Is it dressing or stuffing? Growing up in my family we referred to this dish as dressing, we never filled the turkey cavity so in all fairness we just couldn't call it stuffing.

A Thanksgiving Memory from North Carolina

Growing up after my parents divorced I spent the Thanksgiving holiday with my Dad. We would drive to North Carolina as I can recall on Wednesday to spend the long weekend with my Grandmother. I loved being in her kitchen cooking by her side, making all the sides and getting up at the crack of dawn to put the turkey in the oven.

When I started dating Steve, I began spending the holiday with his family. They served the same dishes year after year. How could that be, didn't they pour over all the food and shelter magazines like I did in preparation for the holiday season? Nope, they sure didn't, that was just me.

The Birth of "Dressed Up Stuffing"

Several years after we were married and a few weeks before that year's Thanksgiving I asked Pat, Steve's Mom if I could make the dressing that year, she hesitated as her dressing was a standard at the table and did not want to change. I get it, I am not one for change so I went about this idea for change a different way.

When asked what I was going to bring to the celebration I confidently said Dressed Up Stuffing and that we will have two varieties this year. Same dish, different name and mine was not stuffed in the turkey's cavity. It was just a new name. That one year was the beginning of creating a tradition of bringing my version of stuffing.

What Makes This Stuffing Special

Although I grew up calling it dressing at some point I switched to calling it stuffing, not sure why and honestly no matter what you call it, to me it's an amazing combination of tasty delights combined with toasted bread cubes. You can choose to top it with gravy or enjoy it as it comes out of the baking dish.

For the most part my recipe remains consistent, however you may find a chestnut instead of pecan or a dried cherry added in place of apples. The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility - it adapts to whatever delicious ingredients you have on hand.

Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 (14.5 ounce) Country Sourdough Bread loaves (La Brea if available at most grocery stores)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 12 tablespoons butter
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned, stem removed and chopped
• 2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried crumbled sage
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon marjoram leaves
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
• 2 (32 ounce) containers chicken stock
• 2 cups toasted pecans, chopped
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup half and half

Directions

1. Prepare for baking: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 13.7" x 9.6" x 2.5" ceramic baking dish (I use an Emile Henry Rectangle Dish). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Toast the bread: Cut loaves of bread into cubes, place in a large bowl and toss with ½ cup olive oil, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, salt and pepper to taste. Divide the cubes onto cookie sheets, bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cubes are browned and crispy. Set cubes aside.
3. Cook the vegetables: In a large frying pan, add 3 tablespoons of butter, add in onion, green pepper, celery and apples. Cook over medium heat until all liquid has evaporated. Add in herbs, salt and pepper, stir to combine. Place onion mixture into bowl.
4. Prepare the mushrooms: In the same frying pan melt 3 tablespoons of butter, add in mushrooms, cook until liquid is cooked off and mushrooms begin to brown, add mushrooms to onion mixture. Taste and add more kosher salt as needed.
5. Cook the sausage: In the same frying pan, add in sweet Italian sausage, as the sausage cooks break up with spoon until crispy. Drain off the fat and add to bowl with onion mixture.
6. Combine everything: Add toasted bread cubes, sausage and toasted pecans to onion mixture. Taste, add in kosher salt and pepper as needed. Stir to combine, add in beaten eggs and half and half.
7. Bake to perfection: Place mixture into prepared baking dish, pour over chicken stock to moisten stuffing. Bake for 30 minutes until heated throughout and crisped on top.

Yield: 20 cups (serves 12-16 people)

Recipe Variations & Tips

• Seasonal Swaps: Try chestnuts instead of pecans, or dried cherries in place of apples for different flavor profiles
• Make Ahead: This can be assembled the day before and refrigerated - just add a bit more stock before baking
• Bread Choice: La Brea Country Sourdough is ideal, but any good quality sourdough works beautifully
• Texture Preference: For extra crispy top, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end
• Vegetarian Option: Skip the sausage and use vegetable stock for a delicious meat-free version

Perfect Thanksgiving Pairings

Serve with gravy made from turkey drippings or just dig your spoon in and grab a big bite - both ways are absolutely delicious!

Looking for a cocktail and snack while you are preparing Thanksgiving dinner? I highly recommend an Old Fashioned and Pecan Cheese Wafers. Cheers!

This stuffing also pairs beautifully with:

• Traditional turkey gravy
• Cranberry sauce for a sweet-tart contrast
• Roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans
• A crisp white wine or light red wine

Creating New Family Traditions

Sometimes the best family traditions come from finding creative ways to honor the old while introducing something new. My "Dressed Up Stuffing" solution taught me that it's not always about replacing what exists, but rather about adding to the table - literally and figuratively.

Now, years later, both versions appear at our Thanksgiving table, and I love that our family has room for multiple traditions. It's a reminder that the best holiday meals aren't just about the food - they're about finding ways to bring everyone together, honoring what came before while making space for what's new.

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, whether it goes in the bird or bakes in a beautiful dish, what matters most is the love and memories you create around the table. This recipe has become our family's way of bridging generations and creating new traditions while honoring the old ones.