Author Adapted by Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original Taste of Home
Equipment
9 x 13-inch Baking Dish
Large skillet
Ingredients
4strips of bacon, cooked & chopped into pieces
4stalks of celery, chopped (leaves separated & used later)
1smallyellow onion, diced
1lbbutton mushrooms, chopped**use an assortment of mushrooms for extra flavor!
1/2-1tsprubbed sage, to taste
½tspfresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
3cloves of garlic, minced
8cupshomemade bread cubes (see link for recipe)**you can also use cornbread cubes or a combination of both
2tbspfresh parsley, chopped
3cupschicken broth
2eggs
1tbspbutter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and golden; remove it to a paper towel; and chop it into pieces. Drain the bacon grease, reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and saute the onion and celery until tender.
Add the mushrooms, sage, thyme, salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat; stir in the bread cubes, celery leaves, fresh parsley, and bacon.
Combine eggs and broth; whisk very well. Stir into the stuffing mixture and gently mix until evenly coated.
Spread the stuffing in the prepared baking dish. Dot with some remaining butter.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes, or until the stuffing temperature reaches 165 degrees. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly golden brown.