I know, I know, this probably sounds a bit weird, but I was looking at all the Lipton soup mix I have (don't ask - I am definitely stocked up....until late next year - at least!) I was thinking of a different take on stuffing, as I'm not the biggest fan of the traditional sage and rosemary stuffing, so this year, I'm going to have to experiment. And Lipton is going to help!

I went to my market to see what I had on hand to work with and kept coming back to the abundance Lipton dry soup mixes, so here's what I came up with - a 6 ingredient, 15 minutes prep time stuffing that is sure to zing your taste buds! Let me know what you think:

6 C. cubed bread, any variety
32 oz. chicken broth or stock
2 envelopes Lipton Savory Garlic soup mix
2 lbs. ground turkey
2 large sweet peppers, chopped
1 large apple, any variety, peeled and chopped

Bake in an oven safe casserole covered for 1 hour at 350, uncovering during last 15 minutes of cooking, or use to stuff a turkey. This batch will stuff a 12-16 lb. turkey. This can also be used to stuff a chicken, but for average sized chicken, please use half the amount called for in the recipe.

In a large, deep skillet, brown ground turkey with bell pepper and apple. Once meat is browned, toss in bread and seasonings. While stirring, add in broth until stuffing reaches desired consistency.

I am so excited about this recipe because of the last Jewel cat sale - I grabbed the soup mix for $.06 a box, the chicken broth for $.36 a 32 oz. carton, and apples are on sale at my local Caputos for $.39 lb. and peppers at $.59 lb.
Total cost for this Thanksgiving side dish: $2.73!!

Yields: 12-14 servings or $.23 per serving

What's your favorite take on stuffing on a budget?

I was on the phone with DaMama yesterday, telling her how I planned to cut back on donations coming from Annie's Market, as my stockpile has taken a few good hits in recent months. As I see my basic supplies dwindle down to 3-6 months worth for my family (and DaMama, of course), I was planning on cutting back what I share with others. While that was my (somewhat selfish) sentiment, that's when the phone call came through - and changed everything. It was my sister (I only have one) and her request wasn't an easy one - she needed some help. And not for herself and her family, this call for help came through her mother-in-law from her husband's sister.

I know times have been hard for so many people and my family has been blessed in this recession (no jobs lost yet, only bonuses have been cut), but to hear of a family of 9 where only 1 adult has a fulltime job, there's a new baby, and they were planning to skip the Thanksgiving festivities this year - and hearing their very humbling request - any food we could spare. Their pantry is bare and has been for sometime, and word got around that my sister had a surplus and everyone wanted to know how she did it.

Could she help them out? Could she tell them her secret? How can she be doing so well during these times? Her husband is laid-off and back in school - how can she have such a full pantry? She laughed and said, you'd have to ask Annie, she's the one who supplies me. (Like it's some black-market operation, something secretive and covert. Next thing you know, we'll be smuggling Lipton soup mix across state lines...but I digress.) My sister offered to put some stuff together, but she also said that she'd be putting this family in need in touch with me. I am still smiling - knowing that my sister thought enough of me and our relationship that she could call upon me for help like that without thinking twice. Every now and then, when a moment like this hits you, you feel grateful, useful, and on top of the world.

To me - this is the spirit of Thanksgiving: family helping family, friends helping friends, communities pulling together. I hear touching stories on the radio about people pulling together, pooling resources, making the holidays a little better for someone else. Never did I think that the day I decide to focus in on only my family would be the day that call for help would come.

Quickly, my sister and I decided who had what to spare, and this afternoon, I'll start putting together some boxes of basics - and now, I can reflect on what I have to be thankful for this holiday season.