Homemade Stuffing

Homemade Stuffing

***Susan's Note: This recipe was adapted from the Neely's Food Network Recipe. I made half of this batch with bacon, the other half without (for some vegetarian family members) and I packed it all in an oversized casserole dish. Yum! Beware: If you use the white/wheat bread Pepperidge Farm mix, you'll need more chicken broth. I liked that this recipe had less butter than other recipes I've seen.

Ingredients

* 4-5 strips pounds bacon, cut into chunks
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 4 ribs celery, chopped
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
* 2 cups chopped pecans (optional - I didn't use these)
* 2 bags Pepperidge Farm (cubed or herb seasoned) bread stuffing mix
* 5 cups chicken broth
* 1/2 stick butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook bacon in a heavy skillet until crisp. Turn heat down and add onions and celery; saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the thyme and rosemary and saute until fragrant.

In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix, bacon and vegetables, and chicken broth. Moisten thoroughly. Add to a 13 x 9 x 2 (or slightly larger) casserole dish. Add pats of butter to the top of the casserole and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes then remove foil and cook until top is crisp, about 15 more minutes.