Baked Apple Cranberry Stuffing

I'm not gonna lie, when I think of Campbell's, the first thing that comes to mind is always soup.  Turns out there's a lot more to them than soup and I've been using many of those products without even knowing it!  From the foil I bake on to the puff pastry chilling in my freezer, I've had them in my kitchen for years.  And don't even get me started on their stuffing mix.  My mom's ridiculously delicious veggie-loaded stuffing recipe relies on Pepperidge Farm as it's base and I love it so much that I haven't deviated from the recipe whatsoever.  I was feeling a bit nostalgic when Campbell's asked me to peruse the massive recipe arsenal over at Campbell's Kitchen and instantly sought out a new stuffing recipe to whip up.  I plan on packing in all the comfort food I can before NC weather flips from freezing to downright scorching.

Choosing just one recipe to make by the way? Impossible!  I have already pinnned a few that need to make an appearance in my kitchen super soon.  My craving for warm, fluffy stuffing won out so I dove head first into the recipe below!

Baked Apple Cranberry Stuffing

[yields approx 11 3/4 cup servings and tastes great the next day!]

what's in it?
1 [12oz] package of Pepperidge Farm Herb Cube Stuffing
2 1/4 cups of Swanson Chicken Broth [veggie works too!]
4 stalks of celery, chopped [about 2 cups]
1 large onion, chopped [about 1 cup or so]
1 medium granny smith apple, chopped [skin on for extra nutrients!]
1 cup of dried cranberries
3 tablespoons of butter

You'll also need non-stick aluminum foil [like Renolyds Wrap] and a 3-quart shallow baking pan.

get cooking!

Pre-heat oven to 350F and line a baking pan with foil, dull side down.  Heat your butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add your chopped onion and celery and saute until tender and translucent.  Next stir in the broth, apple, and cranberries.  For a sweeter stuffing, you can sprinkle a little bit of ground cinnamon into the mix or choose a more savory addition like allspice and garlic powder.  Totally optional but both add a fabulous flavor boost!  Remove the saucepan from heat and add in your stuffing.  Mix to moisten and then spoon into foil-lined baking pan.  Optional: Top with another sheet of foil to make a makeshift lid/tent for the stuffing to help lock in moisture.  Overcooking may result in dry stuffing.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until your stuffing is hot and fluffy!  If you're planning on cooking your stuffing inside your favorite bird or veggies, simply stuff the mixture into whatever you please, bake, and drizzle with a little extra butter, broth, or even your favorite gravy before serving.  Super simple!

so... how was it?
WHY HAVE I NOT BEEN DOING THIS ALL ALONG!? AHHH!  I love love love the addition of apples and cranberries in stuffing!  The aromatic veggies [onion and celery] buddied up with the naturally sweet fruit quite effortlessly.  I think I might even try adding some mushrooms and/or squash next time too for an extra serving or two of vegetables.  One of their other stuffing recipes calls for an addition of sliced almonds or chopped walnuts into the mix -- I am dying to try that out now too.  I think it's safe to say that I've officially broadened my stuffing horizons =)  It's also a bit weird to say that... but whatever, it was yummy.  

serving suggestions:

While I love stuffing fiercely, I'm not one to munch on it by itself.  The name alone suggests that it is best crammed into something else right?  Oh yes!  You could skip the baking dish and whip up this stuffing inside a bird of course, or you could grab some veggies and have a litle fun with it!  The sweetness of the cranberry and apples in this stuffing make it a perfect pairing for savory vegetables.  I highly suggest stuffing it into mushrooms or even a buttery kabocha squash.  Or acorn squash.  Or butternut.  Or... ok squash and this stuffing are besties, trust me.  You can even get creative with the leftovers by making a sandwich out of them.  The sandwich above is simply stuffing, crockpot cranberry sauce, and cranberry-walnut cream cheese spread -- but feel free to add turkey or chicken as well!

What's your favorite thing to do with stuffing?  

Ooh! And what's your favorite ingredient to add?

Disclosure: As part of the DailyBuzz Food Tastemaker’s program. I received a few free product coupons and a  stipend to test out a Campbell's Kitchen recipe and blog about the experience.  

Presented by Campbell’s Kitchen