Ciabatta Bread Stuffing With Sausage And Herbs

November 6, 2018 by 6 Comments

ciabatta and sausage stuffing

Turkey time is here and now is the time to start planning our menus for the big Thanksgiving Day feast. We all have our tried and true recipes that we serve on that day the one’s that our families count on every year, and this is one of mine, my ciabatta bread stuffing with sausage and herbs.

You might think that I use Italian sausage but I don’t. This stuffing is made with good old Bob Evans breakfast sausage, it comes in a roll a pork sausage that’s flavored with sage and other ingredients, I use it every year in my stuffing and I dare not change it for fear of a revolt!

bread cubes

Ciabatta bread is the key to this stuffing, it gives it a nice rustic feel and texture, it’s crunchy and slightly chewy and it holds up well when broth is added to soften.

I like to prep things ahead of time doing as much as I can the day before. You can easily prep the bread which should be day old and not super fresh. After it gets cubed up it gets dried out in the oven on a low temp, then left out overnight.

breakfast sausage

The sausage of course can be cooked up in advance as well, drained on paper towels and when cooled placed into a container and put into the fridge.

 

celery and onions

The celery and onions also get prepped and sautéed with a stick of butter, cooled down then place into a zip bag ready to be thrown together with the other ingredients the next day.

ciabatta and sausage stuffing

The morning of Thanksgiving Day everything gets dumped into a nice big bowl for easy mixing with some additional added ingredients.

ciabatta and sausage stuffing

Once everything is throughly incorporated and mixed well it goes into a buttered casserole dish which is the way I prefer to make it, however feel free to stuff some into your turkey if that’s how you like it.

Over the years we’ve come to love making three whole breasts out on the grill, everyone in my family prefers white meat, so that gives us plenty for everyone to eat plus leftovers to take home and the bonus of freeing up my oven for the sides.

ciabatta and sausage stuffing

Crispy, crunchy bites that form all over the top, nicely seasoned with the perfect amount of moisture underneath it all, it’s delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving!

5.0 from 2 reviews
Ciabatta Bread Stuffing With Sausage And Herbs
 
Print
I usually double or triple this recipe for a crowd but I broke it down as best I could for you for one recipe.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1½ lb. ciabatta bread, the bottom sliced off if too crusty along with the ends with a serrated knife, then the remaining sliced into 1 inch cubes ( you could use 2 lbs. depending how much you want to make)
  • 1 lb. pork breakfast sausage, like Bob Evans in a roll preferably with extra sage
  • 1 quart box of stock, turkey or chicken, you might use more or less
  • 1 large onion, diced small
  • 6 ribs of celery with leaves, diced small
  • 1½ sticks, unsalted butter
  • 1 bunch parsley, chopped
  • 2 finely minced garlic cloves
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • dried sage, thyme, salt and pepper for seasoning
  • Sage leaves for garnish
Instructions
  1. PREPPING THE STUFFING THE DAY BEFORE:
  2. Place the cubed bread on a sheet pan and into the oven at 250, turning until all sides are very dried out, remove and set aside.
  3. In a large sauce pan melt the stick of butter add the onions, garlic and celery, sauté on low until soft, let it cool then place into a container or zip bag for the morning of Thanksgiving.
  4. In the same pan you cooked the celery and onions cook the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon and cooking until you see no pink. Place on paper towels to drain, let it cool then place into fridge in a container or zip bag.
  5. THE MORNING OF THANKSGIVING;
  6. In a very large bowl add the dried bread cubes, celery, onion and garlic mixture, chopped parsley and the cooked sausage.
  7. In a small sauce pan add the stock and additional ½ stick of butter, let the butter melt in the stock, don't boil it just warm it.
  8. Then cup by cup add the stock to the big bowl of stuffing ingredients, stirring until moistened not drenched in liquid. Remember you don't want a soggy, mushy stuffing, you want the bread to keep it's shape slightly.
  9. Start to add your dried sage, thyme, salt and pepper, this is a personal taste, so taste as you go everything is cooked.
  10. Start out with teaspoons then taste and stir, adding more, but always taste it.
  11. When you think the moisture is good enough and the seasoning just right stir in the egg until it's all incorporated throughly.
  12. Butter a 9x12 inch casserole dish with deep sides and pour the stuffing mixture into it.
  13. Heat oven to 375F
  14. Cover pan loosely with foil for around 30 minutes then uncover, garnish with sage leaves and let the top crisp up for an additional 20-30 minutes more.

 

 

Signature
6 Comments Filed Under: Breads, Fall, Side Dishes Tagged: , , , ,

Make Ahead Stress Free Thanksgiving Turkey Gravy

November 19, 2017 by 2 Comments

make ahead turkey gravy

Does the thought of making turkey gravy at the last minute stress you out while your guests are eagerly awaiting to eat? Years ago that was the part of Thanksgiving dinner that really stressed me out, gathering up all the drippings, maneuvering big pans, trying to skim off the fat of the drippings so it looked presentable in the gravy bowl.

Well have no fear, this is the solution, make ahead turkey gravy. You can make it days before and on Thanksgiving day just heat it up, no more fussing with the drippings trying to make a nice non lumpy, fat free gravy.turkey

Here’s how you do it!

Buy some turkey parts, they should be readily available around this time of year, a package of turkey wings or turkey legs, you don’t need much.

Here I used a combination of two wings and two drumsticks and placed them into a baking dish with aromatics, as shown above. Add in some herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and a little broth on the bottom, just a little.roasted turkey

Roast the turkey parts in the oven uncovered for around 1- 1 1/2 hours or until nicely golden brown, the house will start smelling good.turkey broth

Then take every bit of the turkey, the bones, the veggies, herbs and all the bits on the bottom of the pan that you scraped up and put them into a stock pot with enough broth to cover. I used turkey stock but chicken would be fine as well.

Simmer slowly for a couple of hours, you’ll see the turkey fall off the bones and the veggies super soft, then let it cool down.

Get yourself a nice mesh strainer, place it over a large bowl and ladle all that goodness into the strainer, turkey, veggies and all. Let all the juices drip through the strainer, helping the process by smashing down with the back of a spoon, you’ll  be surprised how much juice comes out of the vegetables and turkey.turkey drippings

Place your throughly strained drippings and broth into containers, then refrigerate it overnight.

By refrigerating it overnight you’ll be able to skim off all that fat that rises to the top ensuring a rich and fatty free velvety gravy.turkey gravy

 

Then it’s time to actually make the gravy that you’ll be serving to your guests and adorning your turkey, stuffing and potatoes with. Once you whisk it all up and it’s completely finished, cool it down and place into containers.

If it’s just a few days before Thanksgiving, refrigerate it, if a week or more before you can freeze it, taking it out the day before Thanksgiving to defrost, remember now your delicious turkey gravy is completely finished.turkey gravy

Then the best part is while your turkey is resting or being sliced you’ll have your beautiful gravy finished to perfection warming up on the stove!turkey gravy

No lumps, not fat rising to the top, no stress, just rich and wonderful turkey gravy, plenty for that day and for leftovers.turkey gravy

And lets face it there can never be enough gravy!

Follow me on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Make Ahead Stress Free Thanksgiving Turkey Gravy
 
