Stuffing Pioneer Inspires World’s Best Stuffing Cookbook
ARA

Jazzing up your holiday meal may be as simple as following some brilliant old-fashioned advice. Earn your guests’ attention and affection by innovatively serving your holiday stuffing as individual loaves, balls or muffins. You will draw raves with choices such as stuffing balls packed with the flavor of grapefruit and walnuts and topped with a fresh grapefruit-apple cider-mint sauce, single-serving stuffing loaves lovingly filled with chopped dried figs and oranges and magnificent stuffing muffins that combine brown rice, chopped green onion, celery and cashews. These sumptuous selections are from the exclusive archives of the late Sophie Cubbison, a 1912 university home economics graduate who was one of the country’s first whole-wheat bread bakers and, in 1926, the inventor of Melba-toasted packaged stuffing mix.

For the first time, the treasure-trove of 60 years of recipes developed for Mrs. Cubbison’s Foods, Inc., still the country’s leading traditional stuffing maker, appear in a book: “Mrs. Cubbison’s Best Stuffing Cookbook.”

In addition to traditional casseroles and recipes for stuffed turkeys, “Mrs. Cubbison’s Best Stuffing Cookbook,” which includes more than 100 recipes, is packed with stuffing recipes for meat, fish, holidays, and regional and international specialties. There is also a chapter filled with recipes for the stuffing loaves, balls and muffins that Sophie Cubbison loved to serve to friends and family. She also presented these recipes around the country as one of the first food company presidents who personally demonstrated recipes.

“Like Sophie did, why not surprise your Thanksgiving guests with stuffing loaves, balls or muffins?” Pearlstein suggests. “When made from packaged stuffing mix, they are exceptionally easy, while at the same time featuring fantastic flavor and making an absolutely lovely and highly memorable presentation.”

Grapefruit-Walnut Stuffing Balls with Citrus-Cider-Mint Sauce

1 (6-ounce) bag packaged cornbread stuffing mix
1 cup grapefruit segments
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
3/4 cup grapefruit juice
Sauce:
2 grapefruits, sectioned and chopped bite-sized, with juice reserved
1/2 cup apple cider
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed mint leaves
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint for garnish
2 1/2 tablespoons grapefruit zest for garnish

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine the stuffing mix, grapefruit segments, walnuts, mint, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir in first the melted butter and then the grapefruit juice, tossing lightly but thoroughly after each addition.
3. Shape the stuffing mixture into 6 to 8 balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake covered for 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch and thoroughly heated.
4. Combine the grapefruit juice, cider, honey, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat to slowly bring to a boil. Boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly as the mixture thickens. Stir in the reserved grapefruit sections and the mint.
5. Serve the sauce warm over the stuffing balls, garnishing with the chopped mint and grapefruit zest. [ARA]

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Brown Rice and Cashew Stuffing Muffins

2 (6-ounce) bags packaged cornbread stuffing mix
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup cashew pieces
1/2 cup diced celery
2 teaspoons chopped green onion
1 1/4 cups water or broth
12 whole cashews for garnish

Yield: 12 muffins
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally grease 12 muffin cups to the rims and set aside.
2. Combine the stuffing mix, rice, and butter or margarine in a large bowl. Stir in the cashew pieces, celery, and green onion. Then gradually stir in the water or broth, adding more if necessary to make the mixture hold together, but not so much that the mixture becomes soggy.
3. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, dividing it evenly among the cups, and top each with a whole cashew.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and run a knife around the rim to loosen and serve the muffins.

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