Yes, you read that right, we’re talking about stuffing. I know it’s far from Thanksgiving, but sometimes in life you have to say: to heck with it. And finally, in this instance the stuffing was à la carte, so not technically stuffing unless you count me “stuffing” it into my mouth!

Even without a turkey, you can still enjoy a nice, heaping helping of stuffing any time of the year. Imaging you are out camping, or you are staying for a few nights in a hotel. Obviously you will not have the resources to cook a stuffed turkey, but you can still make the stuffing itself. All you need is some boiled water and butter. Yes, that’s all!

Though it presents itself as a simple problem, there are a few issues to watch out for in practice that can bite you in the tuchus. A common mistake is to add too much water, resulting in a soggy mess. The flavors will of course be preserved but the texture is long gone, washed away by carelessness. Eager stuffing eaters will run into another problem if they do not let it sit for a long enough time for the water to fully permeate the dried breadcrumbs. The product here is again still edible, but will be interspersed with bits of uncooked, crunchy crumbs. Maybe you prefer it that way, who am I to say.

For me, I prefer a simple chicken style stuffing prepared just as it says on the box. It is best to have a round bottom metal mixing bowl, but in a pinch any old pot will do. Be careful not to use a plastic mixing bowl, since the boiling water may damage the bowl and introduce nasty “micro-plastics” into your stuffing. Gravy is optional in my household. Sometimes it’s a nice savory treat, but oftentimes it’s too fatty to justify.

The Kraft Stove Top stuffing here has all the trappings that could be reasonably expected, including breadcrumbs, onion flakes, celery flakes, and a cacophony of herbs and spices. While it doesn’t stand out as a particularly amazing stuffing, it holds its own and is very “commendable.” This truly is just a regular ol' stuffin'.