Thanksgiving- Real stuffing or stove top?

[PaDisney02]

Hi, I'm doing thanksgiving this year for my inlaws and I'm super excited! My whole life thanksgiving has really been a big deal in my family. My mother always went all out cooking the thanksgiving dinner ever year (as I'm sure most people do) and we always had REAL stuffing.

My husbands family on the other hand, do not make a big deal out of anything. When he was a teenager he said his mom would just cook a regualer meal (chicken, rice, pasta, those types of meals that they had every other night) for them for thanksgiving dinner, she didnt even bother with the whole turkey thing.

This thanksgiving I told my husband I making real stuffing, from scratch, and he told me not to. He said I should just make stove top stuffing cuz thats all his family has evr known and they probly wont like anything different that they have never had b4. I would much rather serve real stuffing. I think I'd be kind of embarassed serving stove top on thanksgiving! (no offense to those of u who do or would, I just perfer to make things from scratch). What do all of u make? Thanks

 

[Pixiedust34]

If they'd prefer Stove Top, then I'd probably go with the Stove Top. It would make them happy, and it's easy to make. A win-win situation. : )

 

[maslex]

Have to say that I've never had "real" stuffing. I know my family always had Stove Top (and I love it BTW) LOL I'm not opposed to having a "home-made" stuffing, just never had one. On the other hand, his side of the family always had a box or bag type stuffing along with his grandmothers "meat stuffing" He's asked me to make that this year to bring to my parents (his grandmother has since passed away) His aunt is actually coming over next week to show me how to make it. Hope I can pull it off.

Just curious....how do you make a "real" stuffing? Maybe I could even try to make this also.

 

[Topper]

I'd make both. StoveTop only takes 10 minutes.

 

[Princess_Michelle]

.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Last year I had my inlaws over and they only had stove top as well. I made stove top mixing a cornbread stove top and a chicken stove top. I cooked both in chicken broth with just a bit of poultry seasoning and some chopped onion. It wasn't like homemade of course but it was still pretty decent.

If they are used to stove top, then they may not like real homemade. I'd save yourself the time and do the box.

 

[ajk912]

I made homemade cornbread stuffing last year and we didn't really like it..it was too sweet. This year I am thinking of doing either the Pepperidge Farm stuffing or Stovetop..I could always stick some nuts in stovetop to make it all fancy! I am making mashed potatoes from scratch though!

 

[Micca]

I love stuffing and I have limited cooking abilities so I use Stove Top. I made some last night using chicken stock in place of the water, mixed in a few raisins and some chopped walnuts and it was pretty darned good. I think stuffing is the best part of Thanksgiving.

 

[disney kid at heart]

I cheat a little. I make Stove Top with added celery and onions and extra seasoned bread cubes and chicken bouillon and noone can tell the difference. And it's so much easier.

 

[PaDisney02]

You guys r right... I love stove top too, but I like the "real stuffing" better. I guess I should make both. Thanks for all ur input.


Do u all have salad with ur thanksgiving dinner? We always had hot bacon dressing salad, but we r pennsylvania dutch...so i think thats more of a culture thing. My husband is hispanic. I dont think his family would like that kind of salad, do any of u even bother with salad?

 

[clgwli]

We don't bother with salad. We usually have plenty of food that day. The Latinos in my family actually don't do stuffing or turkey for thanksgiving so do what you like. We'll be having a few types of meats in addition to turkey because of that.

I have made more than one type of stuffing for thanksgiving so I would be doing the same.

 

[MrsPete]

I'm sure people will disagree with this, but I think people who claim to love Stove Top just haven't had REALLY GOOD HOMEMADE STUFFING. Last year I took a pan of homemade stuffing to a school pot-luck type function, and, I swear, people were licking the pan and begging for the recipe.

I start with dried bread crumbs (save 'em up from your various breads as they grow old and stale -- pop 'em in the freezer and save 'em 'til you have enough -- it's essentially FREE). Add poultry seasoning and thyme, chicken broth and melted butter -- don't be stingy with your wet ingredients, stuffing should be moist -- sauted onions and green peppers, granny smith apples, golden raisins, pecans. 3/4 bread crumbs and wet ingredients, 1/4 add-ins. Easy, cheap. Delicous!

Really good homemade cooking is becoming a lost art, but people do think about it more at Thanksgiving!

 

[Topper]

You guys r right... I love stove top too, but I like the "real stuffing" better. I guess I should make both. Thanks for all ur input.


