OATNUT SOURDOUGH HERB DRESSING

Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving  I stood in my childhood kitchen watching my dad prepare the stuffing for dinner.  Daddy never stuffed the Turkey, but instead made the “stuffing” like a big casserole.  The stuffing was always my favorite part topped with daddy’s giblet gravy – YUMMY.  I can taste it like it was all those years ago again. Now daddy used Mrs. Cubbinson’s cornbread dressing as a base and doctored it, but several years ago my brother asked me to try and reproduce the recipe and VOILA’ I did it and it’s from scratch!

One of the great things about bread dressing is that the leftovers work for meal after meal and if you’re making gravy, it only enhances the flavor.

OATNUT SOURDOUGH HERB DRESSING
10 slices Oroweat OATNUT bread, cut into bite size chunks
1/2 loaf sourdough French bread, cut into bite size chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
1 small bunch celery (leaves and all), chopped fine
1/2 bag baby carrots, chopped fine
1 box mushrooms, chopped fine or shredded
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter
4 cups homemade chicken broth**
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken base
2 tablespoons Buttery Herb & Garlic Mix (I believe McCormick makes it)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced

• Cut bread into bite sized chunks and spread out in a thin layer over cookie sheets.
• Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until pieces are actually hard.
• Chop all the vegetables.
• In a large cast iron pan melt 1/4 cup of the butter.
• Add the onions and saute until translucent. The add the celery and carrots and continue sauteing until crisp tender.
• Add the mushrooms and garlic last as they will burn first.
• Whisk together the water, better than bouillon chicken base and all of the seasonings.
• Add the melted butter.
• In a large pan toss the bread slices together.
• Add the sauteed vegetables and toss again.
• Add the liquid mixture and toss again until well absorbed.
• Fold entire mixture into at least a 9×13 baking dish.
• Bake uncovered 1 hour.
• At this point I use a small portion for our dinner that night and freeze the rest.
• When it’s time to cook it again, I defrost it, put it back in the same baking dish and bake it again, but this time covered with foil until the last 15 minutes so it doesn’t dry out. We like it crisp on top so I remove the foil the last 15 minutes.

NOTE **:  I make my own broth from the carcass of a Rotisserie chicken each week to use in my recipes.  I buy the rotisserie chicken at Costco and use the meat to snack on or to make chicken salad or pastas.

TOMATO SCALLOPED POTATOES

This is another 1930’s-40’s recipe box find written in a stenographer’s shorthand and old cursive on old yellowed scrap paper. It took me a bit to decipher it, but it was well worth it. 😀

TOMATO SCALLOPED POTATOES
1/2 cup chopped onion I used 2 shallots
2 tablespoons butter I used herbed butter
2 tablespoons flour I used WONDRA which is extra fine
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt I used FRESH ground, to taste
1/8 teaspoon pepper I used FRESH ground, to taste
1 cup water I used chicken broth
8 ounce can diced tomatoes I used a 14 ounce can
2 chicken bouillon cubes I only used 1 since I was using broth
5 cups peeled sliced potatoes I used tricolor baby potatoes

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add onions and saute 2-3 minutes until soft.
• Sprinkle with flour, paprika, salt and pepper, blending well.
• Add water, tomatoes and bouillon cubes, simmering over medium heat until thickens.
• Spray 2 quart casserole with non-stick spray.
• Layer 2/3 of the potatoes loosely on the bottom
• Sprinkle with a fine flour and some FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
• Top with half of the tomato mixture followed by the layer of thin baby Swiss cheese slices.
• Follow with remaining tomato sauce mixture over top.
• Bake 1 hour or until cooked through and tender.

NOTES:

• I have made a few changes that are indicated in red above and find they are tastier than ever.
• I also use herbed butter cubes for additional flavor, usually rosemary or tarragon.
• I also added a layer of ULTRA thin sliced baby Swiss cheese under the last layer of potatoes.

