Name: Vegetarian Stuffing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz. mushrooms ($1.94); 4 ribs celery ($0.32); 3 carrots ($0.22); 1 yellow onion ($0.70); 4 garlic cloves ($0.32); ¼ bunch parsley ($0.20); 6 Tbsp salted butter (divided, $0.66); 1 tsp dried sage ($0.10); 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.10); black pepper (freshly cracked (to taste) $0.05); ¼ tsp salt (or to taste, $0.02); ½ cup chopped walnuts ($1.68); 1 large loaf French bread (stale, $1.47*); 1½ cups vegetable broth ($0.27)

1 Begin by preparing the vegetables. Wash and slice the mushrooms, wash and dice the celery, peel and shred the carrots (use a large-holed cheese grater), dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the parsley.

2 Add 3 Tbsp of the butter to a large pot along with the sliced mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until they have released all of their moisture and have begun to caramelize and brown on the edges (about 5-7 minutes).

3 Add the garlic, onion, sage, thyme, some freshly cracked pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt to the pot. Continue to sauté the onions are soft and transparent (about 3-5 minutes), add the celery and continue to sauté for a few minutes more. Finally, add the shredded carrots and continue to sauté for a couple more minutes, or just until the carrots begin to soften.

4 While sautéing the vegetables, add the chopped walnuts to a dry skillet. Cook and stir the walnut pieces over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or just until they begin to give off a nutty aroma. Remove them from the heat immediately.

5 Finally, add the toasted walnuts, the remaining 3 Tbsp butter, and a handful of fresh parsley to the pot. Stir until the butter has fully melted. Taste the vegetable mixture and add a touch more salt if needed. It should be well seasoned.

6 Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cut the stale bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the cubes to the pot with the sautéed vegetables and herbs. Stir well to coat the bread in the butter. Finally, pour in the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well each time before adding more. The bread will not be completely saturated, but will absorb more moisture as the stuffing bakes.

7 Coat the inside of a 3-quart casserole dish with non-stick spray. Add the stuffing mixture to the casserole dish, spread it out evenly, and compress it down slightly. Cover the dish with foil. Bake the stuffing in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy. Garnish with any remaining chopped parsley just before serving.