California Walnut Stuffing

Our first Thanksgiving in Carol Place, we hosted a substantial gathering, for which we provided only the turkey and the dressing. Everything else was contributed by the guests, each of whom brought one dish of their choosing. That was our first experience with walnut stuffing, and it might easily have been our last. A few days before, we had perused the books on the shelf, looking for anything interesting. We found this one. It was a big success, but when Thanksgiving rolled around again we had long since forgotten which recipe we had used. Fortunately, Carolyn Gochenaur called the night before and asked if we were going to do the same "walnut stuffing." With that, a tradition was born.

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and celery. Sauté for 15 minutes.
   
   
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
   
   
3. If you are stuffing the turkey, you'll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
   
   
4. If you want to cook stuffing separately, you'll need to add the optional liquid. You'll put the stuffing into the oven just before the turkey comes out and set the temperature to 350^o. Allow 30-45 minutes, covering the stuffing for the first 15-20 minutes.

8 cups (about right for a 20-pound turkey)   

Source: Craig Claiborne, The New York Times Cookbook