OLD FASHIONED SPOON BREAD RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 1 1/2-quart casserole; set aside.
• Place bread cubes onto baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until toasted.
• Combine toasted bread cubes and raisins in prepared casserole; set aside.
• Combine milk and 1/4 cup butter in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat 4-7 minutes or until butter is melted. Cool slightly.
• Combine all remaining pudding ingredients in bowl; mix well. Add milk mixture; mix well.
• Pour milk mixture over bread cubes. Bake 40-45 minutes or until set in center.
• Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients except vanilla in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5-8 minutes or until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Carefully stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla.
• Spoon warm pudding into individual dessert dishes; serve with sauce. Store refrigerated.

Steps:

• For stuffing, in a medium saucepan cook celery, mushrooms, and onion in butter until tender but not brown, remove from heat.
• Stir in sage, pepper, and salt.
• Place dry bread cubes in a large mixing bowl, add onion mixture.
• Drizzle with enough broth or water to moisten, tossing lightly.
• Season body cavity of turkey with salt.
• Spoon some stuffing LOOSELY into the neck cavity.
• Pull the neck skin to the back, fasten with a skewer.
• LIGHTLY spoon more stuffing into the body cavity (place any remaining stuffing into a casserole, cover and chill. Dot with butter and bake alongside turkey for 35-45 minutes or until heated through).
• Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail.
• If the band of skin is not present, tie the drumsticks securely to the tail.
• Twist wing tips under the back.
• Place turkey, breast side DOWN, on a rack in a shallow roastng pan.
• Brush with oil.
• Cover turkey loosely with foil.
• Roast turkey in a 325 degree oven for 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer placed into the center of a thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180 degrees. Make sure center of stuffing reads 165 degrees.
• After about 1 1/2 hours, turn the turkey over so that it is breast side up.
• Brush breast side with oil.
• After 2 1/2 hours, cut loose drumsticks so that thighs will cook evenly.
• When done, drumsticks should move very easliy in their sockets and their thickest parts should feel soft when pressed.
• Uncover the last 30 minutes of roasting.
• To make dry bread cubes: cut bread into 1/2 inch squares.
• (12-14 slices of bread for 8 cups cubes) Place in a brown paper bag and close loosely.
• Let stand 3-4 days, mixing up by hand each day until thoroughly dry.
• OR, spread bread cubes onto a large cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 300 degrees 10-15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice.
• Cool.
• I highly recommend using homemade white bread (by hand or bread machine) for the bread cubes.
• You will be AMAZED at the difference in texture!