|
1
turkey { about 15 pounds }, thawed if frozen
1 loaf { 16 ounces } sourdough bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 medium onions, chopped
1 & 1/2 cups chopped celery
4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
2 & 1/2 cups coarsely chopped chestnuts { pecans optional }
1 & 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried currants or white raisins
2 cups chicken broth
Non ~ Stick Cooking Spray
Directions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat
oven to 350°. Spread bread cubes onto bottom of large shallow baking
pan. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Set
aside.
Melt butter
in large skillet over medium heat. Add almonds; cook and stir 3 minutes,
or until lightly browned. Remove with slotted spoon; set almonds aside. Add
onion and celery to remaining butter; cook and stir 5 minutes, or until
vegetables are tender. Stir in poultry seasoning and salt.
Place bread cubes, vegetables, chestnuts or pecans, apricots, currants and almonds
in large bowl; mix lightly. Add broth; mix well.
Reduce oven
to 325°. Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey;
refrigerate for another use or discard. Drain juices from turkey; dry
turkey with paper towels. Fill neck cavity with part of the stuffing.
Turn wings back to hold neck skin against back of turkey. Fill body
cavity with remaining stuffing. Place extra stuffing { if any
remains } in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray; stir in an additional 1/4 cup broth. Cover
and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake covered at 325°, 30 minutes or
until hot.
Place turkey,
breast up, on a flat roasting rack in a roasting pan. Spray turkey with
cooking spray. Place aluminum foil over entire turkey sealing the edges during roasting.
Roast turkey
4 to 4 & 1/2 hours, or until meat thermometer reaches 160F when inserted
in center of stuffing and reaches 180F when inserted deep in thigh.
Remove the foil and bake 10 to 20 more minutes to brown. Let turkey stand 15 minutes
before removing stuffing and carving. Serves 8.
Cooking
Instructions For Chestnuts;
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If using fresh chestnuts, one pound will yield about
2 ~ 1/2 cups peeled nuts. To roast fresh chestnuts, cut an X with the
tip of a knife on the flat side. Heat oven to 425°. Place nuts in a
shallow pan and roast 20 minutes. When just cool enough to handle, peel
off shell and dark skin covering nut. If using canned chestnuts, a 15
ounce can or jar will yield 2 ~ 1/2 cups peeled nuts. |