the way through. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan (I lined my with foil, but that is discretionary). Put the garlic head in the middle of the potatoes. Baste the potatoes and garlic with half of the butter/olive oil mixture. Sprinkle the potatoes with the chopped parsley and place the thyme sprigs in between the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Half way through the roasting process baste the potatoes with the remaining butter/olive oil mixture. Check the potatoes for doneness at 45 minutes. If they do not appear to be almost fork tender raise the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees and roast at least an additional 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Serve immediately.

Herb Roasted New Potatoes

Lemon Chicken With Garlic And Capers…

January 7, 2015January 15, 2017youbetchcanmakethis Leave a comment

If you happen to glance at my recipe page and notice a plethora of chicken recipes there’s a reason for that. I simply love chicken, no two ways about it. A lot of people blog a wide variety of recipes. I simply blog recipes that I like. If my recipes don’t fit the bill for you, no worries. There are so many websites to choose from these days so I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for if it’s not here.

Not only do I blog recipes that I like, but also ones that are simple but can challenge you in some regard to move yourself out of your comfort zone. My goal is to be your test kitchen by doing the work up front and giving you insights on how to be successful. I wished for a long time that I had someone who would do that for me. It can get frustrating when you fail to get things right time after time. So hopefully I can demystify a few things for you, and I hope I can learn some things from you as well.

So back to this chicken recipe. It’s relatively simple. What takes the most time is the prep. But I love to prep. Chopping, mincing, dicing, slicing – it’s therapeutic for me. Don’t let the prep make you shy away from making this. So much can be done ahead and then once it’s time to cook, everything goes relatively quickly. I made this with a brussels sprouts, pancetta and sun-dried tomato side and it was a little tricky balancing the steps between both. But it was all worth it when my husband kept saying, “This dinner is really good.” Enjoy this recipe and my lessons learned…

Lesson Learned 1 – Cooking with lemon slices: First you need to slice the lemon into even-sized thin rounds. The best way to do this is with a mandolin slicer. In a past recipe I spent quite a bit of time talking about how great a mandolin slicer can be and also how dangerous it can be to use. Just be careful when you use one. But as you can see from the picture, the mandolin will give you even-sized thin rounds.

In the recipe you actually sauté the lemon rounds. It gives the chicken and sauce a delightful flavor and also serves as a garnish for the chicken when you serve it. The trick is to cook them quickly, no longer than about 45 seconds. Once you notice the lemons starting to turn brown, as you can see in the picture to the right, remove them from the pan. You want them to be slightly browned but you don’t want them to loose their shape or too much of their sections.

Lesson Learned 2 – Make sure the chicken breasts are no thicker than 3/4 inch: The thin breasts cook quickly, about 4 minutes per side. I took regular chicken breasts and with a sharp knife cut them in half. That gave me 3/4 inch pieces. You can also take a breast and pound it out to that thickness and then cut it into portion size pieces. Whatever is easier.

Lesson Learned 3 – Be organized when making this recipe: I like this recipe not only because it’s flavorful, and believe me it is, but because once you’re done with the prep, the rest is a breeze and goes quite quickly. But the trick is to be organized and have everything prepped up front. I systematically go through the list of ingredients and see what needs to be done with each. Then I put each ingredient into little prep bowls and set them aside until it’s time to use them. Just be careful, you don’t want to prep some things too far ahead. Something like flat leaf parsley that you use for a garnish is best prepped right before you want to use it. If I’m not sure about something I prep it, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator until it’s time to start cooking. I am not suggesting doing your prep hours in advance. I normally start, depending upon the requirements of the recipe, about an hour before I plan on cooking it. The key is to have everything chopped, diced, sliced, etc., before you start. You will have no time to do this work once you start the cooking process.

Now that I come to think of it, this really applies to any recipe. It is so important to understand it and stick to the process, especially when you’re learning to maneuver your way around a kitchen. Ready recipes thoroughly (at least twice all the way through), understand the terminology, prep ahead and go through the process as designed. This will help to ensure your success with any recipe.

I really like this recipe and will definitely make it often. I hope you try it and let me know what you think.

Lemon Chicken With Garlic And Capers

Servings: 4
Time: 50 Minutes Including Prep
Difficulty: Easy
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INGREDIENTS:

2 small lemons cut into thin rounds

1 1/2 tsp. of sugar

4 cloves of garlic, halved

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 3/4 of an inch thick

2-3 Tbs. olive oil (I used garlic infused olive oil)

2 Tbs. butter

2 tsp. grated shallot

1/2 tsp. grated garlic

1/2 tsp. dried oregano (use can use 1 fresh spring as well)

1 fresh thyme sprig (you can use dried – I preferred to have at least one herb fresh)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 tsp. flour

1 Tbs. capers, drained and rinsed

flat leaf parsley for garnish, optional

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Slice the lemons and combine in a bowl with the sugar and garlic. Set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium high heat add the oil. Swirl to coat the pan. Add the chicken to the pan and cook about 4 minutes each side. Remove the chicken front the pan, put on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

If needed, add some oil to the pan and add the lemon mixture. Cook stirring occasionally until the lemons start to turn a light brown. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

Add 1 1/2 tsp. butter to the pan and once melted add the grated shallots, grated garlic and herbs. Cook for about a minute. Add the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and stir for about a minute, just to remove any floury taste. Add the chicken stock and whisk while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to whisk until the liquid has thickened and reduced by a third. Remove herb sprig(s) from pan. Add a remaining butter and capers. Stir until the sauce gets shiny. Add the chicken and lemons back into the pan. Cover the chicken with the sauce, cover the pan and cook for and additional 2-3 minutes. Serve garnished with flat leaf parsley.

