Bread Stuffing In The Czech Tradition

Step 1: Put dried cranberries in a small bowl. Cover w/boiling water & set aside to plump. Preheat oven to 250F.

Step 2: Tear dark rye bread into small bite-size pieces & place in oven baking dish large enough to have them generally in 1 layer. Allow to crisp somewhat, but not go completely dry & crunchy.

Step 3: While rye bread is crisping, put 2 tbsp olive oil in large Dutch oven. Saute diced celery for 1 min over med-heat, add diced onion & saute mixture until veggies are beginning to soften. Remove from heat & stir in diced apple just to combine. CAUTION: Do not cook further once the apple is added. The apple will cook slightly just from being added to the hot veggie mix. If you cook further, the apple may well turn to mush).

Step 4: Dump entire pkg of seasoned stuffing mix over the apples & then the slightly crisped rye bread atop the stuffing mix.

Step 5: Pour melted butter (or margarine) evenly over the top of the mixture & sprinkle w/the caraway seeds.

Step 6: Heat chicken broth or stock to a near boil & pour over all ingredients in the Dutch oven. Mix well to combine the ingredients.

Step 7: Drain plumped dried cranberries & reserve the liquid. Stir them GENTLY into the stuffing mixture & use the reserved liquid to add more moisture to the stuffing if you feel it is needed (If cranberries are large, I suggest they be halved).

Step 8: You are now done w/the recipe. The dressing can be served immediately - Stuffed in the turkey/duck w/the excess oven-baked - Or simply cooked in the oven later. Follow your usual methods.