Grandma Erickson's Homemade Stuffing

2 loaves Grandma Sycamore's white bread
3-5 stalks celery
1-2 cans Campbell's chicken broth
1 can Campbell's beef broth
1 large white onion
2 Tbs. Butter (give or take)
2 lbs. Jimmy Dean Sausage (regular or Italian flavored)
Salt and Pepper

1. Break both loaves of bread into little pieces. Put the bread into a large bowl.

2. Dice Onion

3. In an electric frying pan melt butter and sauté onions until onion is almost clear.

4. When onion is almost done add in Jimmy Dean sausage and cook mixture until done. Let cook a little longer and let the oil/grease seep into the meat and onions.

5. While onion meat mixture is cooking, cut celery stalks into pieces. You can choose to cut the celery sticks down the middle and then slice them into small pieces or you can just cut pieces straight across.

6. Put celery and just enough water to cover the celery in a small pan sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Once brought to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and let simmer with the lid on. Do this until the celery is easy to puncture with a fork (As if you were cooking potatoes for mashing).

7. When sausage and onion mixture is cooked dump into the same big bowl as bread pieces on top of the bread. At this point DO NOT mix the bread, sausage, and onion mixture.

8. When celery is soft enough add the celery plus the water that is left in the pan on top of the bread, sausage, onion mixture.

9. Alternate pouring 1 can of beef broth and 1 can of chicken broth onto the big bowl mixture and folding the mixture together.

10. Add salt and pepper to your liking into the mixture.

11. Only stir as much as you have to. Too much stirring causes stuffing to become tough.

12. Keep stuffing mixture in this large bowl with the lid on it in a cold place, until day you want to eat it.

13. Pour mixture into a disposable roasting pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. You may need to add 1 more can of chicken broth to the mixture, depending on if it looks to dry or not.

14. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Don't cover while baking, you want the top to crisp up a bit. About half way through the baking process stir mixture so bottom isn't mushy and top too crispy.

15. Take out of oven. Enjoy!

* If cooking this along with a turkey, take about a 1/2-3/4 cup of the turkey juice and pour it around the stuffing, this is not necessary it just adds flavor.

*Jimmy Dean sausage is a must when cooking this recipe.

*Campbell's chicken and beef broth is used because it's double strength.

*Grandma Sycamore's bread is used because it is not a dry bread

*If cooking for a lot of people just add another loaf of bread. You do not need to change the amount of everything else, just the bread.

Perfect Pulled Pork

1 (4-7 lb.) whole Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder (bone-in with a layer of fat on bottom). I've also used boneless pork loin

Dry Rub:

1 TBS ground cumin

1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS chili powder
1 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS salt
1 TBS ground pepper
1 TBS paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar

Brine Solution Ingredients:

2 qts cold water
3 TBS dry rub mix
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

1.  For the Dry Rub:  Stir together and store in an airtight container.

2.  For the Brine Solution: Add salt to cold water and stir well until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar and dry rub and stir well to combine.

3.  Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container, pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

4.  Remove pork shoulder from brine solution, pat dry with paper towels, place in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least a inch in length and width and at least 3 inches deep. Sprinkle dry rub onto the surface of the shoulder and massage in such that it adheres to the surface. Coat all sides. Make sure the fat layer on the shoulder is facing up before cooking! Place baking pan uncovered in a 225℉ oven on the middle rack. Insert a probe thermometer into the center or thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone. Monitor the temperature throughout cooking. Do not remove from the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches 200 degrees.

5.  When the shoulder has reached 200℉, shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices) then cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the temperature drops to 170℉ or slightly lower, remove from oven. Place on a large, clean work surface such as a cutting board, and remove the large sheet of crusted fat on the top. Pull apart with two forks, it will pull apart very easily. Serve on a bun with barbecue sauce if desired

6.  Plan for at least 12 hours, and maybe 15+ hours for this pulled pork recipe to cook, plus the at least 12 hours for brining. Start a couple days before you need it.

adapted From Kevin and Amanda