Vegetarian Cranberry Apple Spinach Stuffing (from scratch)

For many years, I've been making a doctored-up version of box stuffing mix, adding so many autumnal fruits and veggies that the bread base hardly mattered. It was high time I created a from-scratch version for Thanksgiving. 

I chose a sourdough boule to add a slight tang to the dish. Any hearty bread would work well here. The dish ends up being more fruit and vegetables than bread.

We’re pescatarian and no longer eat turkey, but we still crave those familiar Thanksgiving flavors. I discovered that mixing in Quorn "ChiQin" (optional) brings the poultry flavor into a single casserole. We brought this to our friends' house, who aren't vegetarian, and they loved it—they were especially amazed by the Quorn!

The recipe makes a large batch; we split it between two medium-sized casserole dishes. One went to our Friendsgiving, and the other stayed home for plenty of delicious leftovers.

Cranberry Apple Spinach Stuffing

1 large loaf of hearty stale bread, such as sourdough, cut or torn into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water for at least 5 minutes

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup (1/2 to 1 stick) butter, depending on how decadent you're feeling
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 apples, cored and diced (you don't even have to peel them!)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 t poultry seasoning
3/4 t salt
black pepper, to taste

16 oz frozen cut leaf spinach, defrosted (chard or kale would also be fab here)
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
2 cups hot water
1 T Better than Bouillon (flavor your choice)

1 12 oz package Quorn ChiQin pieces, (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 F. If your bread is not already stale, you'll want to dry it out so it absorbs all the flavors. Spread it out on a sheet pan in a 350 oven for 15 minutes, until dry to the touch but not browned.

In a large skillet, sauté onion, celery, apples, and garlic in butter until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add seasonings and spinach until warmed through. 

Dissolve Better than Bouillon in hot water. Combine all ingredients, including the water that the cranberries soaked in, and Quorn if using, in a large bowl. Depending on how fluffy your bread is, it might not all fit in the bowl at first. Simply stir in what you can and gradually add more. As the bread mixes with the liquid and softens, you'll be able to mix in the rest.

Coat the inside of two medium-large casserole dishes with non-stick spray. Add the stuffing mixture and cover the dish with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.