Dried Fruit and Nut Stuffing

I love Thanksgiving! Especially the stuffing (dressing). The sage! The celery! I like dried fruit and nuts, so I came up with this recipe that uses both. My favorite combination is half raisins, half dried cranberries for the fruit, and pecans for the nuts.

Ingredients

• 1 stick + 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cans (14 ounces each) chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries, or use a mixture (chop larger fruits into small pieces)
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 large eggs
• 1 pound bread, sliced, dried on the counter for a few hours and cut into small cubes
• 1 cup chopped and toasted nuts, such as walnuts or pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Saute onions and celery with kosher salt. Once onions and celery are crisp-tender and slightly browned around the edges, add sage, thyme, broth, and fruit. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, until the fruit plumps up.

Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Stir in bread and nuts until all the egg is absorbed. Add broth mixture and stir to combine. Put in large baking dish. Cut remaining stick of butter into small pieces and dot on top. Bake until the top is golden brown and crispy, about 40 minutes.