Thanksgiving Bread Stuffing

We never stuff the turkey, as the turkey cooks more quickly and evenly unstuffed, and the fat content of the baked stuffing is lower. Also, one can prepare a larger quantity of stuffing baked in a casserole dish. I prepare the stuffing wile the turkey is baking, then put the stuffing dish in the oven to bake after the turkey is done. Barry likes to add stuffing to turkey sandwiches the next day.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of olive oil

4-6 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

1 yellow onion, chopped fine

2-3 stalks of celery, chopped fine

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 to 1 loaf of cheap white bread

1 package of stovetop stuffing for chicken or turkey

Water to moisten stuffing mix

½ to 1 cup of chicken broth (packaged or made from broth cube or powder in heated water)

1) Preheat oven to 350 oF (or, put stuffing in oven after taking the turkey out).

2) Add olive oil, chopped garlic and chopped onion to a large pot (3-4 quart size), brown garlic

and onion over medium heat, stirring often.

3) Add chopped celery, parsley, and thyme, cook for several more minutes, then take pot off heat

4) Add stovetop stuffing, ½ cup of water, and stovetop seasoning mix to the pot, stir and let sit

for 5 minutes.

5) Tear top crusts off of the bread slices, and tear bread into bits. Moisten bread pieces with

water. The bread should not be too dry or too soggy, just moistened through. Soft parts of

the bread crust can be added, but not the top crust.

6) Add moistened bread to the pot with the vegetables and stuffing mix, and mix well, add 1/2

to 1 cup of chicken broth and stir bread bits into stuffing mix.

7) Spoon the stuffing mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish and smooth out the top of the

stuffing.

8) Bake stuffing at 350 oF for about 30 minutes, or until brown on top, can broil for 2-3

minutes to get the crust really brown, but be careful not to burn it.

Serve with roast chicken or turkey. Can spoon some turkey drippings onto the top of the baked stuffing if desired for extra flavor (but this does add fat!).

Serves 4-6