If you’re too busy to make stuffing from scratch this recipe is a great alternative. It’s a fabulous recipe for jazzing up boxed stuffing mixes.
Don’t let anyone guilt you about not making stuffing from scratch. Honestly, I hate when people make other people feel bad about taking shortcuts from time to time when it comes to cooking.
Personally I think if you’re cooking dinner at all these days you’re doing good. Most of us are so busy and life spirals out of control pretty easily. And that’s okay. It’s okay to be busy.
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I know right. That’s a groundbreaking statement to make these days. We live in a world where everyone is running around like crazy trying to fit in as much as possible into every day.
So if you want to take a load of your plate by cutting a few corners that’s cool with me. Completely cool with me. In fact I encourage it. There’s no shame in cutting corners. Not. One. Little. Bit.
I get asked to make stuffing often when we have company and family gatherings. It is one of the most requested dishes along with my regular lasagna and spicy lasagna. So I thought I would share how I make it.
The cheater version is so simple and anyone can do it. It is not a difficult recipe at all. It can also be adjusted to whether you like your stuffing light and fluffy, or moist and more dense.
Typically I make a very moist stuffing because that is how my Dad liked it. He did not like a dry stuffing. That man LOVED stuffing SO much. I mean he would practically beg me to make it every holiday.
I miss making it for him. He always made me feel good about my cooking skills. I have so many recipes on the blog that remind me of my Dad. He was a sucker for good food. He loved every bite.
For this recipe I cheat, cheat, cheat. And I don’t feel bad about it at all. It’s utterly delicious and my entire family begs me to make it for every single holiday. So I embrace the boxed stuffing.
In fact I will proudly declare I love it. So if you want to cut some corners this is the recipe for you. I’ll share how I jazz up boxed stuffing like a boss. And I don’t even feel bad. Not. One. Little. Bit.
So here it is folks. My secret is out, I cheat with Uncle Ben. *giggles*
And I love it. Every. Little. Bit.
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- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef cooked and broken up into small pieces
- 4 boxes of Uncle Ben's Country Style Stuffing this is the only one I will cheat with
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken or turkey drippings from Turkey or Chicken if you don't have dripping use chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup butter
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Brown the ground beef in a pan. Salt and pepper to taste when finished.
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Put the cooked ground beef in a large stock pot. Add the water, seasoning pack and butter according to the stuffing package.
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Bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes.
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Cover then reduce heat and simmer for about 5ish minutes.
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Add the bread crumb packets and mix well. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5ish minutes.
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Pour into a greased or Pam sprayed casserole dish.
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Remove drippings from either a turkey or roast chicken. You can use pre-packaged or powdered chicken broth in a pinch. Pour over the stuffing.
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Drop small bits of butter randomly over the top.
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Put in a 350 degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring at least once during the cooking process.
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Remove and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a serving bowl.
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Serve with a big old cheating smile!
Recipe created by Cravings of a Lunatic
So this is it. Simple, fast, and not complicated. Tastes incredible with the ground beef in it. People always ask me for the recipe after they try it. I always laugh and say it’s really not a recipe.
It’s just a simple step to jazz up the boxed stuff. My mother in law taught me to add ground beef to stuffing. I’ve been doing it ever since. It adds such a great flavour to the stuffing.
Whether I make my stuffing from scratch, or whether I cheat by using boxed stuffing, I ALWAYS add ground beef to it. Okay, that might be stretching it a bit. On rare occasions I add Italian Sausage.
This girl likes her meat. I can’t help myself. It’s how I was raised. Meat with a side dish. In this case it’s meat in a side. I know right. It’s too good to be true.
So give this a whirl and let me know what you think. I hope you love it. You can add fresh parsley or sage to it for added flavour too. Sometimes I add caramelized onions to it too.
If anyone makes you feel bad about cheating or cutting corners tell them to stick their opinions where the sun don’t shine. No one needs to be made to feel guilty for cooking.
I look at it like this. You do you. I’ll do me. And this girl likes her cheater stuffing. Lots and lots of cheater stuffing.
Want more Side Dish Options? Check these out:
Fried Smashed Potatoes with Onions and Meyer Lemon Dressing
If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter Recipes be sure to check out my Recipe Index. It’s filled with lots of great recipe inspiration.
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Toodles! xx
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