Entrees

Turkey with Cornbread and Southern Pecan Stuffing

1 turkey (12- to 14-pound)

1 recipe Cornbread and Southern Pecan Stuffing

½ cup butter, melted

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Allow turkey to thaw in refrigerator completely. May take up to 3 days. Remove giblets and rinse turkey thoroughly inside and out with cold water. Dry.

Lightly pack turkey cavity with Cornbread and Southern Pecan Stuffing. (Place excess stuffing into a 13”x9” baking dish.) Secure legs with flap of skin around tail. Skewers and truss may also be used to close cavity.

Place turkey breast side up in roasting pan. Brush entire turkey with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, taking precaution not to tough the bone.

Bake at 325º for 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Loosen truss and remove skewers to allow thighs to cook completely. Bake 1 to 2 hours longer or until meat thermometer reads 180º. When drumsticks are easy to move, turkey is completely cooked.

Yield: 20 to 24 dinner servings

Cornbread and Southern Pecan

6 cup cornbread, crumbled
5 slices E-nerg gluten free bread, crumbled
1 pound ground pork sausage, cooked and drained
1½ cups cooked ham, finely chopped
¾ cup parsley
¾ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1½ teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon fresh sage

4 stalks, chopped

2 medium onion, chopped

¼ c butter, melted

2 cups chicken broth

1 large egg, beaten

Toss first 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.

Sauté celery and onion in butter until tender. Fold in cornbread mixture. Add broth and egg to cornbread mixture; Stir will.

Yield: 13 cups
Author’s Note: Bake extra stuffing at 350º for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until browned.