Stuffin’ Muffins

As the holiday season is upon us, I have a recipe for your Thanksgiving day.

I love me some stuffing. With so many glorious things to eat at Thanksgiving, I still find myself loading up on the awesomeness that is that cooked bread staple. Several years ago I stumbled upon the idea of creating individual portioned stuffing muffins. What an awesome idea!

Apple and Onion Stuffin’ Muffins

You really can make any stuffing recipe you want, but add in the eggs to be used as a binder to hold the muffins together.

This particular recipe had apples, onions and celery in it.

Saute the veggies.

Mix with the bread and eggs.

Into the muffin tins.

This is a great way to ensure each person (including yourself) receives a set portion of stuffing.

Apple and Onion Stuffin’ Muffins

Prep Time: 15 M | Cook Time: 25 M | Servings: 12 muffins | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 stick butter, softened
1 fresh bay leaf, available in produce department
4 ribs celery and greens, from the heart, chopped (save time and purchase celery already washed, trimmed and cut into sticks, this makes chopping fast work)
1 medium to large yellow skinned onion, chopped
3 McIntosh apples, quartered and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
8 cups cubed stuffing mix (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 to 3 cups chicken stock, available in paper containers on the soup aisle
Eggs (if making as muffins)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to skillet and 4 tablespoons butter. When butter melts, add bay leaf and add the vegetables as you chop them, celery, onions then apples. Sprinkle the vegetables and apples with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 to 6 minutes to begin to soften vegetables and apples then add parsley and stuffing cubes to the pan and combine. Moisten the stuffing with chicken broth until all of the bread is soft but not wet. Bind with 1 -2 beaten eggs for a binder if making muffins.

Butter 12 muffin cups, 2 tins, liberally with remaining butter. Use an ice cream scoop to fill and mound up the stuffing in muffin tins. Remove the bay leaf as you scoop the stuffing when you come upon it. Bake until set and crisp on top, 15 to 25 minutes. Remove stuffin’ muffins to a platter and serve hot or room temperature.

Alternatively put stuffing in a baking pan and bake for the same time.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/apple-and-onion-stuffin-muffins-recipe/index.html