TEX-MEX MAC-N-CHEESE

 
TEX-MEX MAC-N-CHEESE
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 can shoepeg corn kernels
1 medium Vidalia onion, small dice
3 small sweet red pepper, seeded, small dice
1 can original ROTEL tomatoes with green chiles, drained WELL
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, cold
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
FRESH ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound mini rigatoni or pasta of choice, cooked al dente
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

OPTIONAL GARNISHES
1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Minced cilantro leaves
Pickled jalapenos, drained and minced

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Add the butter, corn, onions, red peppers, garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt to a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, sauteing until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cumin, chile powder, cayenne pepper and flour, stirring frequently 3 to 4 minutes until roux forms.
• Pour in the cold milk in a steady stream, stirring vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture starts to thicken, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack. Cook until the sauce is smooth and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the scallions, tomatoes, peppers and rigatoni, mixing well to combine.
• Pour into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.
• Sprinkle with panko crumbs evenly over the top and cover with foil.
• Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
• Remove to a cooling rack and let rest for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Garnish with the Cotija cheese, jalapeno and cilantro.
• Serve immediately.

GLAZED STUFFED PORK CHOPS again and again!

This recipe just keeps getting better an better!

2015

2014

Glazed Stuffed Pork Chops
4 VERY thick pork chops
8 slices oatnut bread
butter
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup apricot pineapple jam, room temperature**
1 tablespoon peach schnapps
1 large lemon, juiced

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Slit each pork chop along 2 sides to create a large pocket.
• *Toast each slice of bread well and then lightly butter.
• Cut each piece into small squares.
• Toss with thyme, garlic salt and pepper.
• Stuff each pork chop with 1/3 cup of mixture.
• Whisk together the jam, peach schnapps, red pepper flakes, ginger and lemon juice.
• Place chops in a square greased baking dish.
• Arrange remaining stuffing around the edges.
• Glaze chops and stuffing tops.
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes.
• Turn chops, glaze chops and stuffing again. Bake another 30 minutes.

*If you prefer, prepare 1 box of stove top stuffing instead.
**Tonight I used Lemon Curd and had a distinctively fresh flavor with the same consistency.  Use whatever flavor speaks to you.

RITZY CARROT & BROCCOLI CASSEROLE revisited

Grams made this as a broccoli casserole for years and I recently converted it to include carrots (I love the color combo) and removed the yucky for you condensed soup and rice. Tonight we had it with some of the best smoked pork chops I have ever eaten.  Thank you Nickabob's Outpost!

 RITZY CARROT & BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch cinnamon
6 broccoli crowns, washed and trimmed into 2 inch pieces (stalks also)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Jumbo eggs
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped 
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese**
salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/3 cups ritz cracker crumbs**
4 tablespoons Wondra
1 KNORR chicken gel bouillon cube
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk 
salt and pepper, to taste

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Steam broccoli and carrots until JUST tender.
• Drain well, cool slightly and toss with carrots and onions.
• Whisk together the bouillon gel, water, egg, mayonnaise and buttermilk.
• Melt butter in bottom of saucepan. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
• Whisk in mayonnaise mixture, simmering until thickens.
• Pour over broccoli and carrots, folding until well coated.
• Spread into a greased 9x9 baking dish.
• Top with cracker crumbs.
• Cover and bake 40 minutes.
• Top with cheese and bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes.
• Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

**I love to substitute Keebler buttery garlic club crackers and use Parmesan cheese instead  of cheddar!

FAVORITE FAMILY RECIPES - BLOGMAS - DAY 10

I've been looking forward to this day! I have many many recipes, but these are the closest to my heart. Grab a cup of my SIL's homemade hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows and join me while we chat.

My great aunt who I only got to see a couple times a year used to make these every year special for me.  My cousins and I would wait out on the front steps for her arrive just to see them, the wreaths that is. She always made them soooooooooo pretty and perfect!  Aunt Louise was just plain crazy it seemed to me.  I can't pinpoint any one thing that made me think that, but as the years wore she continually proved it.  Let's just say if the made a movie of her life, Shirley MacLaine would play her part.  Aunt Louise reminds me of Shirley's character Ouiser Boudreaux in Steel Magnolias.

HOLIDAY WREATHS
(these are better when they are made a few days ahead)
30 large marshmallows (or 1 jar marshmallow cream)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon green food color
3 1/2 cups cornflakes
Red Hots

• Combine marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food color in top of double boiler. Heat and stir frequently until well blended.
• Gradually stir in cornflakes until well blended.
• Drop onto wax paper and arrange into wreath shapes. I plop them onto the wax paper and then push out from the center to form the wreaths.
• Decorate with red hots.
• Let cool.
• If your house is warm - chill in refrigerator until set.

Many Christmases ago I stood in my childhood kitchen watching my dad prepare the stuffing for dinner.  Daddy never stuffed the Turkey, but instead made the "stuffing" like a big casserole.  The stuffing was always my favorite part topped with daddy's giblet gravy - YUMMY.  I can taste it like it was always those years ago again.

