Dressing/stuffing recipe needed

[GreenHall]

Ok, it's a little early, but Thanksgiving is a family reunion cover dish in my family, and I want to make stuffing/dressing this year. ( it will not be in a bird, so I guess dressing is more accurate.)

I want to make it from ingredients, not "add a package of stovetop to other stuff".
I won't be making oyster dressing.

If you have a recipe that can also be scaled down to where I can make a small amount for myself during the year, that would be even more awesome.

[Amara]

This Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing is for you if you want to get away from more heavy bread-based dressing. It does turn out rather loose, not mushed together like typical stuffings. And you had better love mushrooms.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients:
   1 1/2 cups hot water
   1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms*
   1 cup (2 sticks) butter
   1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
   1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
   1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
   6 garlic cloves, chopped
   2 cups dry white wine
   1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
   1 1/2 8-ounce French-bread baguettes, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
   1 large egg, beaten to blend

Preparation:
Combine 1 1/2 cups hot water and dried porcini in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to work surface; chop finely. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into small bowl, leaving any sediment behind, and reserve.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shiitake and button mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and porcini mushrooms. Cook until almost all wine evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover mushroom mixture and porcini soaking liquid separately and chill. Reheat mushroom mixture to lukewarm before continuing.) Transfer mixture to very large bowl.

Mix bread into mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper; mix in egg.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough reserved mushroom soaking liquid to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 40 minutes.

Variation Suggestions:
Use dried shitake and fresh portabello and button mushrooms.

Don't skimp on the mushrooms and use a good dry white wine and a hearty bread.

Switch a french baguette for the sourdough.

Substitute half chanterelles and half royal trompet mushrooms for the shiitakes and used creminis instead of the button.

Add about 1 tablespoon freshly chopped sage and parsley along with the thyme and mixed turkey stock with half the porcini liquid.

Use button and portobello mushrooms and cut down the butter to about 1/2 cup and use olive oil as needed.

Use baby portabellas instead of the button mushrooms, and ALL of the procini soaking liquid, which gives it a very rich, earthy flavor. Also, we throw in some extra dried herbs—thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage—and some shakes of cayenne pepper.

Cut the bread about two times smaller than the recipe called for.

Serve it baked on top of a large, flat mushroom, topped with a few pinenuts for the vegetarians.

Slice your mushroom thick and some crunch. I recommend adding two eggs instead of one.

Use chicken broth instead of the mushroom soaking liquid and double the amount of spices.

Use 3/4 of the amount of butter, and used olive oil as well.

Soak the porcini in a rich turkey broth instead of water.

Use chicken stock as the mushroom soaking liquid to add extra flavor.

Toast the baguette slices in a warm oven before combining with the other ingredients.

Porcini soaking liquid is the key. Do not forget it.

Add some apples for more texture and another layer of flavor.

[jpcher]

http://www.whitecastle.com/food/recipes/view/7-white-castle-turkey-stuffing

It really is quite good. 

You can bake it in a dish instead of stuffing a bird.

[Kaypeep]

http://www.whitecastle.com/food/recipes/view/7-white-castle-turkey-stuffing

It really is quite good. 

You can bake it in a dish instead of stuffing a bird.

I like this stuffing, my friend makes it for most all pot luck dinners and we all look forward to it every time.

[NyaChan]

http://www.whitecastle.com/food/recipes/view/7-white-castle-turkey-stuffing

It really is quite good. 

You can bake it in a dish instead of stuffing a bird.

I like this stuffing, my friend makes it for most all pot luck dinners and we all look forward to it every time.

   I had no idea that such a thing was possible!  My world view is expanding

[doodlemor]

Our family favorite is incredibly easy, and is the way my mother made stuffing.  It is easy to  make in small amounts, also. 

I usually plan on a 1 lb loaf of bread for about 8 lbs of bird.  It likely won't all go into a bird that size, but that is the amount we seem to need to go with that much meat.  I always wrap the extra up in aluminum foil, and cook it during the last hour or so that the bird is in the oven.

Homestyle Stuffing

1 lb loaf of quality white bread, like Pepperidge Farm, Arnold's, home made, etc.

1/4 cup [1/2 stick] butter - a whole stick tastes even better, but a bit rich

1 rib celery, cleaned and sliced

1/4 - 1/2 cup onion, chopped - this depends on how much you like onions, and whether you have
     sweet onions or stronger onions available

1/2 teaspoon or so of Bell's seasoning [mixture of rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, marjoram,       
     thyme, and pepper - usually appears in stores in the fall]

salt, pepper, garlic powder, water - optional - dash of ground cloves

1.  Toast the bread to medium.  A quick way to do this is under the broiler, but keep an eye on that if you do.  Tear it apart and put it into a large container.  My mother always used the pan that she was going to cook the turkey in to save dishes, and so do I.

2.  Tear the bread into pieces about an inch or so in size.  Shape and size aren't extremely important, because it will all shrink up when you put liquid in it.

3.  Add the chopped onion and sliced up celery.  Toss a bit.  Hands are fine.

4.  Distribute the Bell's, shake on some salt and pepper, and just a dash of garlic powder.  If you're feeling Swedish add a tiny bit of ground clove - about a half of a dash.

5.  Toss it a bit, either with a big spoon or *dry* hands.  Wet hands will catch all of the seasonings.

6.  Melt the butter in a smallish pan on the stove.  Add a bit, toss, a bit more butter, toss, finish the butter, toss.

7.  Then put some warm water in the pan - just about 1/2 cup or so - you can always get more.  Add some water and toss several times.  It will get wetter from the bird and the veggies when it cooks.  This is a matter of personal taste.  Leave this mixture dryer than you think, absolutely.  Some people only add a few tablespoons of water.  *The mixture should still have quite a bit of dry pieces and edges.*

8.  Taste for salt and pepper - be very wary of adding too much Bell's or it will taste like a mix.

9.  It's done, stuff the bird.

10.  Put the extra stuffing on a piece of aluminum foil and fold it up.  Stick it in the oven during the last hour or so.   

11.  Put the neck and giblets in the pan with water and seasonings, simmer on low to make more broth for the gravy.  Your fur-lined family members will love the cooked innards.

I didn't mean for this to be so long - this is basically a method more than a definite recipe.