Sourdough Stuffing With Apples And Bacon

• 12 cups 1/2 inch sourdough bread cubes (from about 1 1/2 pounds stale bread)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced (white and light green part only)*
• 2 large granny smith apples, peeled and chopped**
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• 1 pound bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces
• 3-4 cups chicken stock (or broth)***
• salt to taste

1. 1. Spread bread cubes out on a rimmed baking sheet (or two, if necessary) and toast in a 350 degree oven until dried out and slightly crisp (10-15 minutes). Set aside.
2. 2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned, about 7 minutes. Add apples and leeks and cook for a few minutes longer until apples are crisp tender. Add sage, thyme, and poultry seasoning, stir and cook for half a minute longer, then remove from heat.
3. 3. Transfer onion/apple mixture to a very large bowl, add chopped bacon and bread cubes, and toss well. Add two cups of chicken stock, toss well, then add more stock, a little at a time until the stuffing is well-moistened, but not soggy. Taste, and add a bit of salt if desired.
4. 4. Pour stuffing into greased casserole dishes (mine fit into one 9x12-inch dish, but you can divide it if necessary). Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
5. Yield: 10-12 servings
6. Recipe Notes: *the leeks are optional. I used one in my first batch of stuffing because it was sitting in my fridge and needed to be used up. I think the leeks add a great flavor, but they certainly aren't necessary. **I like granny smith apples because they are tart, and hold their shape when cooked. But feel free to use any apple that is good for baking. ***I ended up using just over 3 cups of chicken broth, but you may need a lot more depending on the moisture in the bread and your taste preference. If you like a very moist stuffing, you might use even more than four cups of stock. Like all stuffing recipes, this one is more of an outline than an actual recipe. Feel free to adjust ingredients to your own taste. For more color, think about stirring in 1/4-1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley. For an interesting twist, you might even try throwing in some dried cranberries!

bread, butter, onion, celery, leeks, granny smith apples, fresh sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, bacon, chicken stock, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/sourdough-stuffing-with-apples-and-bacon-51425811 (may not work)