Oyster Dressing, Stuffing, Casserole or Filling for Patti Shells

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground ham

• 1 (10 ounce) container oysters, with liquid
• 1-2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (can substitute day old French bread cubes)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped fine
• 1 1/2 cups green onions, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 dash cayenne pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Brown ground beef and ham together, breaking up chunks; drain.

2. 2

   Add onions, garlic, bellpepper and celery. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Add green onions, parsley, paprika and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.

4. 4

   In the meatime with food processer, process oysters with liquid until pulverized.

5. 5

   To the browned meat/vegetable mixture add the processed oysters and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, stirring to incorporate. Begin with 1 cup breadcrumbs, mixing thoroughly. Mixture should not be too dry nor too wet. If using French bread cubes, smash cubes with back of spoon until incorporated. Adjust seasonings.

6. 6

   For casserole, spoon mixture into a buttered casserole dish. Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Bake 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Can be frozen uncooked for future use. Defrost in refrigerator.

7. 7

   For patti shells, spoon into individual shells and bake 10 - 15 minutes until heated through.

8. 8

   For poultry stuffing, stuff cavity and proceed with safety guidelines for stuffed poultry.