Apple Walnut Bacon Stuffing

1 1/2 c toasted walnut pieces (approx)

1 c apple cider
2 c dried cranberries

3 tbsp butter
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 1/2c apples, cored and diced (We used some crab apples from Lisa's mom's tree. Perfect. But most baking apples would work just as well)

4 slices thick cut smoked bacon

about 4–5 c dried bread cubes (we never measured. But use about a bag and a half of pre-purchased.)

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c heavy cream
3 tbsp chopped fresh sage
coarse salt and pepper


• Heat cider and cranberries in small saucepan. Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat. Stir frequently about 20 min until berries absorb almost all liquid. Set aside to cool.

• In large fry pan, heat butter with onion, celery and apples. Cook about 5–8 minutes, until onion is translucent. Let cool.

• Fry bacon until cooked. Don't crisp it.
• Let cool on paper towels. Slice / crumble into small pieces.

• In a large bowl, mix together walnuts, bread crumbs, apple mixture, cranberries and bacon.
• Pour eggs and cream over top. Add sage and generous pepper. Mix well.
• Stuffing can be refrigerated if desired, up to one day ahead.
• If you are using this to stuff the bird, fill cavity with mixture as is.
• If you are baking, season with salt before filling a large baking dish.
• Bake at 350 for about 40 min. If you are baking from cold, add another 10 minutes or so.

• Serve hot! Covered with gravy! And be sure to save enough to make turkey sandwiches the nest day.



Sunday, November 9, 2008
Purr Girls' Early American Thanksgiving Feast

(Both this and the yam recipe were part of the same Thanksgiving menu. Lisa and I worked together on the whole thing and I was very happy to find another perfectly compatible kitchen partner. Considering there are only 2 or 3 at this point, it's a significant accomplishment. Whole menu follows.)

Pomegranate champagne cocktails
Roast Turkey with dijon herb butter and bacon
Cider gravy
Party Potatoes
Apple Walnut Bacon Stuffing
Maple Streusel Yams
Green beans with maple butter and pecans (posted last 2007 Thanksgiving)
Amaretto apple crisp
Chocolate cranberry tart

Maple Streusel Topped Yams

(from Bon Appetit magazine, barely altered)


3–4 yams / sweet potatoes, sliced about 1/4" thick, reserving one end

1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c butter
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
coarse salt and pepper

1 c flour
3/4 c brown sugar
2/4 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) butter, melted

about 1 tbsp maple syrup


• Butter a 9 x 13" (approx) baking dish. Layer yam slices around the dish until you have about four layers.
• Heat maple syrup, butter, cider vinegar in a small sauce pan. Bring to boil and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour over yams. Cover.

• Grate reserved yam end. You should have about a 1/2 cup.
• Mix with flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Pour melted butter over and rub with fingers until crumbly.

(Both yams and streusel can be made up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated.)

• Bake yams, covered, in 350º oven for about 40 minutes. They should just be starting to get tender.
• Remove lid, top with streusel and drizzle with about a tbsp of maple syrup. Return to the oven for about 30 minutes.
• Crank oven to broil, let streusel brown for about 10 minutes.
• Serve immediately. It's like sweet potato crumble!



Sunday, November 9, 2008
Purr Girls' Early American Thanksgiving Feast