This is the traditional Woltman Turkey Stuffing. It is simple but also very good and probably better than whatever you grew up with.

Ingredients (Per Batch)

• 1 Loaf of cheap white bread (preferably a large loaf). Cut into medium to small cubes.
• 1 Stick of Margarine (NOT butter. NEVER butter.)
• 1 and a half to 2 handfuls of finely chopped celery (leaves can be included)
• 1 and a half handfuls of finely chopped onion (sweeter onions are better)
• Celery salt
• Salt
• Pepper
• 5 to 6 eggs (definitely 6 eggs for large loaves)

Directions

1. Put Margarine in pot. Generously shake celery salt to cover the top of the stick, and do likewise with the pepper. Add a touch of salt if you want.
2. Heat until melted.
3. Add celery and onions to the Margarine mix and saute slowly until almost soft or soft.
4. Put the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.
5. Whisk the eggs and pour the eggs over the bread cube.
6. Hand mix the eggs and bread together. Don't smush the cubes, but distribute the eggs well. Look for an even yellow coating.
7. When celery and onions are softened, add the bread cubes to the pot and stir, stir, and stir to get the seasonings distributed throughout the cubes.
8. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually.
9. When it is fully cooked, but not dry, it will still have a bit of sponginess and moisture, but will also have darkened some.

Notes

• Fully cool the stuffing before refrigerating.
• If actually stuffing a turkey with this, be sure THOROUGHLY DRY the bird's body cavity, or the stuffing will turn to mush.
• Season the cavity with some salt and pepper.
• Close up (sew or skewer or cover with foil) the cavity so the stuffing doesn't dry out.

The Original Recipe, from Mom's Email

Ingredients: Per batch

*1 loaf of cheap white bread (preferably a large loaf) cut into medium to small cubes, or you can tear it into little bits like Grandma Isabel. This, however, will take you more hours of your life than you should give, but it was better. ( you could make it out of something like Maiers too and I think it would be good but more expensive) Dad and I only had trouble with a white bread one time. As you know, in Dad's dotage he began drying the bread out in the oven ahead of time. We NEVER did that for most of 30 plus years of marriage.

*1 stick of MARGARINE (MUST BE) We always liked Parkay but I don't know if it is out there anymore. *1 and a half to 2 handfuls (or, is it 'handsful') of finely chopped celery *1 and a half, rarely more, handfuls of finely chopped onion (on the sweeter side, not harsh) *celery salt *salt *pepper *5 to 6 eggs (if large eggs and small loaf of bread, use 5) 6 eggs definitely for large loaves

Instructions: Put stick of margarine in pan. Shake (be generous with the shakes) celery salt to cover the top of the stick, Do likewise with pepper. Add just a touch of salt if you want. Heat until melted. Add celery and onions to the butter mix and saute slowly until almost soft or soft.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs to blend. Then pour eggs over the bread cubes that are in a big bowl and, using your hands, mix the eggs and bread together. Don't smush, but distribute well. Look for even yellow color for the most part.

When celery and onion are softened, add the bread cubes and stir, stir and stir to get the seasaoning mixture well blended with the bread. Then slowly saute turning frequently so things don't burn, if you are me and tend to wander away and do other things while cooking. Or, do it over medium heat, but stir and flip the whole time, like Dad did since he was singularly devoted to both the filling and listening to Fox News at the same time. Mmmm. Maybe listening to the TV is the magic ingredient. Oh, wait! No. I never did that. LOL

When it is fully cooked, but not dry, remove from pan. Taste. If it is salty, peppery or there isn't enough of something, correct that in the second batch by under or over seasoning , then mix the two together and it will be right.

Now, your Dad did not always fully cook the filling since it was going into the bird, yet it was always done enough to avoid salmonella or whatever. Not that I am given to worry much about such things. I eat sunny side up eggs. :-)

Fully cool, put in a large baggie or cover tightly in a bowl or whatever and tuck in the fridge. I never stuffed the bird until just before going into the oven.

Be sure to wash the bird's cavity well, DRY WELL ( or you wind up with this nasty goopy filling). Season the cavity with a bit of salt and pepper.

Don't know if you can close the breast up with skewers and twine, but do so if you can. Or, you can perform surgery like I do and sew it closed with white thread. :-) If you can't close it closely wrap foil around the ends, so the filling doesn't dry out.

PS A dedicated turkey cooker or oven is essential to successful completion of this recipe. (according to Dad) LOL