Cranberry Sourdough Stuffing Cups

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When it comes to Thanksgiving, stuffing holds an honored place in many family meals. When we saw a recipe for individual stuffing "muffin" cups on the Ocean Spray website, we simply couldn't resist the thought of breaking from the tradition of serving stuffing in the bird or in a casserole. We adapted the recipe a bit and found that it's perfect for smaller groups of people. Cranberry Sourdough Stuffing Cups

Cranberry Sourdough Stuffing Cups

Ingredients ~
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup butter
6 cups sourdough bread cubes
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation ~
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.

Place the sourdough bread cubes on a baking sheet and place in the oven until they become dry and crisp, but not browned - 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a large bowl. Add the dried cranberries and chopped thyme and toss to combine.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté until the onion is translucent - 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vegetable-butter mixture and chicken broth to the bread cube mixture. Combine thoroughly and add the beaten egg, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir until well mixed.

Spoon stuffing into muffin cups, pressing lightly. Use about 1/2 cup of stuffing per cup. Stuffing can be mounded as it will not expand.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until set and golden brown. Remove from pan and serve. Makes 12 stuffing cups.

Recipe Notes ~
You can prepare this dish ahead of time and bake while your turkey rests before carving, or make them a day ahead and just reheat them wrapped tightly in foil so that they don't dry out. In terms of leftovers, they're super easy to store and reheat.