Giada's got the stuffing covered ‒ 4 ways!

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>> cooking school ." some call it stuffing, others call it dressing, everyone agrees it's a thanksgiving favorite and "today" contributor and chef giada de laurentiis is here to teach us how to make it four different ways. welcome back.

>> good morning.

>> good morning. quick polling of the group, stuffing or dressing, what do you call it?

>> stuffing.

>> stuffing.

>> stuffing.

>> okay, in the bird or out of the bird?

>> in the bird.

>> out of the bird!

>> okay, we're going to make a traditional stuffing right now. this has got ciabbata bread. what are the other ingredients?

>> eggs, cheese and chestnuts, very italian and traditional. each has a little italian twist to it. garlic, thyme.

>> carrots, onion and celery sauteing.

>> the basics sauteing with butter, olive oil , parsley, rosemary, thyme and chestnuts.

>> i'll stir that around.

>> we've ground lemon and chitka. we add two eggs.

>> can you do without the egg zpls.

>> the eggs hold its shape so you've got to have the eggs. you can dump all of that in here.

>> looks beautiful.

>> it's great, and then, if it all fits, wie add chicken broth to keep it moist and toasted --

>> ciabata bread.

>> great. matt wasn't sure how to say it.

>> through the italian interpreter.

>> it bakes at 400 degrees. the trick to making is cover with tin foil with butter, cook for 25 minutes.

>> i've gone over my at the loed time.

>> can a vegetarian stuffing be as flairful as one with meat?

>> it can be.

>> how so?

>> roasted vegetables with butter you saute. i add leeks, they have an oniony but mild flavor. you can add onions. you have to add a lot of spices.

>> apples, interesting to give it sweetness. spice for warmth, lemon zest and thyme.

>> lots of thyme.

>> so lots of fresh ingredients.

>> giada, really nice.

>> over here, ann, we've soaked dried cranberries , sweet, in a little bit of vegetable broth. you let them sit for a bit so they plump up, three eggs to hold it together and you put all of that in here, with some toasted sourdough bread . you can do any bread you want, and you mix it all together and pop it in here. you bake this, again, cover it with a little bit of tin foil for 25 minutes and take it off for another 15 and the last five minutes, i top with goat cheese .

>> the pilgrims always work with goat cheese . i think that's really nice.

>> adds an extra touch and beautiful color. all of these can be made the day of, today, actually, a couple of days before and bake them off before you eat.

>> a lot of people going gluten free .

>> i know it's not a sexy word to say gluten free but this is a gluten free stuffing. po portab portobello mushrooms , and onions, nice and chunky, gives it lots of flavor and then i cooked some wild and brown rice and you toss that in there and again you can find brown rice nowadays in a bag already cooked so you can cut all of these corners if you want to and a little bit of fresh thyme, fresh herbs are key and then a little bit of salt and pepper , saute this all together. this does not get baked. once you do it like this and flavor it all, you top it, i like to top it with hazelnuts and brakon. you can leave those two out if you want to. at this point, saute it a couple of minutes and you're done. reheat it the day of.

>> so i have rafi's turkey sausage. who is rafi?

>> my big inspiration in cooking.

>> this is your favorite?

>> actually the one i made with matt is my favorite.

>> oh!

>> don't get me started.

>> it's her favorite, ooh.

>> this is my aunt's favorite and a lot of my family. it's a departicipate. she makes this one on thanksgiving and i make mine and we see whose goes first. it's a competition.

>> a little family feud .

>> it's a little healthier and turkey day so we figured we'd stick with it. red pepper , she likes kick, spicy. parmesan cheese .

>> dump the whole thing?

>> dump it all in here and chestnuts, because they're very italian, cornbread, because she likes the cornbread thing.

>> i do, too.

>> dump it all in --

>> i like ray's recipe better i might add.

>> saute lightly with white wine . my aunt is really into the white wine .

>> so are we.

>> chicken broth .

>> okay.

>> and you toss it all together with the cornbread, and again you bake it in the oven, 400 degrees, covered with a little bit of tin foil with but thor to keep it moist and take it off.

>> could you put this in the turkey?

>> you could put any of these in the turkey.

>> is there a way when you put this emin the could haven to keep them from drying out? you want to make sure they're moist.

>> correct. if you make this today and leave it in the fridge, what you do the day of is add a little bit of chicken broth and in your instance you'd do vegetable broth, add chicken broth to keep it moist and throw it in the oven.

>> delicious.

>> in raffy's instance, pour more white wine over the top .

>> you know my aunt rafy or what?

>> giada thank you so much. happy thanksgiving. appreciate it. say hello to your family.

>> she's got cooking to do back home.

>> for more head to today.com and click on "food." up

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 11/21/2011 1:40:47 PM ET

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When it comes to cooking, there's no one right way and that holds true for stuffing! Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis demonstrates four very different ways to makes this holiday staple.

Recipe: Ciabatta stuffing with chestnuts and pancetta (on this page) Recipe: Raffy's turkey sausage and chestnut stuffing (on this page) Recipe: Wild rice stuffing with mushrooms and brussels sprouts (on this page) Recipe: Sweet and savory root vegetable stuffing with apples and dried cranberries (on this page)

Recipe: Ciabatta stuffing with chestnuts and pancetta

Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
8 ounces pancetta cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (7.4-ounce) jars roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 pound day-old ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 cup (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preparation

Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley.

Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

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Recipe: Raffy's turkey sausage and chestnut stuffing

Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1 medium green apple, cored and diced into 1-inch cubes
1 medium red apple, cored and diced into 1-inch cubes
1 medium onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons cubed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (6-ounce) bag dried cranberries
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage meat removed from casing
8 ounce jar steamed whole chestnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 pound day old cornbread or bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup canned chicken stock
1 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium saute pan add the apples, onion, 1 tablespoon oil and butter cook over a medium low heat for 10 minutes to soften. Add the wine, cranberries, and salt and pepper, simmer for about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and turkey sausage meat and break up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl toss together the fruit and onion mixture, the sausage, the chestnuts, the cornbread and red pepper flakes. Combine all the ingredients.

Add the chicken stock, and 3/4 cup of the parmesan. Gently place into an 8 1/2 by 8 1/2- inch glass Pyrex baking dish and top with the remaining parmesan. Dot with butter. Place in middle rack and bake until top is golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

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Recipe: Wild rice stuffing with mushrooms and brussels sprouts

Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

8 ounces applewood-smoked bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
4 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 1/4 cups organic brown rice
1 1/4 cups wild rice (about 7.6 ounces)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, divided
2 10-ounce bags pearl onions, blanched in boiling water 2 minutes, then peeled
1 1/2 pounds Portobello mushrooms, dark gills scraped away and discarded, mushrooms coarsely chopped (7 to 8 cups 3/4-inch pieces)
1 pound brussels sprouts, root ends trimmed and discarded, sprouts halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (about 4cups)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted , husked, coarsely chopped (optional)

Preparation

Cook the bacon in a heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the skillet; reserve the skillet with the drippings. Combine 4 1/2 cups broth and 1 tablespoon thyme in a heavy large saucepan. Bring broth mixture to boil. Add the brown rice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add the wild rice to the saucepan with the brown rice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until all rice is tender (but still slightly chewy), about 40 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the bacon dripping in the reserved skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the pearl onions and sauté until golden and tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a small bowl and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the mushrooms to the skillet and sauté until mushrooms are brown and tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir the brussels sprouts into the skillet with the mushrooms and sauté until tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Add the rice mixture, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, remaining 2 tablespoons thyme, and reserved pearl onions to the skillet and toss gently to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the stuffing to large bowl. Sprinkle with the bacon and hazelnuts, if desired, and serve.

Prep Time: about 45 minutes

Cook Time: about 1 1/4 hours

Serving Size

Serves 8 to 10

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Recipe: Sweet and savory root vegetable stuffing with apples and dried cranberries

Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1/2 of 16-ounce loaf sourdough bread, crust removed, bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided, plus butter for baking dish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 14- to 16-ounce butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 21/2 cups)
12 ounces medium carrots (about 4), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 21/2 cups)
8 ounces medium parsnips (about 3), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
3 cups thinly sliced leeks, cleaned (*see cooks note) (white and pale green parts only; about 2 large)
2 6-ounce Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Grated zest from 1 large lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 6-ounce package dried cranberries
1 cup vegetable broth
3 large eggs
5-ounces fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes on large rimmed baking sheet in single layer. Bake until the bread is almost firm to touch and beginning to brown slightly in spots around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool bread on the baking sheet. Maintain oventemperature.

Butter a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash, carrots, and parsnips to the skillet and sauté until the vegetables are beginning to soften, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Add the apples, the leeks, and 1 tablespoon butter to the same skillet and sauté until the leeks are slightly softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in thyme, lemon zest, and allspice. Season the vegetable mixture with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.

Meanwhile, combine the dried cranberries, vegetable broth and eggs in a medium bowl; whisk until well blended. Combine the bread cubes, vegetable mixture, and cranberries in a very large bowl. Add the egg-broth mixture and toss until bread is slightly moistened. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared baking dish. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cover the dish tightly with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing covered with foil 25 - 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake the stuffing until top is slightly crisp and brown in spots, about 15 - 20 minutes. Scatter the goat cheese over the stuffing for the last 5 minutes of baking. Let stuffing rest 10 to 15 minutes and serve.

Prep Time: 45 to 50 minutes

Cook Time: about 45 minutes

Tips

Cooks Note: To clean leeks, slice them lengthwise and run them under water. Make sure to get between the layers.

Serving Size

Serves 8 to 10

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Giada's got the stuffing covered ‒ 4 ways!

Want to impress your Thanksgiving guests? Try sweet and savory vegetable stuffing and more

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Jump to text When it comes to cooking, there's no one right way and that holds true for stuffi...

Jump to recipes Ciabatta stuffing with chestnuts and pancetta

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Video: Giada’s stuffing, four ways!

Closed captioning of: Giada’s stuffing, four ways!

Recipe: Ciabatta stuffing with chestnuts and pancetta

Ingredients

Preparation

Recipe: Raffy's turkey sausage and chestnut stuffing

Ingredients

Preparation

Recipe: Wild rice stuffing with mushrooms and brussels sprouts

Ingredients

Preparation

Serving Size

Recipe: Sweet and savory root vegetable stuffing with apples and dried cranberries

Ingredients

Preparation

Tips

Serving Size

Discuss: What did you think of this recipe?

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