I'm no different than a lot of you when it comes to weeknight dinners. Sometimes I put a small chicken in the oven to roast, other times I fry a few pork chops, sometimes I roast or poach a turkey tenderloin -- easy to make, minimum-fuss fare. Stuffing goes great with all of them. That said, on a busy week day, many times, all I have the time or inclination to make are two easy-peasy satellite side-dishes -- a bag of our favorite steam-in-bag vegetables, and, a box of "doctored up" Stovetop-type stuffing -- and there's no shame in either one. That's why I keep Stovetop brand stuffing in my pantry at all times -- there are other brands, I like Stovetop.
Great stovetop stuffing from a box -- what the doctor ordered:
1 6-ounce box Stovetop brand stuffing mix, or your favorite brand of stovetop-type stuffing
4 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3/4 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced yellow or sweet onion
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 3/4 cups chicken stock, microwaved until steaming
~Step 1. Place a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Add the butter and poultry seasoning. When the butter has melted, add the diced celery and onion. Adjust heat to medium-high, and, stirring frequently, lightly-sauté the vegetables until crunch tender, 2 1/2-3 minutes -- do not overcook.
~Step 2. Add and thoroughly stir in the the dry stuffing mix, being sure to stir until the sautéed vegetables are throughly incorporated throughout. Add the steaming hot chicken stock. Do not stir. Cover the saucepan and allow to rest 3-5 minutes. Uncover the saucepan and rake through the stuffing with a fork, to "fluff" it up. Serve immediately.
Every now & then, it's OK to enjoy thinking inside the box:
Doctoring Up a Box of Stovetop-Type Stuffing Mix: Recipe yields 4 servings.
Special Equipment List: cutting board; chef's knife; 2-quart saucepan w/lid; large spoon; fork
Cook's Note: The sweet and savory act of combining porcine and apples is classic. Every whole roasted pig that I've ever seen had an apple in its mouth. I honestly can't remember where I read it or heard this, but, my recollection is: this centuries old custom had to do with pigs being fattened by feeding them apples, so, this was considered a show of respect for the animal, representing it eating apples in life and into eternity (hogs were typically slaughtered in the Fall and apples were in season). All I know is pork and apples go hand-in-hand, and, this easy, family-friendly casserole is a recipe everyone should try: ~ My Aunt's Apple-Pie Pork-Chop & Stuffing Casserole ~. Trust me, it's wonderful.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)
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