thanksgiving's already gone, ya'll...

who wasn’t scared, unprepared, or a little drunk? totally kidding, but really what did you do to ready for the occasion?

maybe your momma does it all every year & all you have to do is show up. maybe you were elected a side of sorts. or maybe you volunteered yourself this year for the whole kit & caboodle...ya poor bastard!

for me, i love opportunities to bring "stuff!" i adore being in my kitchen & whipping up this & that. now, i'm not experimenting on friends & fam, per se, but yea, i kind of am.

i have been busting at the seams to make an oyster dressing for some time now. (ps...i've never even had it before) it just sounded super yum. where on earth do i find the very best recipe? of course, my fingers immediately type 'pioneer woman.' & what'dya know...there it was; hooray!

the pw way: (complete cuteness at thepioneerwoman.com)

• 3 cups cornbread, cut into cubes
• 2 loaves ciabatta or other crusty italian bread, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons bacon fat or butter
• 3 cans oysters, drained, liquid reserved
• 4 whole carrots, diced
• 6 stalks celery, diced
• 2 whole small onions, diced
• 8 cups turkey (or chicken) broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

allow all bread cubes to sit uncovered for several hours or overnight until it's dry. place all the cubed bread in a large mixing bowl.

heat bacon fat or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. add carrots, celery, and onions, and stir to combine. cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

add oysters and stir around for 1 minutes. remove from heat and pour over the bread cubes. sprinkle on the sage, the rosemary, and salt and pepper. then add the broth while tossing bread cubes with a large spoon. stir in egg.

stop after adding 5 or 6 cups of liquid to give the mixture a taste. add more broth to taste, until it gets to the moisture level you like. adjust seasonings as needed. hint: if you think it needs a little more of an oyster kick, splash in a small amount of the oyster liquid. (a little goes a long way!)
pour mixture into a large baking dish (or stuff the bird if you prefer.) bake it in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. serve with your thanksgiving dinner.

your tummy just growled a bit, huh…even if you’re still a little holiday hungover like me. & unlike my usual, i did not deviate from this recipe…in dee i trust! with the exception of creating cornbread from a box mix because of my time issues & a la veggie style, using butter versus bacon fat & vegetable broth versus chicken or turkey. (had to make it to where i could eat it too, right?!)

her version is much prettier than mine :)

 



i also had to throw in an old faithful dip (because i am dubbed the “dip queen” by the hubs' fam), jalapeno popper dip. it doesn’t take long to prepare & takes even less time to be devoured. it’s super easy & always a favorite.

(i may have shared this one before, but here it is again)

1 8 oz block cream cheese

½ cup mayo

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz pickled jalapeno peppers

2 jalapeno peppers chopped

¼ cup parmesan reggiano, (or i’ll use like a mozzarella if i’m fresh out of that)

combine all ingredients together. top with a parmesan & panko mixture. i also place extra jalapeno slices on top. bake at 350* for about 20 minutes.

 

so, thanksgiving is over, but the holidays are truly just starting. it’s never too late to try something new for all those parties & get togethers coming up. enjoy!