Turkey Dressing (Frugal Friday)

It's Frugal Friday over at Life as Mom. http://www.lifeasmom.com/2009/11/frugal-friday-freezer-cooking-on-cheap.html

Here's my donation. We all love stuffing, but lately I keep hearing that you aren't supposed to stuff the bird. It's because you can't get the internal temperature of the stuffing to a safe number (165 degrees F, I believe) without overcooking the bird.

I think I understand why I was sick on so many Thanksgiving Fridays as a kid. And my mom made/makes the BEST stuffing.

I've had the kind made in a casserole (which I think is called 'dressing') but it just doesn't taste the same. I figured there had to be a safe way to get that 'cooked in the bird' flavor. Then it hit me: turkey broth! And not some canned stuff, but real, homemade broth.

The trick is that you have to think ahead. Buy yourself a small turkey, a turkey breast or legs and wings for a meal. Sometimes, you can find a pre-cooked turkey breast on sale at your supermarket's deli counter.

After you have taken off the meat, throw the bones in a pot, add water, and boil for about an hour. I add Kosher salt and sometimes some pepper corns. Strain it all out when you are done, then put it in the fridge. The next day, take the fat off the top. Freeze the broth, or use it right away.

This is how I make stuffing now:

A loaf's worth of broken up bread
A small onion
A stick of butter
Sage to taste
Homemade Turkey Broth

Chop up the onion.
Melt the butter in a little pot.
Cook the onion in the butter for about five minutes, until the onion is soft.
Add butter/onion mixture to bread and toss. Sprinkle with sage to taste.
Now add in the turkey broth until you get a nice consistency. I like my dressing firm so I don't use too much broth. You can always add more later in the cooking process if you need to.

Put it all in a buttered casserole. Cover and pop it in the oven with the turkey, for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!