Panera Bread Stuffing

Ingredients  

6 cups of ½ inch Panera Sourdough bread cubes

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery, stalks and leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves

1 ½ teaspoons dried sage

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2/3 to 1 cup melted butter

1 cup of your favorite additions: chopped pecans, chopped water chestnuts, sliced almonds, currants, wild rice, sautéed mushrooms.

Directions

To make the bread cubes, start with a loaf of bread. Remove the crusts and cut the bread into ½ inch cubes until you have about 6 cups. Spread the out on a cutting board and allow them to dry, if possible, overnight.
 

The next day, place the bread cubes in a large bowl, add onion, celery, thyme, sage, pepper, and your favorite secret ingredient. Toss until well mixes. Add the melted butter, using the larger amount if you like your stuffing moist, and toss gently. Stuff your 8-10 pound turkey and roast as directed.
 

To prepare stuffing in individual servings, place stuffing in 9 x 13 pan and bake for 40-45 minutes in a 350° oven. If the stuffing seems to be too dry, you may wish to add a little chicken broth as it cooks.