Print
Author:
Ingredients
  • turkey parts, wings, legs or a combo of both
  • aromatics, garlic, carrot, onion, celery, sage, thyme
  • 3 boxes of turkey stock or chicken, low sodium
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • FOR THE GRAVY:
  • one half cup plus probably a couple more tablespoons ( see instructions) of Wondra brand, quick mixing flour if you can find it, if not, regular all purpose flour would be fine also
  • 1 stick butter, unsalted
  • 1 or 2 teaspoons of Gravy Master it's should be found in the spice aisle. (it's optional really, you don't need it but I grew up with this, it gives the gravy a richer deeper color)
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 375.F place turkey parts int a baking dish, not too deep, salt and pepper the parts and add aromatics like garlic, celery, onion and herbs.
  2. Drizzle with olive oil and pour a little broth in the bottom of the pan.
  3. Roast for maybe 1- 1½ hours or until nicely golden brown.
  4. Transfer everything into a stock pot, all the veggies, turkey and every bit of those drippings.
  5. Add enough stock to cover the parts, I added 2 boxes of turkey stock, but you can also use a mix with water or chicken stock. Don't drown it just cover it, add in some salt and pepper.
  6. Let it simmer slowly for around two hours partially covered, you'll see the meat fall off all the bones and the veggies will be super soft and fall apart.
  7. Let it cool down a bit then take a mesh strainer over a large bowl and throughly strain all the turkey and veggie contents, pressing down with the back of a spoon to help get all those tasty drippings into the bowl, take your time and let it all drip down.
  8. Pick on, feed to a dog or discard those solids that are left.
  9. Place strained broth/drippings into containers and refrigerate overnight so the fat can rise to the top.
  10. MAKING THE GRAVY;
  11. Skim the fat off the top of your broth before starting to make your gravy.
  12. You'll need two saucepans, one to warm up your broth so it's not ice cold then a separate one you place the stick of butter into to melt.
  13. When butter is melted whisk in ½ cup of flour, and keep whisking until it's nice and golden about a minute or two, then pour the warm broth in and keep whisking until its thickened to your liking. I ended up putting 2 additional heaping tablespoons of flour into mine. In a separate small bowl I placed the additional flour and enough water to make a non lumpy consistency then poured and whisked it into my gravy mixture to make it thicker which I needed.
  14. Taste for additional salt and peeper if needed.
  15. At this point you can refrigerate the gravy into a container in the fridge a few days before Thanksgiving or just freeze it and take it out to defrost the day before Thanksgiving, either way just heat up and serve while the turkey is resting and being sliced. The fuss and mess will be done ahead of time for you and you'll will be stress free at the crucial time before eating on the big day.
  16. NOTE;
  17. I ended up with 2 full quarts of gravy, which is more than enough and don't forget you could still save the drippings in the pan on Thanksgiving Day and make additional the next day or add to what you have left.
  18. Refer to my post for pictures, how many turkey parts I used and the amount of broth to achieve this.

 

Signature
2 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Meats, Sauces Tagged: , , , ,

Foolproof Grilled Turkey Breast with Butter and Herbs

November 12, 2017 by 19 Comments

grilled turkey breasts

Years ago we started adding a whole grilled turkey breast along with a whole roasted turkey on Thanksgiving. I have a nice size group with my brother and sister in law, their family and ours, but as time went on we started to realize everyone likes to eat only the white meat. When it came to leftovers for everyone to take home there would hardly be any white meat left, and no one wanted the dark.

So now we have it down to a science, three whole turkey breasts on the grill. For our family it works, the flavor is amazing, everyone loves it and there are plenty of leftovers for everyone, who by the way, always enter my home with to-go containers. Another big bonus to grilling turkey breast is that my oven is freed up for all the delicious sides.

Now this concept might not work for every family. I’ll be the first to admit that a traditional whole roasted turkey looks beautiful when pulled from the oven on Thanksgiving day and I know there are many dark meat lovers out there who look forward to it, but you might want to consider making an extra turkey breast just for leftovers to pass out.

Grilling a whole turkey breast is also great for a smaller group or if you just have a taste for turkey on the grill though out the year. It’s slathered with a garlic herbed butter, it’s so moist and juicy, never drys out and the grilled flavor takes it over the top, what’s not to like?

