Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance

FAMILY HEIRLOOM RECIPES

Illinois State Fair

August 12, 2022

 

 

Second Prize

 

Ma’s Stuffing
Linda D. Cifuentes, Mahomet, Illinois

 

 

I know everyone thinks their mom’s stuffing is the best but my siblings and I really do think hers is the best. I have entered many recipes from the mom Helen Holas. Most recipes were passed down from my Babi or my grandma but this stuffing recipe was Helen’s “invention.”

 

Now here’s the thing, her stuffing was made in a pan. It was never stuffed inside the turkey. I, along with my brothers Tony and Joe and sister Cindy all thought this is how everyone had their stuffing. It was not until adulthood that we realized there were other types of stuffing. When I asked my mom “Why is it called stuffing if it isn’t put inside the turkey?” She answered, “It was too dangerous, you could get sick.” So, she was my mom and I took what she said as absolute truth, and never questioned that again and of course, I assumed since “it wasn’t safe so no one stuffed their turkey. I do know now that a turkey can safely be stuffed. I will also add here that my mom never call the stuffing dressing.

 

I know that some people have turkey and stuffing at Christmas and even at Easter; however, Thanksgiving was the only time my mom made her turkey and stuffing. Thanksgiving at our house was “A DO NOT MISS”!! My parents lived on Gunderson in Berwyn for over 40 years till they both passed away. They hosted Thanksgiving dinner every year of my life since my earliest memory. When we were little kids, we ate on the back porch, which is where we ate every day. As we got older and brought friends home, Daddy decided we should eat in the dining room — we never ate in the dining room. This now became the tradition. A lace table cloth was put in place and as more people were coming my Dad added the extensions in the table. My mom ALWAYS made way more food than was ever needed especially on Thanksgiving. Before dinner a few of us, myself included, would go in search of bigger plates to hold all the different food my mom made.

 

The highlight and my personal favorite was the stuffing. Since she baked it in the pan she would cut into squares and serve it on a plate or platter. I would have been satisfied to eat a whole plate of her stuffing drowning in gravy. I do need to tell you that my mom never made her own gravy, she bought turkey gravy so that is what I am serving with the stuffing. Also, I opted to serve some turkey with the stuffing—I had to buy the turkey to get the giblets—the stuffing could not be made without the giblets. This is a key ingredient.

 

I remember my mom getting up early on Thanksgiving morning to put the turkey in the oven. Then working on the stuffing as the next priority. I remember her cooking the vegetables along with the giblets in the stick of butter—yes, I did say a stick of butter. And I also remember her squooshing the bread with the milk. When everything is mixed together and ready to go into the oven, I must say it does not look very appetizing. But, when that stuffing comes out of the oven and onto the table they were little nuggets of wonderfulness. You know how Thanksgiving left overs are the best; well, this stuffing tops that list. Most of my family warmed it but I preferred it cold with a little bit of salt

 

I came from a very close and loving family. As I was growing up we ate most of our meals together as a family but Thanksgiving was special, I think in part because my dad came home early on a week/work day. He owned his own flower shop and worked every day including Thanksgiving but was always home an hour or two before dinner so he could help my mom.

 

I would like to share one Thanksgiving memory back in the 1970’s. The Chicago Bears were playing the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. I love football but back then I was absolutely insane over football. Since most of the family were watching the game, my mom planned dinner for 1:30 which is when she thought the game would be over. She called everybody to dinner; they all came but me. She said “Linda Diane, if you don’t come to eat with the family now I am not going to let you eat”. I told her “But mom the game just went into overtime. ” She said “You choose stuffing or football”. Believe it or not I chose football. I went back into the TV room. The Lions kicked off to the Bears; Walt Williams was deep in his end zone and caught the ball; he ran 106 and scored a touchdown. Game over. That was the shortest overtime in history. I went to the table in a matter of minutes and my mom said,” I’m glad you came to your senses”. My dad looked at me and said, “What really happened?”. When I told him “He said don’t tel your mother'” I probably enjoyed my stuffing the best that year.

 

My parents have been gone for 16 years and the memory of their love and devotion is always with me. This is especially significant when I make special dishes like this.

 

 

 

Second Prize

 

Ma’s Stuffing
Linda D. Cifuentes, Mahomet, Illinois

 

White or stuffing bread; 1 loaf Chopped celery
Chopped carrots
Chopped green onions
1 egg
Milk
Salt and pepper
Diced turkey liver and heart ( do not use the stomach-too hard)

Put bread in a large bowl. Add some milk and let soak for awhile.
Sautee celery, carrots, onion, and turkey stuff in 1 stick of butter or margarine,
until soft. Salt and pepper (you can put in some garlic salt too.) Mix and cool a
little.

Squoosh bread and milk until it is not lumpy. Add vegetable mixture—add a little more salt and pepper to taste. Put in a baking pan that has been greased. Bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes to an hour.

**** I copied this recipe exactly as my mom wrote it.