I have been using a variation of this recipe ever since I cooked my very first turkey! Many thanks to my neighbour who had cooked a turkey once before and to Betty Crocker Cookbook for the Poultry section but most importantly, for the Bread Stuffing recipe, because really, it is all about the stuffing! I used to try to change things up, add interesting ingredients but was always told to stick to the traditional! The only thing I do differently now is that I cook the stuffing by itself in a casserole dish; truth be told, I often make stuffing with nary a turkey in sight! I would not do well on the, lose the wheat, lose the weight theory promoted in “Wheat Belly.”

Alas, I digress! Without further ado, Classic Bread Stuffing!

1 cup butter
2 large stalks Celery, with leaves, chopped
1 large Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 McCormick Vegetable Stock Cubes
1 cup Water
1 teaspoon dried, ground Sage
3/4 teaspoon dried, ground Thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Pepper

9 cups soft Bread Cubes <—I used to ALWAYS buy the Save On Foods fresh out of the                                                         oven Loaves that you got in a paper bag. They don’t do that                                                       anymore but their in-store baked White or 75% Wheat are                                                       the same product, just bigger, and sliced. 

Melt butter over medium-high heat in large skillet.
Add onion and cook for 3 minutes; stir in minced garlic and continue cooking for another few minutes.
Add chopped celery, vegetable stock cube and water; sprinkle herbs in and stir well.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, tear bread into 2.5cm cubes.
Pour the celery/onion mixture over the bread cubes and toss to coat each piece.

Pour the stuffing into a greased 3.3 litre casserole dish (9×13),cover with lid or Lfoil and refrigerate until about 30 minutes before the turkey is done.
Bake covered in the same oven [325F (160C)] with the turkey for about 45 minutes or until hot through. (You will take the turkey out of the oven and let it stand for about 15 minutes before carving. You can also toss the bread rolls in to warm during that last 15 minutes of oven time)

If you are stuffing a turkey then read on….

as per Betty Crocker,
” 1. Remove giblets if present. Rinse cavity.
2. If stuffing poultry, stuff just before roasting. Fill wishbone area with stuffing first. Fasten neck skin to back with skewer. Fold wings across back with tips touching. Fill body cavity lightly. (D not pack – stuffing will expand while cooking.) Tuck drumsticks under band of skin at tail, or tie or skewer to tail.
3. Place bird, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with melted butter. (I just rub with butter and stuff a few garlic gloves in the wishbone area) Do not add water, Do not cover. Place meat thermometer in thickest part of thigh muscle, so thermometer does not touch bone.  Cook a 16 to 17 pound turkey, unstuffed for about 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 hours: stuffed for about 4 – 5 hours, at 160C (325F)
When turkey starts to turn golden, place a tent of LFoil loosely over turkey.
Roast until thermometer reads 80C (180F) and juice is no longer pink when centre of thigh is cut; or the drumstick moves easily when lifted or twisted.
When turkey is done, remove from oven and let stand about 15 minutes for easiest carving.”

Crocker, Betty. “Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook.” Recipe. Roasting Poultry. Recipe. Bread Stuffing.   Minneapolis, Minnesota: Macmillan, 1996, p. 293, p.297