This is Part 3 of Christmas Feast 2010.

To see part 1 and 2 go to

www.stevenshomler.com/2011/01/10/christmas-feast-2010-part-1-intro-menu-appetizers

www.stevenshomler.com/2011/01/16/christmas-feast-2010-part-2-turkey

Sourdough Stuffing

To make my stuffing I modified a recipe that my Mother-in-law Marge shared with me when we were in Colville this past Thanksgiving. Marge got her recipe from Mother Earth News of all places! www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1984-11-01/A-Vegetarian-Thanksgiving

I have to tell you that it did my heart good to modify a vegetarian recipe for stuffing for a pumpkin and stuff it inside of a turkey.

I made my Christmas feast on Friday Christmas Eve day and on Thursday evening I took two Sourdough Baguettes and cut them up into about 1/2 square pieces and put them in a large bowl and left them out over night to dry out.

Once I got the stuffing made up, I put about half of it into my turkey (to see how I make turkey go to www.stevenshomler.com/2011/01/16/christmas-feast-2010-part-2-turkey ) and I put the other half into a casserole pan and put it into the refrigerator. Once the turkey came out of the oven, I put the stuffing in the casserole pan into the oven and I cooked it for about 35 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Here is my recipe for Sourdough Stuffing –

2 sticks of butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup diced celery
2 cups mushrooms, chopped ( not too small – bigger pieces)
2 sourdough baguettes cut into 1/2 inch cubes and dried overnight
1 cup apples, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Brazil nuts
1 cup Craisans (dried cranberries)
4 eggs
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cumin (powdered)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup white wine

Put the bread into a large bowl, (I ended up needing two bowls) and add the spices. Melt the butter and pour it over the bread. Mix the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the bread bowl.

Add in the rest and stir it up.

Your stuffing should be moist but not soggy. You may need to add a little water or more melted butter, if the mixture is too dry. Depends on how big your baguettes are.

Stuff your bird with some of the stuffing and add the rest to a casserole bowl and cook for 35 – 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Hazelnut Butter

At McMenamins in Tigard, Oregon they often have a wonderful Red Wine Beef Stew on the menu. Red Wine Beef Stew – Black Rabbit Red wine, baby carrots, pearlonions, & button mushrooms served over Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.  www.mcmenamins.com/JohnBarleycorns

Their Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes are sooo good! They were my inspiration for half of this dish.

Here is a cool article on these delicious  potatoes – www.homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/yukongoldhistory

I peeled my potatoes (I hate peeling potatoes but the kids like their mashed potatoes made with peeled potatoes) and boiled them. once they were done, I put them into a large bowl, added some butter, coarse ground sea salt, freshly chopped garlic, and Half and Half and whipped them into submission.

I got the idea for my Hazelnut Butter from page 98 of my November 2009 Sunset Magazine, However I did not at all follow the recipe, which called for yogurt to be put into the mashed potatoes. That sounded awful to me!

I took 2 cups of Hazelnuts chopped them up and put them into a non stick fry pan and heated them up – no butter, no olive oil. Just the Hazelnuts. Once they were warmed and starting to brown, I added 2 stick of butter the pan and melted the butter.

I made the Hazelnut Butter just before I served dinner.

I poured some of the Hazelnut Butter over my wonderful Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and the rest I had in a bowl on ther table for people to add they saw fit.

Ohh, those mashed potatoes were wonderful!

The next  Christmas Feast 2010 post will cover Departure Style Brussels Sprouts and Sesame Soy Christmas Slaw. (See below for the whole Christmas Feast 2010 Menu)

That’s it for now!

Steven Shomler

This was our menu for  Christmas Feast 2010 –

Appetizers

Turkey

Turkey Gravy

Sourdough Stuffing

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Hazelnut Butter

Departure Style Brussels Sprouts

Sesame Soy Christmas Slaw

Sweet & Tangy Cranberry Almond Yams with Lemon Zested Marshmallow Crust

Orange Spike Cranberry Sauce

Hand Torn Rustic Sourdough Bread

Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Zest Whipped Cream