Dairy-Free Apple Cranberry Stuffing

The first holiday that we celebrated after we found out my son was dairy intolerant was Thanksgiving, and it proved to be a difficult transition. Everything from the gravy, to the turkey, to the stuffing seemed to be off-limits. Thankfully I've since learned that you can accommodate almost any diet by making a few small changes to your recipes. This stuffing recipe is great as-is, and can easily be transformed to accommodate any of your dietary needs. Use your favorite gluten free bread if you or a guest is on a gluten or wheat free diet. Replace the cranberries with raisins if you prefer a sweeter flavor. Add in a bit of crumbled, cooked sausage to make it a bit heartier if you'd prefer. Toast your bread if you enjoy your stuffing to be on the crunchier (rather than softer) side. My four year-old actually likes his stuffing on the "mushy" side, so you can also run your bread through the food processor to get that Stove Top - like texture.

Dairy Free Apple Cranberry Stuffing

serves 8

1 cup onion, diced small (about 1 large onion)
2 cups celery, diced small
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large apples, peeled, cored, diced (use what you like. I used Gala)
6 cups diced crusty bread (I used ciabatta)
½ teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2 or 3 sprinkles of marjoram
1 cup dried cranberries
3 ⅔ cup vegetable stock (you can use chicken for more flavor)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

In a large pan, heat your olive oil over medium heat. Add your onions and celery and cook until soft. Add in your rosemary, thyme, and marjoram and cook for about two minutes until fragrant. Stir in your apples, cranberries, and vegetable stock, and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add in your bread cubes and give it a good toss. If your pan is too small to fit all the bread, put the bread in a bowl and pour the stock mixture over it. If your bread is too much on the dry side, you can add a bit more stock.

Add your stuffing to a large,  greased baking dish. Cover with foil and cook for 15 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. Let the stuffing stand for five minutes, and enjoy!