HIGHPOINT CIRCLE: Stuffing Balls

This is my newest Christmas item and I just couldn't wait to set it out!

If you look in the mirror, you can see the pumpkin tree...the season of Thanksmas!

It's that time of year, when in my head I've celebrated fall and am cooking for Thanksgiving, but REALLY thinking about getting out my Christmas decorations. I know for some, this kind of thinking just drives you bonkers, and for that, I apologize. But for me, my creative juices start flowing, then I start cooking for Thanksgiving and the smells just drive me to the the holiday season in it's entirety and for me that centers on Christmas. Just a little bit on the workings of my mind...maybe TMI.

BUT today I am staying with Thanksgiving and sharing my prized Stuffing Ball recipe. I have made this recipe for almost thirty years and I got it from Parents Magazine in 1983. I started making it because my mother's stuffing was a little inconsistent--either too dry or too runny. I've never had a problem with this recipe and it is consistently perfect. Now, the turkey...

I did forget to put the parsley in this picture of the ingredients, sorry!

This is a modification of the original recipe. The original was for an 8-oz. bag of stuffing mix and that is no longer available, it is now a 14-oz. size, therefore the strange amount of butter. Also, the original recipe called for hot water and I substitute chicken broth for the water. The great thing about this recipe is you can add mushrooms, nuts, or turkey meat to it and it will give wonderful results.

1-3/4 cup onion, chopped

1-3/4 cup celery, finely chopped

7/8 cup butter

1 14-oz. bag herb stuffing mix

3 cups hot chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped pimiento

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion and celery in melted butter in a large skillet until tender. Remove from heat and stir in stuffing mix, hot broth, parsley, and pimiento until blended.

I usually scoop out some and eat it at this point--you know, just to test it! Right!

Measure stuffing by the 1/4-cupful and shape into balls. Place on buttered cookie sheet. (I usually make these ahead of time and freeze them at this point. Just thaw before baking.) Bake 20 minutes, or until heated through and lightly browned. Yields 24 balls.

Excused my well-loved pan! I just cover them with heavy-duty foil and freeze at this point.

These are unbaked, but I just love the colors in them. They get nice and toasted when baked. Leftovers go on turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce! Yummy in my tummy!

HAPPY, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I am thankful for you!