Chestnut & Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing

The stuffing recipe calls for making Thyme Cornbread one day in advance of making the actual stuffing. You need some time to allow the cornbread to dry out, but be prepared. Every time that cornbread is on our counter for a day, it disappears by the handfuls. This year I smartened up and doubled the batch the first time I made it!

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 1/4 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
2 tablespoons fresh sage
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups roasted whole chestnuts, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries, about 6 oz.
1 cup low sodium chicken broth, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break cornbread into one inch pieces. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet and bake until just beginning to bake and brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on sheet.

2. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, sage, and thyme. Saute until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in chestnuts and cranberries, then cornbread.

3. Whisk 1/4 cup broth, eggs, pepper, and salt in medium bowl to blend.

4. Add to stuffing and toss until evenly moist and begins to hold together. Add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry.

5. Transfer to prepared baking dish, cover with foil. Bake covered for 40 minutes, then uncovered until cooked through and brown on top, about 20 minutes.