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The 75th anniversary edition of Joy of Cooking
Now in its eighth edition and its 75th year, the Joy of Cooking brings you numerous 30-minute meals. For the first time ever, JOY gives you slow cooker recipes and tips. Especially important to busy households is a new section that teaches you to cook for a day and eat for a week! If your family is on the go, buy this modern classic now at Barnes & Noble, Powell's or Amazon.
A Recent Featured Recipe
Dressing or Stuffing Anyone?
Is there a difference between stuffing and dressing? Some say not, but the JOY refers to stuffing as anything cooked in the bird, meat, or fish; and dressing as that cooked separately in a baking dish. The big difference worth mentioning is that we do not recommend using eggs in stuffing, but we do use them in dressing to bind the ingredients. Stuffing is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Allow approximately 1⁄2 cup stuffing for each pound of raw bird Serving size is about 3⁄4 cup per person.
When bread crumbs are called for in a recipe, we recommend using day-old bread, whether Italian or French bread, homemade white bread, whole wheat, or corn bread. Whatever the bread, if it is stale and/or toasted, a dry, firm stuffing results. If it is fresh and not toasted, the stuffing will be moist and dense.
The quality of the crumbs used is very important. Never grind bread to make crumbs, as the stuffing will be too compact. Plain unseasoned packaged bread crumbs or bread cubes can be used in any recipe that calls for fresh. If you use them, increase the stock called for in the recipe by one-third. A 1-pound loaf of bread yields about 10 cups of fresh bread cubes or 6 cups fresh bread crumbs, including the crust, which should be used unless otherwise specified in the recipe.
If you prefer a dry stuffing, add only as much stock as will enable the bread to barely stick together when firmly grasped in the hand. For a moister texture, add enough melted butter so that the bread holds together readily when pressed. In many of the recipes that follow, a reduction in the amount of butter is given with an increase in stock or broth for the benefit of those who want to add more moisture but not fat.
If made in advance, stuffings can be refrigerated up to one day but should be stored separately from the turkey. To take off the chill, remove the stuffing from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before using, or preheat the stuffing until lukewarm over low heat or in a 300°F oven. It is important, too, to stuff food just before cooking; to mix, stir, and pack stuffing lightly so as not to compact them; and to allow space when stuffing, so the mixture can expand and stay light. Should there be extra stuffing that does not fit in the cavity of the turkey cook it separately in a greased baking dish. If the bird is done before the stuffing, remove the bird from the oven, scoop the stuffing into a buttered casserole, and continue to bake it in the hot oven while the bird rests.
Basic Bread Stuffing
Note: Numbers refer to pages in the cookbook. Many of the recipes can be found online by using our search feature.
8 to 10 cups/Makes 10 to 12 servings
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toast on a large baking sheet, stirring several times, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes:
1 pound sliced firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed bread cubes)
Turn into a large bowl. Heat in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides:
1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup (1⁄2 to 1 stick) unsalted butter
Add and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes:
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped celery
Remove from the heat and stir in:
1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
Add to the bread cubes and toss until well combined. Stir in, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together:
1⁄3 to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
Adjust the seasonings. If you desire a firm dressing and are baking in a dish, stir in:
(2 large eggs, well beaten)
Dressing baked in a dish can be assembled ahead and go directly from the refrigerator to the oven. To bake dressing, spread it in a layer 2 to 3 inches deep in a large buttered baking dish. Ladle over the top 1⁄2 cup stock, broth, or milk for every 4 to 5 cups of bread stuffing. For a softer dressing, cover with aluminum foil; for a crispy brown crust, dot the top with butter and bake uncovered. For either, bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 45 minutes. When baking the dressing and meat, fish, or poultry at the same time, occasionally baste the dressing with the pan drippings.
Variation with Dried Fruit and Nuts
Add 1⁄2 to 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, or 1 1⁄2 cups cooked, canned, or frozen chestnuts, coarsely chopped, and 1 cup dried fruit (such as raisins, cranberries, cherries, or diced dried plums). Toss the bread with the seasonings and bake as above.