Next week is Thanksgiving. I’m oh SO VERY excited. It’s my favorite holiday. MY FAVORITE! Here’s why: no unattainable expectations. Just food, hanging out, yelling at the television while we watch football in the afternoon, eating delicious things like turkey and cranberries and pie and sweet potatoes (or yams) covered in marshmallows and remembering that we have so many reasons to be thankful. I also enjoy watching “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” to cap off the night and ring in the Christmas season. Oh Thanksgiving.

I’d like to share a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes with you over the next few days.

Toasted Pecan Dressing (or Stuffing, if you prefer)
~from the Seattle Times at some point

Ingredients:
2 Cups chopped pecans
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, finely diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 pears, cored and diced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled and diced
1 T lemon juice
2 t ground sage
1 T fresh thyme
1 12oz box cornbread stuffing crumbs (I have never been successful in locating this in the Seattle area so I either use a preseasoned box and omit the above seasonings or just plain bread cubes)
1/2 t salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
2 eggs
1 cup apple cider or juice concentrate
1 cup chicken broth

1. Toast the pecans in 325 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add celery and garlic, saute for 5 more minutes. Add pears and apple, lemon juice, sage, thyme, cook for 5 more minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the pecans, bread crumbs, salt, peper and parsley to the sauteed vegetables. Whisk together the eggs, apple juice and broth. Pour over stuffing, mixing until all moistened.
4. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Transfer stuffing to dish and cover with foil. Cook in 325 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
**Can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until ready to cook. Should be mixed the same day as it is cooked. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
Serves 10.

Sometimes I put this into two smaller dishes because then there are more crunchy/crispy bits. We’ve also made this without the egg and with vegetable broth to accomodate vegetarians in our family and it works just as well.