Thanksgiving Stuffing

When it comes to Thanksgiving food I am all about the stuffing... bread stuffing... not cornbread stuffing or dressing or whatever you call that fake stuffing stuff. I always bring stuffing to Thanksgiving at the In-Laws and they call my stuffing Yankee dressing. But you know what? They love it or at least they say they do.

What you need:

• 1 pound sliced bread, toasted and cubed (about 10 cups)
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• ½ cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage (1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup pecans toasted and chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chicken stock

What you do:
Melt butter in a large pan.

Add onion and celery to the butter. Cook vegetables until tender, stirring often.

Remove vegetables from heat and stir in parsley, sage, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

 I love fresh herbs in my stuffing!

Add the bread cubes and mix well.

Mix in the pecans and dried cranberries.

Stir in chicken stock, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist.

Do a little taste check to make sure the seasoning suits your fancy. (but don't eat it all, your family wants some too)

Turn into a shallow buttered baking dish.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until the top has a crust and the stuffing is heated through, about 30-40 minutes.

Trouble almost loves stuffing as much as me. See, he turns into a caveman and has to use his hands to eat it.