For this stuffing recipe, I added fresh tart cranberries and diced sweet apples. They compliment each other nicely. Served from a nice casserole dish it is the perfect side to any meal.
Yields1 ServingPrep Time10 minsCook Time25 minsTotal Time35 mins
10 pieces [Sprouted Grain Bread, cubed & toasted
1 large Sweet Potato (Garnet Yam) – enough to fill a half sheet pan, cleaned, skin left on, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
Olive Oil spray
splash of Olive Oil
a few pinches of dried Thyme
a few pinches of cracked Black Pepper
a few pinches of Garlic Salt
a few pinches of Smoked Paprika
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 cup Leeks (about 3 leeks-white & light green part) cleaned & chopped
a few cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted Butter
1/4 cup fresh Italian Parsley, chopped. Plus extra for garnish.
1 cup fresh, frozen or dried cranberries (If you prefer them sweet then go with the dried. See Notes)
1 large Apple diced (about 1 cup)
2 large Eggs, whisked
2 1/2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
Toasting the Bread
1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven.
2
Cut bread into 1-inch cubes with a serrated knife.
3
Lay bread in a single layer on a sheet pan.
4
Spray bread cubes with some olive oil cooking spray.
5
Toast bread for about 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, tossing once to evenly cook.
6
Set aside to cool.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
7
While you are toasting your bread you can roast the sweet potatoes too.
8
Toss sweet potatoes with a splash of olive oil, some thyme, garlic salt, pepper & smoked paprika.
9
Place cut sweet potatoes in a single layer on aluminum sheet pan.
10
Roast potatoes for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned & softened.
11
Set aside to cool.
Stuffing
12
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F. Spray or butter a 9 X 13 oven-safe casserole dish.
13
In a medium sauté pan over medium heat melt the butter.
14
Add leeks, celery, garlic and a pinch of each spice again. Heat about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.
15
Add the cranberries, apples, and parsley. Cook a couple of minutes until cranberries start to pop.
16
Put toasted bread in a large bowl. Add cranberry-leek mixture, eggs & broth and mix well to combine.
17
Press a layer of stuffing into the casserole dish, add a layer of sweet potatoes. Top with another layer of stuffing and sweet potatoes.
18
bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown on top.
Notes
19
In this recipe I wanted the cranberries to be in their natural state. You can also use sweetened dried cranberries too. Since they take up less volume you might want to go with 1/2 cup. Soak them in hot water until plump before you add them to the stuffing mixture.
20
Add a handful of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans.
21
I use my 1/2 sheet aluminum cookie sheet pan for most of my toasting & roasting – in this case for the bread cubes & sweet potatoes.
1 large Sweet Potato (Garnet Yam) – enough to fill a half sheet pan, cleaned, skin left on, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
Olive Oil spray
splash of Olive Oil
a few pinches of dried Thyme
a few pinches of cracked Black Pepper
a few pinches of Garlic Salt
a few pinches of Smoked Paprika
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 cup Leeks (about 3 leeks-white & light green part) cleaned & chopped
a few cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted Butter
1/4 cup fresh Italian Parsley, chopped. Plus extra for garnish.
1 cup fresh, frozen or dried cranberries (If you prefer them sweet then go with the dried. See Notes)
1 large Apple diced (about 1 cup)
2 large Eggs, whisked
2 1/2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
Directions
Toasting the Bread
1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven.
2
Cut bread into 1-inch cubes with a serrated knife.
3
Lay bread in a single layer on a sheet pan.
4
Spray bread cubes with some olive oil cooking spray.
5
Toast bread for about 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, tossing once to evenly cook.
6
Set aside to cool.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
7
While you are toasting your bread you can roast the sweet potatoes too.
8
Toss sweet potatoes with a splash of olive oil, some thyme, garlic salt, pepper & smoked paprika.
9
Place cut sweet potatoes in a single layer on aluminum sheet pan.
10
Roast potatoes for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned & softened.
11
Set aside to cool.
Stuffing
12
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F. Spray or butter a 9 X 13 oven-safe casserole dish.
13
In a medium sauté pan over medium heat melt the butter.
14
Add leeks, celery, garlic and a pinch of each spice again. Heat about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.
15
Add the cranberries, apples, and parsley. Cook a couple of minutes until cranberries start to pop.
16
Put toasted bread in a large bowl. Add cranberry-leek mixture, eggs & broth and mix well to combine.
17
Press a layer of stuffing into the casserole dish, add a layer of sweet potatoes. Top with another layer of stuffing and sweet potatoes.
18
bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown on top.
Notes
19
In this recipe I wanted the cranberries to be in their natural state. You can also use sweetened dried cranberries too. Since they take up less volume you might want to go with 1/2 cup. Soak them in hot water until plump before you add them to the stuffing mixture.
20
Add a handful of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans.
21
I use my 1/2 sheet aluminum cookie sheet pan for most of my toasting & roasting – in this case for the bread cubes & sweet potatoes.
AuthorMarla Meridith