 

butter and herbs

Just like the song my herbs of choice are parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme and of course butter and garlic.foil pans

I buy the deep foil pans like the one on the right, the one on the left is too shallow, and I like to double them for extra stability.turkey breasts

I mix a compound butter with the herbs and garlic but then I like to half melt the already room temperature butter so it’s really soft and I can easily brush it over and under the skin.

grilled turkey breasts

The breasts get propped up in the pan by a ball of heavy duty tin foil that I form and position it underneath the cavity, otherwise the breast will not be stable and fall over. They don’t take long to cook at all, I think max is an hour and fifteen minutes for a six to seven pound breast and you can rest it for an hour tented with foil when its off the grill and it will still be hot.electric knife slice

We love, love, love to use an electric knife, it cuts the turkey like butter. Walk into any thrift store and you’ll find a bunch of them, they were very popular back in the day, not much any more but we use ours every Thanksgiving.sliced turkey breast

This is pure deliciousness and it looks pretty fanned out on your platter!Grilled turkey breast

If you’re wondering about gravy, well I make it a week ahead of time with some turkey wings that I pick up and roast, there are many recipes you can find on the web for make ahead gravy. I love making the gravy ahead of time, no stress, worrying and rushing around to make gravy at the last minute, just heat up and go. There will be drippings in the foil pan which I save or add to my already made gravy or to make more the next day.Thanksgiving

The food most definitely plays a staring role on Thanksgiving Day, but family is really what it’s all about!

Follow me on Instagram to see what I’m cooking up daily.

5.0 from 2 reviews
Foolproof Grilled Turkey Breast with Butter and Herbs
 
Print
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 6-7 lb whole bone in, cavity attached, skin on turkey breast
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 2 very finely chopped and smashed garlic cloves
  • a handful of fresh parsley and sage, chopped
  • a smaller handful of fresh rosemary and thyme, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • boxed low sodium turkey or chicken stock, so pan does not dry out on grill
  • 2 DEEP sided foil pans ( I like to double them for more strength) not the low half size lasagna pans.
Instructions
  1. BUTTER AND HERB MIXTURE
  2. In a bowl add the softened butter, garlic, all the herbs, salt and pepper, mix well together adding more herbs if you so desire.
  3. PREPARING THE TURKEY BREAST
  4. Take out turkey breast from fridge, wash and pat very dry, let it sit out for an hour before prepping it so it's not ice cold.
  5. Salt and pepper the whole bird, gently loosening the skin by sliding your fingers until you reach the end of the breast, be very careful not to tear the skin.
  6. Take some heavy duty foil and scrunch it into a ball and position it in the cavity of the turkey to give it stability in the pan so it doesn't fall over, this will keep it straight and upright.
  7. Slightly melt your butter mixture and brush it all over and under the breast lifting up the skin where you loosened it and slathering it all over.
  8. For a gas grill we keep the temperature heated to around 350 F. consistently, so that will require some constant checking to make sure it's in the zone more or less as close as you can.
  9. Place the doubled pan onto the grill no cover required because you'll be shutting the lid of the grill.
  10. Pour some chicken or turkey stock right into the bottom of the pan about ¼ inch deep, which you'll be checking every 20 minutes so as to not dry out, you want to maintain that ¼ inch dept.
  11. All burners are on because the turkey breast is in a pan and not directly touching the grill.
  12. The turkey is done when it reaches 165 F. in the thickest part of the breast meat using a meat thermometer.
  13. Start checking after 50 minutes depending on size of turkey and your outdoor grill.
  14. When it done remove from grill, tent with foil and let it rest at least ½ hour more more like an hour for easy and smooth slicing.
  15. If you can get yourself an electric knife it's life changing!
  16. Don't forget to have your make ahead gravy ready and warmed.
  17. Save the drippings from the pan for extra gravy the next day or to make soup from the carcass.
  18. I used a gas grill here but same method would work for charcoal grill as well.

 

Signature
19 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Meats, Poultry Tagged: , , ,

Brussels Sprouts, Italian Sausage and Balsamic Glaze

November 9, 2017 by 7 Comments

brussels sprouts and sausage

If brussels sprouts always seem to make an appearance on your holiday table then you’re in for a real treat with this delicious combination. Roasted brussels sprouts tossed together with the flavors of sweet Italian sausage flecked with fennel and spices and adorned with a rich, aged balsamic glaze.