Do u all have salad with ur thanksgiving dinner? We always had hot bacon dressing salad, but we r pennsylvania dutch...so i think thats more of a culture thing. My husband is hispanic. I dont think his family would like that kind of salad, do any of u even bother with salad?

No salad in this house. Lots to eat tho....

 

[NYPDwife]

Hi, I'm doing thanksgiving this year for my inlaws and I'm super excited! My whole life thanksgiving has really been a big deal in my family. My mother always went all out cooking the thanksgiving dinner ever year (as I'm sure most people do) and we always had REAL stuffing.

My husbands family on the other hand, do not make a big deal out of anything. When he was a teenager he said his mom would just cook a regualer meal (chicken, rice, pasta, those types of meals that they had every other night) for them for thanksgiving dinner, she didnt even bother with the whole turkey thing.

This thanksgiving I told my husband I making real stuffing, from scratch, and he told me not to. He said I should just make stove top stuffing cuz thats all his family has evr known and they probly wont like anything different that they have never had b4. I would much rather serve real stuffing. I think I'd be kind of embarassed serving stove top on thanksgiving! (no offense to those of u who do or would, I just perfer to make things from scratch). What do all of u make? Thanks

We use Stove Top but add to it. First I brown the crumbled sausage, then add onions, carrots and celery, my own seasonings and chopped green apples. Then I add it to the stove top but instead of using water, I use canned chicken stock. It's semi-homemade.

 

[sha_lyn]

No stove top for me. Can't stand it. DH OTOH grew up with it and loves it.Mine has to be corn bread, and it is dressing not stuffing since it doesn't go in the bird.
this is close to what we make but all broth instead of using milk and biscuits instead of white bread, and a chopped onion instead of the onion powder
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1839,145180-240200,00.html


ETA: here is one that is like what my family has made for yrs
http://www.recipezaar.com/Cornbread-Dressing-44692

 

[LJC1861]

I make my stuffing the way my mother did, and my grandmother, and her mother before that....the old fashioned way.

I start with bread that has gotten stale. Then I moisten it with just a bit of water and mush it into a ball. When I have enough bread balls I melt a ton of butter into a pan and add lots of onion and celery. It sweats down and then I add the bread and chop it up into small pieces as it cooks. Then I add salt, pepper, thyme, sage, and rosemary. When it is brown and cooked through I add an egg just to bind it all together and it is done.

This is my favorite stuffing as it is the one I grew up enjoying every Thanksgiving. I can't imagine, and in fact I don't know how to make stuffing any other way. Sounds silly, but its true!

Linda

 

[Kathi OD]

I'm sure people will disagree with this, but I think people who claim to love Stove Top just haven't had REALLY GOOD HOMEMADE STUFFING.

Really good homemade cooking is becoming a lost art, but people do think about it more at Thanksgiving!

I totally agree. Not only is it a lost art, but when more and more women hit the workforce, they totally went for the convenience of Stove Top. A whole generation of people have never tasted REALLY GOOD HOMEMADE STUFFING.

DH is from a family where Stove Top was the norm. They've been coming to my house for Thanksgiving for years now and really do appreciate the difference between homemade and Stove Top. DSIL usually makes Stove Top at Christmas because the homemade stuff is "too much work." Every year someone says, "(Aunt) Kathi should have made the stuffing."

I vote for make both. Stove Top doesn't take that long. Let them decide for themselves which they like better.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm sure people will disagree with this, but I think people who claim to love Stove Top just haven't had REALLY GOOD HOMEMADE STUFFING. Last year I took a pan of homemade stuffing to a school pot-luck type function, and, I swear, people were licking the pan and begging for the recipe.

thumbsup2

I feel the same way about macaroni and cheese. The people I know who rave about that stuff in the box aren't used to eating good homemade, baked macaroni and cheese.

 

[dhcoffey]

No stove top for me. Can't stand it. DH OTOH grew up with it and loves it.Mine has to be corn bread, and it is dressing not stuffing since it doesn't go in the bird.
this is close to what we make but all broth instead of using milk and biscuits instead of white bread, and a chopped onion instead of the onion powder
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1839,145180-240200,00.html


ETA: here is one that is like what my family has made for yrs
http://www.recipezaar.com/Cornbread-Dressing-44692

Oh, yum! A girl after my own heart. No stove top here either. Dressing all the way on Thanksgiving.

Heather

 

[sha_lyn]

thumbsup2

I feel the same way about macaroni and cheese. The people I know who rave about that stuff in the box aren't used to eating good homemade, baked macaroni and cheese.

yep to both the stuffing/dressing and the mac and cheese.