SERVES:
makes one 9 x 13-inch pan
prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 30 - 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
8 - 10 cups 3/4-inch cubed 3 - 4 day old country bread
4 Tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme
1 generous Tbs chopped fresh sage
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
PROCEDURE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Use a large, heavy bottomed pan to saute 2 minced cloves of garlic and about 1 cup each of diced celery and diced onion in 4 Tbs of butter.
Once the onion is translucent add a generous 1 Tbs of chopped fresh sage and 1 Tbs of chopped fresh thyme and cook that along for a minute.
Then add 2 cups of chicken broth and turn the heat to medium high.
The idea is to let that cook along at a good rate until the broth is reduced by about half and then add it to the bowl with the cubed bread.
Add a little salt and pepper to taste, mix to combine, transfer it to the greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish and pop it into the 350 degree oven to bake and brown up a bit. (see hints below)
It'll be lightly browned on top when it's done and, if you like a moister stuffing, you can cover it with aluminum foil and bake it like that and then brown it up a bit under the broiler to finish.
HINTS:
In reality, it's probably best to bake with aluminum foil over the top until hot and then remove foil and brown a bit under the broiler. The stuffing will not dry out at all that way.
Serve this along side any comforting cool weather meal.