My late uncle Patrick O’Toole was a natural chef, a superb master in the kitchen. He had several recipes that have been handed down to his siblings and children, and my father in particular has taken on many of the dishes. There are recipes that Patrick prepared exclusively at Thanksgiving, and a few of them have also become a tradition in my family, thanks to my father.

Patrick O’Toole’s Stuffing

As with other recipes from my late uncle, exact measurements are at the sole discretion of the chef!

 

Corn bread stuffing mix (packaged)

White bread stuffing mix (packaged)

2 stalks of celery, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 can diced mushrooms

2 eggs, beaten

Chicken broth

Giblets (boiled in chicken broth)

½ C melted butter

Seasonings to taste:

Salt, garlic pepper, sage, poultry seasoning, thyme & parsley

 

In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together well. If dry, add extra chicken broth. Stuff the cavity of the bird for cooking; or layer evenly in a casserole dish and bake for twenty minutes at 325° F (or until hot). You can also use half to stuff the bird, and bake the other half in the casserole dish.

And this mouth-watering appetizer is also a given:

Uncle Pat's Crab Cocktail

Uncle Pat made this dish for many years. He never gave exact measurements, so I have not tried to provide them here. This is a "to taste" recipe, literally.

 

Crab meat (one or two cans, drained)

Cocktail sauce

Catsup

Horseradish

Worcestershire sauce

A touch of vinegar

A dash of garlic salt

 

In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together well. Chill for several hours, and serve (either alone in a wine glass is a nice touch; or on a bed of lettuce).

My husband doesn’t care for shellfish, so this year I may have to prepare the cocktail for myself. We are staying home this holiday season, the four of us: me, my husband, and our “babies” Foofer and Rainee.