Ritz Cracker Turkey Stuffing

Ritz are the foie gras of crackers,
deeply rich and intensely buttery.
First introduced in 1934, the wafers appealed
to Americans in the midst of the Depression
with their rich taste and low price.
Today, as I discovered, they make for a
surprisingly good fit with Thanksgiving dinner.
Crumbled up, Ritz crackers form the base of this stuffing,
which is blended with generous amounts of fried onion and celery.
Unlike regular stuffings, the vegetables don't have to
compensate for the blandness of the bread,
so the finished dish is especially savory.

Ritz Cracker Stuffing:
Ingredients:
6-8 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 medium onions, diced (about 6 cups)
10-12 button or crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, diced
1 turkey liver (reserved from giblets package)
3 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a large skillet or saute pan,
heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and cook the onions,
stirring occasionally, until deep golden, about 20 minutes.
Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until they've released
their liquid and become tender.
Stir in the celery and liver and saute for 3-4 more minutes,
until the liver is no longer pink on the outside.
Put the vegetable mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, crush the Ritz crackers in a separate
big bowl into large pieces (about 4 per cracker).
In a small bowl,whisk the eggs,salt,and pepper until blended.
Add the egg mixture and the sauteed vegetables
to the Ritz crackers, and lightly toss.
Stuff the turkey with the stuffing.
Alternatively, you can pile the stuffing
into a 2-quart casserole dish and bake
it at 350 degrees F. for 1 1 /4 hours,
basting it three or four times with drippings
or some additional canned chicken broth.