Creole-Stuffed Turkey Recipe

Trying out new recipes is such a "passion" of mine that my husband sometimes will ask to have something for dinner that he's actually seen before! My Creole-Stuffed Turkey originated when my sister from Texas and her family—who love Southern cooking—were here one Thanksgiving. Everyone kept coming back for another serving...and we ended up stuffed, too.

4 cups cubed corn bread

2 cups cubed crustless day-old whole wheat bread

1 cup chopped fully cooked ham

3/4 cup smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons finely diced onion

2-1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

1/2 cup egg substitute

1 to 1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 turkey (8 to 10 pounds)

In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients; add enough broth to moisten. Just before baking, loosely stuff the turkey. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan.

Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180° for the turkey and 165° for the stuffing, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) Cover turkey and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving turkey. Yield: 6-8 servings.

(You may substitute the following spices instead of the creole seasonings: 1 teaspoon each paprika and garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon each cayenne pepper, dried thyme and ground cumin.) Stuffing may be baked in a greased 2-qt. covered baking dish at 325° for 70 minutes (uncover during the last 10 minute). Stuffing yields about 6 cups.