This creation came to me last year by way of a friend and fellow blogger Lori, at Taste With The Eyes and I’ve been making it ever since. I served it for my family last Thanksgiving and I have to say not only does it taste amazing, it makes a gorgeous presentation on the table.brussels sprouts and sausage

Those of you who are on the fence about brussels sprouts I urge you to give this a try, the combination of the Italian sausage and the sweet balsamic glaze helps to cut the slight bitterness of the brussels sprouts, and roasting them heightens the flavor.

brussels sprouts and sausage

The holidays are upon us with Thanksgiving right around the corner so get out your prettiest platter out and grace your table with this amazing side dish!

Follow me on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week as well as this holiday season.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Brussels Sprouts, Italian Sausage and Balsamic Glaze
 
Print
Author:
Ingredients
  • Brussels sprouts, normal to small size
  • Italian sausage, sweet with fennel
  • Good quality balsamic glaze in a squeeze bottle for easy decorating
  • parsley
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Slice your sprouts in half lengthwise
  3. Toss sprouts with a good drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper
  4. Place onto a rimmed baking sheet cut side down and roast until tender and golden but not overcooked or too deep of a caramelization.
  5. In the meantime remove sausage from casing, place into a skillet on the stove and crumble it into bite size pieces.
  6. Cook sausage until completely done, remove and drain on paper towel.
  7. Toss the roasted sprouts with the cooked sausage, add some chopped parsley and place it all on a beautiful platter preferably with a rim so you can decorate it with the glaze.
  8. When your ready to serve and eat it drizzle some balsamic glaze all over the sprouts and sausage ( go light it's very potent, taste to see if it's to your liking) then decorate the rim of the platter with more of the glaze.
  9. NOTE:
  10. You can make this ahead of time and heat it up, everything EXCEPT the glaze, do that the last minute.
  11. Don't get too hung up about amounts just put it together, it all works!

 

Signature
7 Comments Filed Under: Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: , , ,

Butternut, Delicata, and Acorn Squash Gratin with Crispy Sage

October 16, 2015 by 25 Comments

winter squash gratin

Today I’m giving you a little inspiration for your Thanksgiving Day table, the holidays are right around the corner, so it’s time to start planning, can you believe it?

This deliciously creamy gratin combines three of my favorite winter squash, butternut, delicata and acorn.

winter squash gratin

They sit nice and pretty in a parmesan and garlic cream sauce and are adorned with crispy sage leaves, you couldn’t ask for a better combination of flavors!

winter squash

Besides tasting over the top amazing,  I love the presentation that happens by using the different squash shapes together.

winter squash

I pre-roasted my squash a little, then layered them into a buttered casserole dish.

winter squash gratin

The cream sauce is made ahead of time then carefully spooned all around the squash slices being careful to leave some squash peeking through, that’s what makes the presentation so pretty.

It’s a show stopper for the holiday season when we’re all allowed to indulge a little!

winter squash gratin

Wouldn’t this be dreamy sitting next to your Turkey this year?

Proud Italian Cook is on Instagram, follow me there to see what I’m cooking up daily!

5.0 from 4 reviews
Butternut, Delicata, and Acorn Squash Gratin with Crispy Sage
 
Print
A winter squash gratin, the perfect side dish for the holiday season or just to impress your guests.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 butternut squash, neck part only, skin removed, then cut into rounds
  • 1 delicata squash, skin on, then sliced into rings, remove pulp and seeds
  • 1 acorn squash, skin on, remove pulp and seeds, quarter it then make slices,
  • cut all squash about ¼ inch slices, not too thick and not too thin
  • 2 cups, heavy cream
  • 2 handfuls of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 2 finely grated garlic cloves, done on a microplane
  • ¾ stick of unsalted butter
  • 1 bunch of fresh sage leaves
Instructions
  1. I pre- roasted all the squash just to make sure it wouldn't be hard, on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, just until al dente, where it still had a little bite.
  2. After they cool place squash into a buttered 13x9 casserole dish. (these first two steps can be done the day before and refrigerated overnight, before adding cream sauce.) If you do it the day before, take it out and get it to room temp, before adding sauce.
  3. TO MAKE THE CREAM SAUCE:
  4. In a small sauce pan on low flame, add butter and garlic, just until garlic is fragrant, not brown, then add cream, salt and pepper too taste.
  5. Simmer cream sauce just until the edges start to bubble, then turn off the heat and let it set up for a minute.
  6. Add the Parmigiano, stir well, then spoon the cream sauce all around the squash in casserole dish, leaving some of the squash exposed but spreading it all around and in between.
  7. Place casserole dish into a 450 degree oven until bubbly and nicely golden, keep checking.
  8. Garnish with crispy sage leaves, by melting a tablespoon or two of butter in a small pan, when butter is hot throw the leaves in and they will start to sizzle and get crispy, remove immediately.

