Mom's Homemade Stuffing Recipe

My mother makes this stuffing recipe every year and she's letting me share it with all of you. This recipe makes a very full 13x9 pan. Also, fair warning, this is one of those recipes where much is by eye or approximated, so together we tried to pin it down into a written recipe.

What you need:
3 loaves of stuffing bread, torn into approximately 1 inch pieces
4-6 large eggs, see note in recipe
1 pound of ground Portuguese chourico or linguica, not Spanish chorizo, can be cooked before hand.
Bell seasoning, 2-3 tbsp to taste
1 large onion, chopped
Celery, chopped, 4-6 stalks, to taste
1 tbsp ground red Portuguese pepper (not the dried flakes, this is found in glass jars)
1 stick of butter, softened
Milk, enough to moisten, but not soak the mixture. 1-2 cups 
Optional: 4-6 ounces lightly toasted pine nuts
Optional: add 1 pound of cooked ground beef, drained
Optional: 1/2 cup of dried cranberries or raisins


Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure meats have cooled before mixing. For the eggs and milk, start with less and add more as needed. The mixture should be sticky enough to hold together, but not soggy. Hands are the best tools for mixing everything together. Once thoroughly incorporated, transfer to a 13x9 pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes and then uncover for the last 15 minutes. It should be golden brown, but not overly dried. Enjoy!