In case you are looking for a great recipe for stuffing your holiday turkey, whether it will be for the Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner meals, here are a couple of excellent recipes for stuffing with ground beef. Just a note that these recipes are not as easy as the ones we usually publish, but they come to us courtesy of Yahoo Answers and we are grateful for their help.

Portuguese Meat Stuffing

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions • 1 cup finely chopped green bell peppers • 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley • 1/2 cup ground beef • 1/2 pound ground pork • 1 tablespoon minced garlic • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, or to taste • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1/2 pound chaurice or other spicy sausage, cut into small pieces • * 1 1/2 loaves French bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces (about 12 cups) • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock • 3 large eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a large baking pan with the butter and set aside.

2. In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green peppers, and parsley and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, sausage, garlic, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

3. Place the bread into the bowl and add the meat mixture, mixing well. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Add the stock and mix well. Add the eggs, beaten one at a time, mixing well to combine. (*NOTE: Alternately, use 1 day-old stale bread torn into pieces, as Miss Hilda does when she makes this. Place the bread in a large bowl and cover with water. Let sit until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and squeeze the excess water from the bread with your hands. Return to the bowl and add the remaining ingredients, except the stock.)

4. Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cooked through and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Very Rich Meat Stuffing

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours, plus 40 minutes more if not cooked in turkey Giblets from 1 turkey
4 cups cold water
6 thick slices bacon
1 cup chicken fat
3 tablespoons sweet butter
1 medium-size onion,
chopped 2 ribs celery,
chopped 1 clove garlic,
minced 1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground veal
2 links sweet Italian sausage, casing removed 1 veal kidney (about 2 pounds),
chopped 9 chicken livers,
chopped 6 cups stale bread crumbs
1 tablespoon salt or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1 cup minced Italian parsley
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
1 cup chicken broth
12 chestnuts, boiled, peeled and sliced
2 cups pine nuts, toasted.

1.Place the giblets in a saucepan with the water, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain, reserve the broth, cool the giblets and chop.

2.Place the bacon, chicken fat and butter in a large skillet, and cook for 3 minutes over low heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, stir well to combine, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, ground veal and sausage, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to break up lumps of meat. Add the kidney, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the giblets and the chicken livers, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring gently.

3.Place the mixture in a large bowl, and add the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, parsley, mint, thyme, allspice and cumin, and stir to combine. Add the Cognac and chicken broth and stir. Add the chestnuts and the pine nuts and stir well. Adjust seasonings. When cool, this stuffing can be baked inside the turkey, or if you prefer, placed in a casserole and baked for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Yield: about 16 cups.