Classic Bread Stuffing With Variations - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
2 large celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
9 cups soft breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Melt butter in 4 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Cook celery and onion in butter, stirring occasionally, until tender; remove from heat.
Toss celery and onion mixture and remaining ingredients.
Use to stuff one 10 to 12 pound turkey.
To bake separatly from turkey: Grease a 13x9 baking dish, put stuffing in dish, cover, and bake at 325\u00b0 for 30 minutes. Uncover, baste with turkey drippings or chicken broth to keep stuffing moist and continue baking for 15 minutes.
Apple-Raisin Stuffing: Increase salt to 1 1/2 tsps. Add 3 cups finely chopped apples and 3/4 cups raisins with the remaining ingredients and make recipe as directed above.
Corn Bread Stuffing: Substitute corn bread cubes for the regular bread and make recipe as directed above.
Mushroom Stuffing: Cook 2 cups sliced mushrooms with the celery and onions and make recipe as directed above.
Oyster Stuffing: Add 2 (8 ounce) cans oysters, drained and chopped, or 2 cups shucked oysters, drained and chopped, with remaining ingredients and make recipe as directed above.
Sausage Stuffing: Omit salt. Cook 1 pound bulk pork sausage in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain, reserving drippings. Substitute drippings for part of the butter. Add cooked sausage with the remaining ingredients and make recipe as directed above.