DAY 5 - RECIPE - THANKSGIVING CHALLENGE

[Ranaesheart]

Today I thought it would be a great idea to look at some ideas for stuffing recipes. I know that many people like different variations on stuffing....so I have selected two that I thought sounded really yummy!

Stuffing with cranberries
Stuffing is usually baked within the food in which it's stuffed, such as a turkey or chicken. This version bakes the stuffing separately, saving calories and fat. If you prefer extra-moist stuffing, add more chicken broth or water.

SERVES 6
Ingredients
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted and cut into cubes
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
1 cup whole water chestnuts
1 cup chopped apple
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, heat the chicken broth over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, parsley, tarragon, paprika, nutmeg, cranberries, water chestnuts and chopped apples. Add the onion and celery mixture. Stir to mix evenly.
Spoon stuffing into the prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis
(per serving)
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories 147
Total fat 2 g
Saturated fat 0.5 g
Monosaturated fat 1 g
Cholesterol 1 mg
Sodium 263 mg
Protein 5 g
Potassium 256 mg
Carbohydrate 29 g
Fiber 5 g
Calcium 51 g

[Ranaesheart]

Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing

Cornbread stuffing, a Southern favorite, is a nice change from more traditional white-bread stuffing. To save time, look for already prepared cornbread from a local bakery or supermarket.

Makes 12 servings, scant 1 cup each

Ingredients:
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage (about 4 links), casings removed
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 pounds prepared cornbread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 1/2-3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add onion and celery; cover, reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add cornbread, parsley and sage.
3. Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour 1 cup over the stuffing mixture and toss gently (the cornbread will break into smaller pieces). Add as much of the remaining broth as needed, 1/2 cup at a time, until the stuffing feels moist but not wet. Spoon the stuffing into the prepared pan and cover with foil.
4. Bake the stuffing until thoroughly heated, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Per serving 237 calories
9 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono)
48 mg cholesterol
29 g carbohydrate
12 g protein
3 g fiber
609 mg sodium
153 mg potassium.
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges of 2 starch, 1 medium-fat meat

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 3, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, bake at 350 degrees F until hot, about 30 minutes.