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Ingredients:

• 1 large fresh turkey 12 to 20 lbs
• 1 loaf of day old bread cut into small pieces with crust (12 cups)
• 1 lb of sausage meat (remove skin before cooking)
• heart and liver of turkey if available (optional)
• 4 cups of diced onions
• 4 cups of diced celery
• 2 cups of mushrooms sliced
• 2 cups of dried cranberries
• 1 cup of crushed walnuts (optional)
• 1/8 cup of finely chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp of dried sage and 1 tsp of poultry seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 500 ml of chicken stock
• 6 slices of bacon

Optionals:

• Heart and liver from turkey may be chopped and cooked with the sausage meat for flavor.
• Walnuts or pecans are optional and should not be used in large groups were there may be a nut allergy.

Methods:

• Put bread cubes in large bowl
• Brown sausage meat until well done and finely ground
• Add minced liver and heart, when cooked drain and add to bread mixture
• Sauté onions and celery in pan that you used for your sausage. add mushrooms to mixture and stir fry for one minute. drain and add  to bread mixture.
• Add nuts and cranberries to mixture
• Add herbs and spices and salt and pepper to taste
• Mix all ingredients together until moist and put asside to cool.
• Prepare turkey or other fowl by rinsing in cold water and drying cavities with a clean paper towel.
• Fill neck and larger cavity with stuffing
• Place in roasting pan and pour chicken stock in bottom of pan. cover your turkey with the bacon.
• Place foil paper over turkey and slowly cook at 300f overnight if 20 lb turkey or aproximatly 30 minutes per pound.

Comments:

• Serve with baked or mashed sweet patatoes and fresh vegetables. drain fat from roasting pan and use drippings for gravy. I always use the cooking water from my vegetables for more flavor and  thicken the sauce with 1 tbs of corn starch mixed in a glass of cold water.
• Serve a fresh cranberry and orange compote by mixing one bag of fresh cranberries to one cup of sugar, add 1/2 cup of orange juice and slowly cook over medium heat until ready.
• If you have left over stuffing after stuffing your turkey, try separating the skin from the breast and legs and putting more stuffing there. this will baste your turkey and add flavor and moistness to the white meat. the secret to moist turkey is slowly cooking over low heat with the chicken stock.
• If you are using turkey breasts instead of a whole turkey, slice down center, papillotte style and place stuffing in center, roll and tie with string. roast with chicken stock in bottom of pan. when done slice and serve.

This recipe has been passed down from my grandmother and is served at the Inn every Thanksgiving  Sunday brunch and Monday for lunch as well as Xmas and New Year's brunch. I hope it becomes a tradition in your home as well.

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