Mom's Thanksgiving Bagel Stuffing Recipe

servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/3 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cups roughly chopped button mushrooms
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 whole wheat bagels, cut into small cubes (about 1/2-inch)
• ¾ cup vegetable stock or broth
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Step 1: Coat a medium-sized saute pan with olive oil and heat the oil over medium heat.

Step 2: Once the oil has warmed, cook the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots over medium-high heat. Saute until the onions begin to brown (about 4 minutes). 

Step 3: Add a bit more olive oil and add the mushrooms and herbs. Cook until the mushrooms are browning (about 5 minutes). 

Step 4: Pour ¼ cup of the vegetable stock or broth into the pan and—using a wooden spoon or spatula—deglaze the pan (scrape any stuck bits of food off the bottom of the pan). 

Step 5: Place the cut bagels in a large mixing bowl and pour the mixture from the pan over them.  Add the remaining ½ cup of broth/stock.

Step 6: Season generously with salt and pepper, and let the dish sit for at least 2 hours, and heat before serving.

Notes:

• This is a vegetarian recipe, but if none of your guests are vegetarians, you can add some turkey bits and turkey juices from roasting the turkey!

• For a gluten-free stuffing, use about eight slices of your favorite gluten-free bread; Food for Life's Gluten-Free Brown Rice Bread is a good choice.