A Big Batch of Filling- Freezer Cooking
/I save them to make filling! I get a lot of compliments on my filling and it is so moist! It is really simple to make, too. Here is what you need:
6-7 loaves of white bread
3-4 medium onions
3-4 stalks celery
8 sticks margerine
I get to work (and put the kids to work) cutting the bread into cubes - it does not always fit in the roaster. I let it sit out for awhile so that the cubes are not so soft. If I am making a large noon meal, I will cut it in the evening and let it sit out overnight with the lid cracked a bit to let some air into the roaster. You can cut up those leftover crusts, too!
Then I cry my eyes out and peel the onions. I cut the onions and celery into big chunks...
...and my trusty, old food processor chops it all up for me!
This is probably how a normal person would chop them.
I don't like onions. Or celery. So I practically puree it to disguise them.
In my big skillet, I melt 8 sticks of margarine
I mix in my veggies and let them simmer for a few minutes.
I give it a good stir. It doesn't seem like it coats every bread cube, but it works out just fine. I cook it at 200 degrees for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Do NOT crank that temperature up. Trust me. It burns.
It cooks down quite a bit, so you should be able to add any extra bread that didn't fit in no time. All of the bread in that first picture cooked down to this:
Oh, it is so yummy and delicious! You can eat it right away...
...or freeze it for later. It is a quick side dish- just pull it out of the freezer and warm it up! I like to use the microwave to get it thawed and then I pop it in the oven in a baking dish at 350 for 10-15 minutes just to make the edges a little crispy (but if you leave it in the oven too long it will dry out and you'll need lots of gravy). I have also squished it into filling balls to freeze. This would be great to pull out just a few at a time for smaller households.