Homemade Dressing (Stuffing)

Well it's holiday time... Easter week... and with every holiday I think about all of those good old holiday classics..and just about each and every holiday (well with the exception of 4th of July...cause it's way to hot to making stuffing...LOL) I want Stuffing.... I love love love it....there are countless ways to make it...with bread cubes, cornbread, sourdough bread (I don't like sourdough bread so that is not an option for me. yuck) but lots of varieties... and also lots of stuff you can put in it... celery, apples, onions, nuts, giblets from the turkey, sausage etc... I am a stuffing minimialist.... I like it with butter, celery, onions a little apple...sometimes a little sausage or giblets... and poultry seasoning and sage...love them both:)  bread is another thing... I have cut loaves and loaves of bread by hand, and used the cubed bread croutons... (the bagged cubed bread is soooo much easier and it is yummy) but if you must you can cut the loaves of bread up... it's up to you... I say take the help when you can get it... but that's just me.....  Enjoy


Homemade Stuffing (Dressing)


2 bags (12 oz each) bread cubes, sometimes called croutons
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 sticks butter, divided
5 stalks celery, cleaned trimmed and small diced
1 onion, small diced
1 apple (optional) washed and small diced**I leave the skin on
2 boxes chicken broth
seasonings of your choice ( I used a pinch of salt & pepper, poultry seasoning, & a pinch of sage, garlic & onion powder)
1/4 cup white wine
1 t worchester sauce
1 T olive oil (or bacon fat)

In saucepan add olive oil/bacon fat.  Add celery, onion, & apple and a pinch of salt & pepper.  Stir to coat veggies.  Cook for around 5 minutes until they start to soften.  Add chicken broth and 2 sticks of butter and remainder of seasonings, wine & worchester sauce.  Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer for around 10-15 minutes until vegetables are soft.  In very large bowl pour in both bags of bread cubes.  In pyrex heatproof measuring cup add eggs and whisk together.  Next you need to temper the eggs, add a couple of tablespoonfuls of the hot broth mixture whisking well.  Add another couple of tablespoonfuls of hot mixture whisking well.  Pour egg mixture over bread cubes.  Pour about 1/2 the hot mixture over the bread cubes.  Stir well.  Pour the remaining mixture slowly over all the bread cubes.  Stir very well.  Spray large baking dish.  Preheat oven to 375.  Pour dressing into the pan evening out the layer.  Sprinkle top of stuffing mixture with a little poultry seasoning.  Thinly slice the remaining 1/2 stick of butter and place over top of dressing.  Bake uncovered for around 30 minutes, checking mixture and cook for around 15 more minutes until stuffing is golden brown.  Enjoy