 

Signature
25 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: , , , , , ,

Last Minute Turkey Day Idea’s

November 19, 2010 by 25 Comments
By now most of you have your Thanksgiving Day meal all planned out, but if your still thinking about adding a few more dishes to your table you might want to try some of these idea’s from my archives. Enjoy!
Antipasto platters are always good, this one was actually purchased but you can easily put together your own with a few different things like assorted olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, cocktail onions, fresh boccochini balls tossed in pesto, grapes, nuts, and a few other cheese’s of your choice, serve with assorted crackers and some cold wine, this is always a big hit!

What can I say, we love Stuffed Artichokes and they are always present here during the holidays.

You have to have some kind of pasta on the side, no? Homemade Ravioli’s or buy some good Italian deli ones, I won’t tell!

Or how about a Meatball Lasagna, a little extra work making those tiny meatballs, but hey it’s a special day!

Butternut Squash Lasagna, my new favorite addition, you can’t go wrong with this, it’s so Thanksgiving like.

Or how about Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells filled with spinach and ricotta drizzled with a lemon sage butter sauce. Wouldn’t a couple of these look good on your plate sitting right next to your turkey?

Roasted Parmesan Creamed Onions, these are to die for, there’s nothing more to say!

Balsamic Glazed Onions, sweet and delectable little things!

Simple Roasted Carrots elevated up a notch with Shallots, Green Olives and a Gremolata sauce.
Roasted Balsamic Glazed Acorn Squash almost to pretty to eat, almost!

Cauliflower with Red Pepper roasted in olive oil with a crunchy coating of breadcrumbs, grated romano cheese and fresh snipped parsley, always a nice side dish.

And last but not least! I know pumpkin pie is always the star on Thanksgiving Day but how about adding in a
Sweet Ricotta Pie as another choice, it’s dreamy creamy filling of ricotta, chocolate chips, orange and cinnamon will be the perfect ending to your holiday meal.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Signature
25 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Seasonal Tagged: ,

Post Turkey Day Reflections 2009

November 27, 2009 by 27 Comments
I hope all of your tummy’s have recovered by now and you’re getting ready for a turkey cranberry cream cheese sandwich from all your leftovers, I know I am. I thought I’d share some highlights from our dinner yesterday.

This gorgeous appetizer came from my daughter via Whole Foods. What a way to start the party!

I decided to try and brine our turkey this year, dry brining appealed to me. I saw Martha do it on her show. 2/3 cup of kosher salt with a few crumbled bay leaves. Rub your turkey down from top to bottom and inside, place in an airtight bag 2 days prior to cooking. Rinse well before cooking.

The result was a super moist tender turkey, we all loved it. Dry brining is my new favorite thing!!

Outside we grilled an additional bone in turkey breast that was rubbed all over with a paste of olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs. Great for that sandwich I’m about to make!

Ooops, I forgot my cranberries and rolls for the photo! I also made stuffing balls with different ingredient variations, great way to serve stuffing, nice portions, and they get crispy all over.

Giada’s lemon ricotta cookies.

This was brought over by a good friend of the family, a homemade Derby Pie, I woke up thinking about how good this pie tasted. Premium chocolate laced in a carmel pecan filling.

Truely decadent, and worth every bite!

In the midst of such a terrible recession with many people falling on hard times, it’s the simple things we’re all thankful for, family, friends, our health, and of course…. food!
Buon Appetito!

Signature
27 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Seasonal Tagged: , , ,