2 tbsp olive oil or turkey fat
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. sweet Italian sausages
6 cups egg bread, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram or 2 tsp dried
2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
2 tsp paprika
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 egg
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cu shelled pistachios or walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock
1 tbsp olive oil
Add olive oil to skillet over medium heat.
Stir in onion, celery and garlic. Saute till softened (4-5 min.)
Remove vegetables to a large bowl.
Skin sausages and cook meat in the skillet, crumbling meat with a fork.
Add sausages to vegetables in the large bowl.
Mix in bread cubes, herbs and spices.
Stir in egg, cranberries and nuts.
Add enough stock to moisten stuffing.
Remove giblets from the turkey.
Stuff the turkey with the stuffing.
Using a needle and string, pull any loose skin from the neck area around the stuffing and sew up.
Sew back skin together making sure no stuffing can seep out.
Tie drumsticks close to body to hold in place.
Brush the bird with olive oil and season with salt and ground pepper (optional).
Place bird in roasting pan breast-side down so the breast meat will be juicy.
If you want a "golden-looking" bird, roast breast-side up, but meat may be drier.
Cooking time depends on the size of your bird (see the label).
Once the leg wiggles easily, the turkey is usually done.