Several years ago my brother asked me to try and reproduce the recipe as a scratch recipe and VOILA', I did it! This wasn't easy since daddy started with a box of Mrs. Cubbinson's cornbread dressing cubes and then started winging it from there.

OATNUT SOURDOUGH HERB DRESSING
10 slices Brownberry or Oroweat OATNUT bread, cut into bite size chunks
1/2 loaf sourdough French bread, cut into bite size chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
1 small bunch celery (leaves and all), chopped fine
1/2 bag baby carrots, chopped fine
1 box mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter
4 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken base
2 tablespoons Buttery Herb & Garlic Mix (I believe McCormick makes it)
4 teaspoons minced garlic, Jar

• Cut bread into bite sized chunks and spread out in a thin layer over cookie sheets.
• Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until pieces are actually hard.
• Chop all the vegetables.
• In a large cast iron pan melt 1/4 cup of the butter.
• Add the onions and saute until translucent. The add the celery and carrots and continue sauteing until crisp tender. Add the garlic last as it will burn first.
• Whisk together the water, better than bouillon chicken base and all of the seasonings.
• Add the melted butter.
• In a large pan toss the bread slices together.
• Add the sauteed vegetables and toss again.
• Add the liquid mixture and toss again until well absorbed.
• Fold entire mixture into at least a 9x13 baking dish.
• Bake uncovered 1 hour.
• At this point I use a small portion for our dinner that night and freeze the rest.
• When it's time to cook it again, I defrost it, put it back in the same baking dish and bake it again, but this time covered with foil until the last 15 minutes so it doesn't dry out. We like it crisp on top so I remove the foil the last 15 minutes.

Now there is much debate over Gran's cranberry salad recipe, but one thing was for sure she'd have to make a double batch, one for my mom and aunt and another for everyone else.  Now while I usually helped prepare the above recipe, I hated it!! One year she even decided the grapes needed to be peeled - need I say more?

I much prefer the recipe below.  Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but I've already eaten a whole batch by myself.  In my defense it was while I wasn't feeling good and had a sore throat.

HOLIDAY SALAD
1 package (3 ounces) cherry Jell-o
1 package (3 ounces) black cherry Jell-o
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 can (14 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups seedless green grapes, quartered
chopped pecans (optional)

• Dissolve the jell-o in the boiling water in a large bowl.
• Fold in the pineapple and cranberry sauce.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Fold in grapes and pecans if desired. 
• Refrigerate until firm.

Now on to the REALLY yummy stuff!

CHUNKY MONKEYS
3 cups crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar
scant 1 cup butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Line a 13x9 cake pan with heavy duty foil, leaving plenty on the edges to use as handles later.  This will make clean-up so much easier.
• In a medium mixing bowl stir together the pretzels, sugar and melted butter until well blended.
• Press the pretzel mixture evenly into the bottom of the cake pan.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
11 ounce package caramel baking bits (or 14 ounce vanilla caramels, unwrapped)
2 cups honey roasted peanuts

• In a medium saucepan melt butter over a medium heat.
• Whisk in the whipping cream and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved.
• Stir in caramel bits, stirring constantly until bits are melted and sauce is smooth.
• Add in peanuts to coat well.
• Immediately pour over pretzel layer, spreading evenly.

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup Heath milk chocolate toffee bits

• Scatter each of these over the caramel layer.
• Bake 25-30 minutes or until edges are bubbling.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Lift foil edges to remove bars from pan.
• Cut into bars.
• Layer between wax paper in an airtight container.  I store them in the fridge, but the can also be frozen for 3 months.

BUTTERFINGER COOKIES
Ritz crackers
creamy peanut butter
almond bark
sprinkles

• Spread peanut butter on ritz crackers and top with another cracker. 
• Melt almond bark in the microwave. 
• Dip each cookie in the almond bark and set onto wax paper to harden. 
• If you're using sprinkles do so before the almond bark hardens.

 A few more favorites are:

• Oreo Cheesecake Balls
• Magic Marshmallow Puffs
• Peanut Butter Fudge Drops 
• Sea Salt and Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

ONION PANADE - SAVORY BREAD PUDDING

I found this awesome recipe for Onion Panade over at Stone Soup.   She called it the ultimate comfort food or a savory bread pudding so I needed to try that. She flavored with golden brown onions and the fragrance of thyme. Rustic bread provides the perfect contrast of textures.  I changed it up a bit.  You'll find my changes in red.

