Thanksgiving recap: 24 turkeys, 9 pans of stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, broccoli salad, corn and two different desserts--pumpkin cheese cake and apple crisp. One big blister on my finger and a burn on my arm and a little rakiya healed both of these ailments.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="My oven of stuffing"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="My oven of stuffing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378522269/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6216/6378522269_8870e6def6_b.jpg" alt="My oven of stuffing" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Turkeys"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Turkeys" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378541721/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6019/6378541721_08a751e723_b.jpg" alt="Turkeys" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

This is the third year I've made stuffing for our faculty Thanksgiving dinner but the first year that we've stuffed all of the turkeys with the stuffing. I guess that means that the previous two years I actually made dressing rather than stuffing--but really who's counting. (If you are, maybe you'll want to read <a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/21/thanksgiving-stuffing-in-a-picture/" target="_blank">last year's post on the stuffing</a>. If that's not enough for you, there's this<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/11/19/one-week-thanksgiving/" target="_blank"> post with the actual recipe</a> and <a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/11/19/one-week-thanksgiving/" target="_blank">this post on the other dishes we made my first year at ACS</a>. Or maybe you want to read about <a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/11/29/pilgrams-and-sofia/" target="_blank">my very first Thanksgiving in Sofia</a>. It's hard to believe that was four year ago!! <em>Four years</em>.)

Now this stuffing is delicious. I know, I know. I am biased. But really, this stuff is <em>tasty</em>.  It's also super easy to make and very forgiving.<!--more-->

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Me and the stuffing"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Me and the stuffing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378531345/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6238/6378531345_be89476cbb_b.jpg" alt="Me and the stuffing" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

Here are the basics: Take bread and rip it up. Toast it. Chop up apple, dried fruit, celery, onion and garlic. Mince your herbs. That's parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage. Fresh is best but I've made it with a mix of fresh parsley and dry herbs too. Mix all of this together and then add vegetable stock. Let it sit overnight. Bake covered. Stir. Bake uncovered until toasty and hot. Put it in your mouth (but careful, it's hot). Then eat some more.

Mostly this recipe is a hurry up and wait recipe. This is a nice thing. It means you can cook and prep other things as you wait. Or in my case, you can just take a ton of pictures as you're keeping an eye on your stuffing and drink red wine as you're baby sitting the stuffing.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Waiting for the stuffing to cook"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Waiting for the stuffing to cook" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378520531/"><img class=" " src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6215/6378520531_993050aea8_b.jpg" alt="Waiting for the stuffing to cook" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Rows of ovens"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Rows of ovens" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378517627/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6055/6378517627_38188dc326_b.jpg" alt="Rows of ovens" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

Now it gets a little more complicated when you're making stuffing for 150 people but really this is only because no sane person should cook stuffing for 150 people. Enter blister. I chopped and chopped and chopped. Then I diced and diced. It's totally worth it but I was also using a crappy knife. I don't recommend this.

But I do recommend this stuffing. (It's easy to make with whatever you have on hand. And the leftovers? Those are to die for.)

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Toasted stuffing"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Toasted stuffing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378518997/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6113/6378518997_5558f439e2_b.jpg" alt="Toasted stuffing" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Stuffing pre-cooking"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Stuffing pre-cooking" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378510907/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6227/6378510907_81bb560e51_b.jpg" alt="Stuffing pre-cooking" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Fruit and herbs mix"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Fruit and herbs mix" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378506515/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6093/6378506515_354d8c708e_b.jpg" alt="Fruit and herbs mix" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Green Apples"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Green Apples" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378501803/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6019/6378501803_bd2e3ae197_b.jpg" alt="Green Apples" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Green Onion"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Green Onion" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378500141/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6114/6378500141_7311e0e282_b.jpg" alt="Green Onion" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Lots and lots of bread"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Lots and lots of bread" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378496239/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6041/6378496239_42bb2e3d1d_b.jpg" alt="Lots and lots of bread" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Cranberries"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Cranberries" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378489763/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6046/6378489763_acb4074c93_b.jpg" alt="Cranberries" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

The blister is a good reminder of the awesome/crazy thing I decided to undertake this weekend. It's kind of a badge of honor.

Now the burnt arm?

That's a different story. That hurt a lot. A LOT. A Lot. I almost dropped the pan of stuffing in my hands when I did that. I managed to nick the inside part of my forearm on the oven. <em>Yoasa</em>. That hurt. The kind of <em>ow</em> that makes you want to jump around. But, I have to say, the human body is pretty cool because I can barely see the mark on my arm something like 36+ hours later.

Oh and it was quickly forgotten at the party. What's not to love about this much food and such great company?!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Serving Food"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Serving Food" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378556311/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6213/6378556311_2daf4cfc27_b.jpg" alt="Serving Food" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Our Bulgarian Guests"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Guests" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6378551645/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6044/6378551645_c989249730_b.jpg" alt="Guests" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

The good news? I've still got some leftover stuffing in my fridge and I am heading to Vienna for Thanksgiving. I am kicking my holiday season off in style as I plan to drink plenty of mulled wine, eat roasted chestnuts and sausages and do some holiday shopping.