Dried Fruit Stuffing

Out with the basic and in with the bold recipes! Add a delicious twist to your Thanksgiving Day Stuffing. In this recipe the dried fruits and apples give a surprise in every bite.

Recipe Summary
Prep: 30 min
Total: 2 hr
Yield: 8-10 Servings

Ingredients
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the baking dishOne 16 oz loaf sliced white sandwich bread
3/4 cup mixed chopped dried fruit (ex. apricots, cranberries and figs)
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
1 large apple, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 large egg, lightly beaten Directions

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Use a shallow 3-quart baking dish and butter it. Cut the bread into bite-size pieces. Divide the cut breat in between 2 rimmed baking sheets, spreading them into a single layer. Bake until slightly dry and crisp for about 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to cool completely.
Step 2
Using a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Add the dried fruit, sage, thyme, apple, onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper, stirring occasionally and cook until soft, for about 5 minutes. Add the broth, parsley and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl.
Step 3
Add the toasted bread to the onion mixture and toss until evenly moistened. Stir in the egg. Transfer the stuffing mixture on a prepared baking dish and evenly spread without packing the stuffing down too much. Bake until the top is crusty for about 40 minutes. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and drizzle over the top. Continue to bake until the top is crisp and golden for another 20 minutes more. Garnish with parsley and thyme. Enjoy.