Why I drove two hours for Thanksgiving stuffing

A Thanksgiving staple here

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Three years ago my mom introduced our family to a new Thanksgiving tradition: White Castle stuffing. I'm not sure where she found it, but the idea has been around 25 years, debuting in 1991. For the last few years, my family has made the trek to St. Louis to spend Thanksgiving with our loved ones. 

I work in TV news and don't get the holiday off, so we normally drive up in the afternoon, have dinner at a couple of houses and spend the weekend up north. This year we're not making the trip home, so when my wife started the menu planning for our family of five she asked what were the "must haves." My son and I agreed White Castle stuffing had to be on the list, but the nearest White Castle to southern Illinois is in Cape Girardeau, Missouri which is just over an hour from us.

So on Thanksgiving eve I hopped in the car and made the trek to Cape. Since it took more than an hour to get there, I decided to treat myself to a few sliders and sweet potato fries. I ate inside the restaurant and savored the flavor that usually only happens a couple times a year these days. Before leaving I picked up a Crave Case (30 burgers) and made the trip home.

Thanksgiving 2013

The sliders give the traditional stuffing an amazing boost. Plus there's always extras so we get to celebrate early with some "Belly Bombers." Here's the recipe. Enjoy and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

10 White Castle burgers (buns, onions, and pickles)

1 1/2 cup diced celery

1 1/4 tsp. thyme

1 1/2 tsp. sage

3/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup chicken broth

In a large mixing bowl, tear the burgers into pieces and add diced celery and seasonings. Toss and add chicken broth. Toss well. Stuff cavity of turkey just before roasting. Makes about 9 cups (enough for a 10- to 12-pound turkey). Note: Allow 1 hamburger for each pound of turkey, which will be the equivalent of 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound.