Ingredients

• 1  cup chopped celery
• 1  cup sliced fresh mushrooms or one 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)
• 1/2  cup chopped onion (1 medium)
• 1  teaspoon poultry seasoning or ground sage
• 1/4  teaspoon pepper
• 1/8  teaspoon salt
• 8  cups dry bread cubes*
• 1/2  to 3/4 cup chicken broth or water
• 1  10- to 12-pound turkey
•   Cooking oil
• 1/3  cup margarine or butter

Directions

1. For stuffing, in a medium saucepan cook celery; fresh mushrooms, if using; and onion in margarine or butter until tender but not brown; remove from heat. Stir in poultry seasoning or sage, pepper, and salt. Place dry bread cubes in a large mixing bowl; add onion mixture and, if using, canned mushrooms. Drizzle with enough broth or water to moisten, tossing lightly.

2. Season body cavity of turkey with salt. Spoon some of the stuffing loosely into neck cavity. Pull the neck skin to the back; fasten with a skewer.

3. Lightly spoon more stuffing into the body cavity. (Place any remaining stuffing in a casserole, cover, and chill. Bake stuffing alongside turkey for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through.) Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail. If the band of skin is not present, tie the drumsticks securely to the tail. Twist wing tips under the back.

4. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of one of the inside thigh muscles. The thermometer bulb should not touch the bone. Cover turkey loosely with foil.

5. Roast turkey in a 325 degree F oven for 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 180 degrees F. The internal temperature of the stuffing should reach 165 degrees F. After 2-1/2 hours, cut band of skin or string between the drumsticks so thighs will cook evenly. When done, drumsticks should move very easily in their sockets and their thickest parts should feel soft when pressed. Uncover the last 30 minutes of roasting.

6. Remove turkey from oven. Cover; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Use a spoon to remove stuffing from turkey; place in a serving bowl. Carve turkey. Makes 12 to 14 servings.

*Note: To make dry bread cubes for stuffing, cut bread into 1/2-inch square pieces. (You'll need 12 to 14 slices of bread for 8 cups of dry cubes.) Spread in a single layer in a 15-1/2x10-1/2x2-inch baking pan. Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice; cool. (Bread will continue to dry as it cools.) Or, let stand, loosely covered, at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare stuffing cubes and freeze up to 1 month ahead. (Do not stuff turkey until just before roasting.)