I had couple of pieces of Havarti cheese left so tore them into pieces and added them the last few minutes of baking.

1 large Vidalia onion 

1 red onion, sliced into rings

1 large bunch green onions, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 medium loaf rustic bread (1/2lb), torn in to chunks I used sourdough buns that I had in the freezer for future croutons
5 ounces cheese, grated or crumbled
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken pieces

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
• Cut onion in half lengthwise. Peel, then slice into half moons about 1/4inch thick. 
• Heat 4 – 5 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan. 
• Cook onion stirring occasionally until soft and golden brown. 
• Stir in the thyme. 
• In a medium heatproof dish layer about a third of the onions. Sprinkle over some of the bread and cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients have been used. You want to be able to see a little of each on the top. 
• Bring stock to a simmer.
• Pour over the onion dish. 
• Season. 
• Cover and bake for 30 minutes. 
• Remove cover and bake for another 20 – 30 minutes or until the top is golden and crunchy and the stock has been absorbed by the bread.

POLYNESIAN CHICKEN & ITALIAN FARRO & GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

I also love to research foods we've never tried before as well as try old, old recipes or just plain make things up.  I also take requests if anyone would like me to test out a recipe for them.

Today we're making Polynesian chicken (the cheating way) and Italian Farro with Gorgonzola garlic dipping sauce.  I saw a package of Pedon Italian Farro  at the grocery store the other day and it looked interesting (reminded me of rich looking barley) - so the impulse buy won and here we are.

Here's the history lesson first:  Grano Farro has a long and glorious history: it is the original grain from which all others derive, and fed the Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations for thousands of years; somewhat more recently it was the standard ration of the Roman Legions that expanded throughout the Western World. Ground into a paste and cooked, it was also the primary ingredient in puls, the polenta eaten for centuries by the Roman poor. Important as it was, however, it was difficult to work and produced low yields. In the centuries following the fall of the Empire, higher-yielding grains were developed and farro's cultivation dwindled: By the turn of the century in Italy there were a few hundreds of acres of fields scattered over the regions of Lazio, Umbria, the Marches and Tuscany.

Farro would probably still be an extremely local specialty had the farmers of the French Haute Savoie not begun to supply it to elegant restaurants that used it in hearty vegetable soups and other dishes. Their success sparked renewed interest in farro among gastronomes, and now the grain is enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Italy as well, especially among trendy health-conscious cooks.  

POLYNESIAN CHICKEN

4 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts

1 stick butter, divided in half

1 cup Frank's Sweet Chili hot sauce

1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix

1/4 cup flour

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Using a small food processor,  grind the Knorr soup mix into a fine dust.
• Add the vegetable soup dust to the flour in a large plastic bag and mix well.
• Dredge chicken breasts in soup and flour mixture.
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt one half of the butter.
• While that is melting, melt the remaining butter in a 2 cup measuring cup in the microwave.
• Add the hot sauce to the measuring cup and heat an additional 20 seconds. Mix well. Set aside to cool.
• In the skillet brown the chicken breasts on both sides until almost done. 
• Spray a small cookie sheet with PURE.
• Coat each piece of chicken with hot sauce mixture and lay on cookie sheet.

ITALIAN FARRO

small bag PEDON farro

2 tablespoons Frank's Sweet Chili hot sauce

• Bring a 2 quart pan of water to a boil.
• Add the Farro and simmer, 10-12 minutes.
• Drain thoroughly.
• Add hot sauce and toss to coat.
• Serve immediately.

GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

1/4 cup gorgonzola crumbles

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons buttermilk

salt and pepper to taste

• In a small food processor, process the crumbles until finely ground.
• Add garlic, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Mix until well blended.
• Add buttermilk.  Add a bit more if you would like a thinner sauce.

Oatnut Sourdough Herb Dressing

This week I'm sharing a "new" scratch recipe for my Oatnut Sourdough Herb Dressing. My brother has been after me for years to always make it the same way (my late father's recipe) I always have (tradition) and write it down, so this one is for him and to see if he really does read my blog! LOL! We use this recipe for both Thanksgiving and Christmas and I always make enough to freeze for weekday meals too. It's a great way to use up stale bread. Sometimes I will collect the stale bread into a wrapper in the freezer until I have enough to make a large batch.

