How to make stuffing:
1. Cook vegetables, fruits, herbs and/or meat in butter, then add broth.
2. Toss with beaten eggs and cubed bread.
3. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter or drippings. Bake, covered, at 375 degrees F, 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes (or cook the cooled stuffing in the turkey).
Yield: Each recipe serves 8 and is enough to fill a 12-14 pound turkey.
1. Classic Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes. (Or stuff in your turkey and bake.)
2. Apple-Herb Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1), cooking 2 chopped apples with the onions.
3. Cranberry-Apple Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1), cooking 2 chopped apples and 1 cup dried cranberries with the onions.
4. Cranberry-Nut Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1), cooking 2 chopped pears and 1 cup dried cranberries with the onions. Toss in 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans with the bread.
5. Apricot-Hazelnut Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1) with chopped leeks instead of onions. Toss in 1 1/2 cups diced dried apricots and 1 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts with the bread.
6. Caramelized Onion Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1), tossing in 2 cups caramelized onions and 3/4 cup grated parmesan with the bread. Top with more parmesan before baking.
7. Bourbon-Pecan Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1), adding 2 chopped pears, 1 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup bourbon to the cooked vegetables; simmer 2 minutes before adding the broth.
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8. Potato Bread Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1) with cubed potato bread instead of white bread.
9. Apple-Fennel Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1) with potato bread. Use diced fennel bulb instead of celery. Cook 1 cup each chopped apples and dried cranberries with the onions and fennel.
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10. Oyster Make Classic Stuffing (No. 1) with potato bread. Add 1 tablespoon Old Bay instead of sage; add 1/4 cup dry vermouth and 1/2 cup oyster juice with the broth. Toss in 1 pound shucked oysters with the bread.