The Best Holiday Stuffing…

January 3, 2015December 24, 2016youbetchcanmakethis 2 Comments

I know both Christmas and New Years are over and it’s time to move on to non-holiday recipes. But I just have to blog this one, mainly because I want to make sure I chronicle the recipe for my future use. Most people are pretty fussy about stuffing. My mom made a stuffing that I just loved but did I ever write down the recipe – well of course not. And try as I may I could never replicate it. So for years I have tried various recipes without much success. I just wasn’t satisfied with what I made. This year it was different. I actually put together a stuffing recipe that I loved and although it is not my mom’s it will be the recipe that I use.

The stuffing is a delightful combination of “the trinity”, which is onions, celery and carrots along with sage breakfast sausage, egg bread and herbs. It was a hit at the dinner table and made great leftovers. The guests at my holiday dinner asked if they could have some to take home. Now that is the mark of a good stuffing recipe. I was so happy to finally create a stuffing that I actually enjoyed and will make again. And I learned a few lessons while making it…

Lesson Learned 1 – Make it the day before: I will share a secret with you. When I first made it and tasted it I thought, ugh… this one’s not going to thrill me. But I made it a day ahead of time and let it sit the refrigerator until the following day. When I tasted it the next day it was unbelievably good. I would not recommend making this stuffing the day of your holiday feast. The flavors in this recipe need time to get fully acquainted. It makes all the difference. And, if you are planning a holiday feast, how good is it to be able to make something in advance so that you are not scrambling around on the big day. With this recipe you put it all together, let it sit over night, and then take it out and let it get to room temperature before baking it in the oven.

I also like this recipe because it bakes at 350. I do not have a double oven and so I planned my holiday dinner with dishes that could all be made at the same temperature, including the turkey. This stuffing recipe made my meal preparation easier. I was able to make it a day ahead and bake it in the oven with the turkey. You can’t beat that!

Lesson Learned 2 – Use a good quality egg bread: Like anything else, the quality of what you put into a recipe will determine the quality of what comes out of it. Most recipes call for just plain white bread. I used a egg bread, called a shepherds bread, and it was divine. But if all you have is white bread, use it. I had some extra white bread that I also cubed and I didn’t think it toasted as well as the egg bread. As a matter of fact, the crust burned on many of the pieces. I wound up picking them out and discarding them.

But please, don’t use the prepackage stuffing cubes you find in bags at the grocery store. I’ve never had any luck with those, and who knows what they put in them to get them to last as long as they do. It takes no time to cut the bread into cubes and toast them in the oven. And the result is so much better.

Lesson Learned 3 – Dice the trinity into equal size pieces: Make sure to finely dice your onions, celery and carrots. If you do, it should take about 8 minutes for them to start to soften and begin to brown. Otherwise it will take a lot longer and chances are by the time your carrots are done your celery and onions will be overcooked.

Lesson Learned 4 – Use fresh herbs in the recipe: I use dried herbs all the time but I think fresh herbs do more to enhance the flavor of this recipe. If you can’t get them, you can use dried. Just remember that with dried herbs you always use less as their flavor is much more concentrated. If you use dried herbs, press the herbs into the palm of your hand with your fingers or slightly crush them with a mortar and pestle to release some of the oil in the herbs before you add them to the recipe. That being said, I still would opt for fresh herbs if at all possible.

Lesson Learned 5 – Cover the stuffing with foil for the first half of the baking process: This is more a matter of taste. I’ve always preferred a softer stuffing while some people prefer a crispy stuffing. I found that by covering the stuffing for the first half hour of baking you get a moist stuffing with just the right amount of crispiness on top. But if you like crispy stuffing, bake it uncovered for the entire hour. Just be sure that if you make this the day before you let the stuffing get to room temperature before baking it off in the oven. I took the stuffing out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 2 hours before I put it in the oven. The end result was perfect.

This recipe is not difficult to make and only tastes better the more time the ingredients meld. I’m so glad to have finally concocted a stuffing recipe that I like. Keep this one in your file for next year. You won’t be disappointed.

The trinity mixed with breakfast sausage…

The Best Holiday Stuffing

Servings: 16
Time: 2 Hours Total
Difficulty: Easy
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INGREDIENTS:

1 stick of butter, plus a little extra to coat the baking dish

16 cups of good quality egg bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 celery stalks finely diced

2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced

1 medium size sweet onion, finely diced

1 pound sage breakfast sausage

2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage

2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

2 – 3 cups unsalted stock (if you can find turkey stock use that. If not substitute chicken stock)

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes and spread out on a baking sheet. Toast for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally until lightly browned and crisp. Set aside to cool.

Finely dice the celery, carrots and onion. In a large deep skillet melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, pour half of it into a dish and set aside. Add the celery, carrots and onions to the pan and cook over medium high heat until they soften and begin to turn brown. Scrap the vegetables into a bowl and set aside. Add the sausage into the skillet, breaking it up into pieces. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through.

While the sausage is cooking, chop the sage and thyme and set aside. Grease a large 9 x 13 baking dish with butter and set aside. When the sausage is done cooking, add back the vegetables, sage and thyme. Cook for about 1 minute to incorporate the herbs. Add 1 cup of the broth and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Cook until the broth is nearly evaporated, approximately 5 minutes.

Scrape the sausage mixture into a large bowl. Add the toasted bread cubes and remaining stock. Stir until the bread is moistened. Season with salt and pepper. Spread into the prepared baking dish and brush the top with the reserved melted butter.

(Here is where you stop if you are making this ahead. Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate. Take the pan out of the refrigerator at least two hours before baking it in the oven. Remove the foil and cover with plastic wrap while it is coming to room temperature).

Cover the stuffing with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the stuffing is heated through and browned. Let the stuffing stand for 10 minutes before serving.