 Simple Bread Stuffing Recipe and How to Amp it Up to 11
This is a classic simple bread stuffing with a options that will allow you to amp it up to 11. A great twist is baking it in a muffin pan so everyone gets some nice crunchy bits. And it's really fast. Make a full batch regardless of how many people are coming over. Leftovers are great.
Recipe
Makes. 10 servings
Preparation time. 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 stick butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms (porcini preferred)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
16 ounces herb seasoned stuffing mix
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
Do this
1) Preheat the oven to 300F. Take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temp.
2) Cook the mushroom, onion, celery, and pepper in 2 tablespoons of margarine in a frying pan over a medium heat until they are limp but not brown.
Options. Add a clove of garlic or two to the flavorings. A little extra sage is always nice. Perhaps a teaspoon. For some extra, ahem, meat to the stuffing, strip the casing off 1/2 pound pork sausage or Italian sausage, and brown it. Drain the fat and mix it in with the mushrooms, onions, and celery.
3) Add the chicken broth, stir, and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off.
Option. Add 3/4 cup of coarsely chopped fresh cranberries, a tablespoon of sugar to balance the acidity, the zest of a small orange or tangerine, and 1/2 cup of orange juice with the broth before you boil it.
4) Add the stuffing mix and stir it until thoroughly moistened. It should be wet, but still crumble. If it is too pasty, heat it over a low flame until it dries out a bit.
5) Butter the inside of the depressions of the muffin pan. Spoon in the stuffing until the depressions are filled. Spread a blob of butter on top of each serving of stuffing. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is brown.
Option. Dump the stuffing into a butter-coated casserole dish, dollow blobs of butter on the top, and bake for 15 minutes or until the top is brown.
Option. Stuff a pork loin with this stuff.
This page was revised 12/15/2008
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