Cranberry & Wild Rice Stuffing – the Turkeys

Cranberry & Wild Rice Stuffing

Are you looking for something a little different for this upcoming holiday? Why not try our recipe for Cranberry & Wild Rice Stuffing. Whether you’re serving turkey or chicken, this recipe will work for either. Recently, I served this Cranberry & Wild Rice Stuffing along with more than 65 pounds of roast turkey to approximately 40 University Students. The dressing and turkey were a huge hit as there wasn’t a single spoon of dressing left over and only about 6 ounces of turkey and one wing. I cooked and stuffed 5 turkeys in total. Below is the recipe (sized down for one turkey) that I served on Sunday.

Cranberries are Unique, wild and natural by habitat, cranberries are rich in phyto-nutrients (naturally derived plant compounds), particularly proanthocyanidin antioxidants, which are essential for all-round wellness. The berries are indeed containing numerous chemical substances that may offer protection from tooth cavities, urinary tract infection, and inflammatory diseases.

Food is for sharing and Easter is the perfect time to invite family and friends together for a meal.

Cranberry & Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh or 1/3 cup dried organic cranberries

1 rib celery – finely chopped

1 small onion – finely chopped

1/2 cup cooked wild rice

3 cups of cubed dried bread (check out your local grocer, they have large bags of “croutons” for sale usually mixed grains)

3 leaves of fresh sage or 1/4 tsp of good quality dried sage

1 or 2 cloves of fresh garlic – roughly chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil

Method

In a sauté pan, cook celery, garlic & onion in the olive oil until tender. Add salt and pepper along with the fresh sage and remove from heat. In a large bowl combine cooked vegetables, bread crumbs, wild rice and cranberries. Toss around to coat and get all the ingredients mixed well. Adjust salt and pepper to your own liking. The stuffing should be glistening slightly from the olive oil – if the stuffing seams too dry, add a little bit extra olive oil or a tablespoon of melted butter. When mixed completely, stuff inside the bird prior to roasting your turkey.

HINT: check inside your bird to make sure there aren’t any giblets. Make sure you remove them if they are inside the breast cavity or where the neck would be.

To add some other dimension to your flavour profile, add toasted pecans or almond, mushrooms, tarragon and a few chopped peppers to the stuffing mix. Be inventive. Spice up your life.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday and I’d love for you to share your pictures of your Easter Feast. Share a recipe with us as well and we’ll feature it on our blog.

ENJOY – Be the life of your party!