Oatnut Sourdough Herb Dressing
10 slices Brownberry or Oroweat OATNUT bread, cut intobite size chunks
1/2 loaf sourdough French bread, cut into bite size chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
1 small bunch celery (leaves and all), chopped fine
1/2 bag baby carrots, chopped fine
1 box mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter
4 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken base
2 tablespoons Buttery Herb & Garlic Mix (I believe McCormick makes it)
4 teaspoons minced garlic, Jar

• Cut bread into bite sized chunks and spread out in a thin layer over cookie sheets.
• Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until pieces are actually hard.
• Chop all the vegetables.
• In a large cast iron pan melt 1/4 cup of the butter.
• Add the onions and saute until translucent. The add the celery and carrots and continue sauteing until crisp tender. Add the garlic last as it will burn first.
• Whisk together the water, better than bouillon chicken base and all of the seasonings.
• Add the melted butter.
• In a large pan toss the bread slices together.
• Add the sauteed vegetables and toss again.
• Add the liquid mixture and toss again until well absorbed.
• Fold entire mixture into at least a 9x13 baking dish.
• Bake uncovered 1 hour.
• At this point I use a small portion for our dinner that night and freeze the rest.
• When it's time to cook it again, I defrost it, put it back in the same baking dish and bake it again, but this time covered with foil until the last 15 minutes so it doesn't dry out. We like it crisp on top so I remove the foil the last 15 minutes.

CHEESY ONION, BROCCOLI, MUSHROOM, PEPPER & BARLEY BAKE

CHEESY ONION, BROCCOLI, MUSHROOM, PEPPER & BARLEY BAKE
Serves 4, adapted from Joanne at Eats Well with Others

2/3 cup barley
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 large broccoli crown
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 chili pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 egg
1 lb part-skim ricotta
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
salt & pepper

• Cook the barley in the water and salt until tender.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Quarter onions. Mince garlic. Wash and chop mushrooms and broccoli into bite side pieces. Wash the peppers, core them, and cut them into small dice. Mince the chili pepper.
• Mix the ricotta with the egg.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic, onions, broccoli and peppers until soft.
• Add mushrooms and continue cooking just until mushrooms are slightly sauteed. Add salt along the way. Salt at the beginning and at the end and at every step in-between. Just a little bit each time. It brings out the best flavor in things.
• Add the basil, oregano, and white pepper.
• Mix together the barley, onion, mushroom & pepper mix with the ricotta & egg mix. Spread into an 11x7 pan. Sprinkle with the cheeses.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the egg is set and cheese has melted.
• Let stand for 5 minutes to set. Cut and eat.

OATNUT SOURDOUGH HERB DRESSING

Many Thanksgiving's ago I stood in my childhood kitchen watching my dad prepare the stuffing for dinner.  Daddy never stuffed the Turkey, but instead made the "stuffing" like a big casserole.  The stuffing was always my favorite part topped with daddy's giblet gravy - YUMMY.  I can taste it like it was always those years ago again.

Several years ago my brother asked me to try and reproduce the recipe and VOILA' I did it!

OATNUT SOURDOUGH HERB DRESSING
10 slices Brownberry or Oroweat OATNUT bread, cut into bite size chunks
1/2 loaf sourdough French bread, cut into bite size chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
1 small bunch celery (leaves and all), chopped fine
1/2 bag baby carrots, chopped fine
1 box mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter
4 cups hot water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken base
2 tablespoons Buttery Herb & Garlic Mix (I believe McCormick makes it)
4 teaspoons minced garlic, Jar

• Cut bread into bite sized chunks and spread out in a thin layer over cookie sheets.
• Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until pieces are actually hard.
• Chop all the vegetables.
• In a large cast iron pan melt 1/4 cup of the butter.
• Add the onions and saute until translucent. The add the celery and carrots and continue sauteing until crisp tender. Add the garlic last as it will burn first.
• Whisk together the water, better than bouillon chicken base and all of the seasonings.
• Add the melted butter.
• In a large pan toss the bread slices together.
• Add the sauteed vegetables and toss again.
• Add the liquid mixture and toss again until well absorbed.
• Fold entire mixture into at least a 9x13 baking dish.
• Bake uncovered 1 hour.
• At this point I use a small portion for our dinner that night and freeze the rest.
• When it's time to cook it again, I defrost it, put it back in the same baking dish and bake it again, but this time covered with foil until the last 15 minutes so it doesn't dry out. We like it crisp on top so I remove the foil the last 15 minutes.