Holiday Bread Stuffing

Directions

1. 1
   Melt butter with oil over medium high heat.
2. 2
   Add carrots, onion and celery.
3. 3
   Saute 5 10 minutes until the onion is translucent.
4. 4
   Add bay leaf and poultry seasoning.
5. 5
   Cook a few minutes longer, until you can smell the seasonings.
6. 6
   Add 3 cups chicken broth.
7. 7
   (Hold back the last cup until you see how much liquid the bread cubes take up).
8. 8
   Bring the broth and vegetables to a simmer.
9. 9
   Turn off the heat, fish out and discard the bay leaf, and dump in both bags of stuffing cubes.
10. 10
    Stir to coat stuffing cubes evenly with the broth mixture.
11. 11
    If its too dry, add some of the reserved broth.
12. 12
    Spoon into 2 - two quart greased casserole dishes (they will be very full).
13. 13
    Cover and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 325F on a rack in the middle or upper third of oven (cooking on the bottom third of the oven will burn the bottom of the casseroles).
14. 14
    Check at 30 minutes to be sure it isnt drying out; if it looks too dry, add HOT broth (adding room temperature broth may break your dish).
15. 15
    Remove cover last 15 minutes and drizzle with melted butter to brown the top if you like.