Neal Page is away on business and trying to get home to his family in Chicago, only to run into every delay and road block possible, when he meets his polar opposite in shower curtain ring salesman, Del Griffith. This odd couple's path first crosses when Del unknowingly steals Neal's cab to the airport in New York City...and ends with Neal bringing Del home to eat Thanksgiving dinner with his family.
The story is filled with plenty of humor and scenes typical to the 80's, and its writer, John Hughes. After they pair up to share a hotel room when their flight is re-routed due to bad weather, a series of ridiculous mishaps ensue. Their hotel room only has one bed, their car gets set on fire, a (different) hotel room gets robbed, a rental car is not where it should be...and all in those good old days before the invention of the cell phone.
The majority of the food comes in the form of "road food"—motel room junk food and booze, munchies like cracker jacks, peanuts, and soda, and roadside diners, but there is also the anticipation of a plentiful Thanksgiving dinner (and glimpses of the family eating back home in Illinois).
I wanted to make a Thanksgiving dish with a nod to the journey the guys took, so I went back to the beginning of the movie. I mentioned that Del accidentally stole Neal's taxi...so, when Neal brings it up, Del apologizes and offers to make it up to him with "a nice hotdog and a beer". That hotdog turned into a brat (because I really didn't want hotdogs in my stuffing, and what's a brat if not a really nice hotdog)...and the brat and the beer went into a dish that no Thanksgiving table would be complete without—stuffing! Okay, technically it's dressing, but we've always called it stuffing whether it was inside the bird or cooked separately.
Join us next month as we head into the kitchen with yours truly, right here on All Roads Lead to the Kitchen, with my pick, Clueless!
For inspiration, check out the Food 'n Flix website (click on any of the roundups listed to see what participants have been inspired to make by the movie choice), all of my past Food 'n Flix posts, or my Food 'n Flix Pinterest board!
Yield: serves 8-10
Beer and Brats Stuffing (Dressing)
prep time: 15 MINScook time: 45 MINStotal time: 60 mins
Whether game day or a holiday, this stuffing made with beer and bratwurst is sure to be everybody's favorite side dish!
ingredients:
- 1 (1 pound) loaf of hearty white bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter + more for greasing pan
- 12 ounces fresh bratwurst, squeezed from its casings
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, trimmed and diced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence, homemade or storebought (see notes)
- 8 fluid ounces (1 cup) amber beer
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (less if stock is salted)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup chicken stock (or turkey stock)
instructions:
- Cut the bread into 1" thick cubes and let sit loosely covered overnight to dry out. Alternately, cut into 1" thick slices, toast lightly, and then cut into cubes. Place in cubes in an extra-large bowl.
- Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on the center rack of your oven and preheat oven to 375° F (alternately, grease a 9" x 13" baking dish and set aside).
- Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add bratwurst and cook until just browned, about 4 minutes, breaking apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add carrot, celery, onion, and herbs and cook, stirring occassionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add beer, salt, and pepper and continue to cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and pour over the bread cubes in the bowl; toss to combine.
- If using the cast-iron skillet, use an oven mitt to remove it from the oven and add a big pat of butter, tilting the pan to coat bottom and sides as it melts. Pour everything from the bowl into the skillet (or into the prepared baking dish). Drizzle stock evenly over everything then return to oven for about 30 minutes, or until the top and edges are golden.
notes
If you don't have Herbes de Provence, feel free to substitute 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs in its place - a mix of sage and parsley is especially good here. If you want to use this as stuffing for a bird (or pork loin), stir the stock in to the mixture before using it.
©All Roads Lead to the Kitchen. Adapted from Family Circle.
Created using The Recipes Generator
