October 21, 2017 Bread & Baking

A simple, traditional cheater stuffing recipe with smoked oysters, ham & pecans

Name: A simple, traditional cheater stuffing recipe with smoked oysters, ham & pecans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 sides
Cuisine: Thanksgiving
Ingredients: 1 box of your favorite stuffing; 4 oz can of smoked oysters; 1 cup of diced ham of your choice; 1/2 cup of pecan halves; fresh herbs to garnish, I used flat leaf parsley

A simple, traditional, cheater stuffing recipe that happens to be easy and super quick! A great solution for Thanksgiving or Christmas, our family’s all-time favorite. Embrace the easy button on this hectic day. This boxed stuffing is elevated to the next level with the addition of smoked oysters, chopped ham and pecans.

I’m going to be brutally honest.

I take a lot of short-cuts for Thanksgiving dinner.

The first Thanksgiving I hosted, I wanted EVERYTHING to be made from SCRATCH. I know, I know. You too? I didn’t even want any help, because you know, I was young and brilliant back then. I spent all day in the kitchen, missed out on all the socializing and felt anxious over every dish. I don’t think I enjoyed that day at all. Very sad, don’t let this happen to you.

Since that crazy, hectic day, I have learned TONS and I would love to share my pearls of wisdom with you. Do you have any more tips for us that you would like to share? Sharing is caring:)

10 Tips for a less hectic Thanksgiving Dinner

Choose 2-4 dishes to make yourself and let the guests bring the rest! Easy, right? This strategy lets the guests feel like they are contributing to this massive feast and allows you to spend more time with them. A super win-win IMO.
Use cheater recipes if they are good. Don’t settle for mediocre. Remember, you still want to make a good impression and wow your guests with your culinary skills, you just don’t want to slave all day in the kitchen and not spend time with the people who matter to you most.
Delegate a dishwasher. Great role for any non-cooks out there. They can contribute too!
Set the table before the guests come. This saves time and also ups the wow factor when the guests start arriving.
Make the desserts the day before. They usually keep very well. Try my amazing cheater dessert recipe called Kringle:) or Swedish Dark Cake, which is a quick, ‘mix and pour’ sponge cake that is dusted with powdered sugar. I LOVE this with after dinner coffee or tea.
Start the party with an empty dishwasher, that way clean-up will be quick.
Don’t forget to take advantage of the BBQ. Grilled vegetables are a great side, especially corn. This can be delegated to one of the guys and you can leave the clean-up for later. This also allows for less people in the kitchen and a secondary socializing place, think male bonding time;)
Place drinks in a cooler with ice, away from the kitchen so guests can help themselves. Outside is a great place if weather permits.
Plan for leftovers. Disposable or re-usable food containers are handy here. If there’s a ton of food left, you can send some home with the guests.
Keep the kiddos occupied by setting up a game or craft area or a comfy place to watch a holiday movie.

I hope the tips and warnings about my first Thanksgiving Dinner as a hostess is helpful to you. Do you have any funny stories about the first Thanksgiving Dinner you hosted? Is this the first TG dinner that you are hosting? Let us know by leaving a comment, I wanna hear!

Cheater Stuffing Recipe with Smoked Oysters, Ham & Pecans

Now onto my all-time, family favorite recipe for Thanksgiving Stuffing!

I feel like I had to give you the background to justify this ridiculously easy, cheater stuffing recipe. I think this may become your favorite stuffing recipe too.

It all starts with your favorite boxed stuffing. I used a savory herb variety this time. Cook stuffing according to directions on the package, simple eh? Fluff with fork and gently fold in the oysters, ham and pecans. I even found ham that was already chopped, I KNOW, I know, YES!!

That’s IT:)

This dish is so amazing, I can’t keep my hands out of it, even way before dinner is ready. It’s sad. Usually I arrive at the dinner table already half full. Does this happen to you?

This cheater recipe is courtesy of my husband who picked this up along the way during his bachelor days. I’m OK with this and I think you will be too.

Now go enjoy those family and friends that are waiting for you to come out of the kitchen.

Bon Appetit!