CORN BREAD AND SQUASH STUFFING

Corn Bread and Squash Stuffing image

Provided by Mark Bittman

Time 1h15m

Yield 6 to 8 cups, enough for a 12-pound bird

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or melted butter, more for greasing baking sheet and dish
About 1 pound corn bread, preferably stale, roughly crumbled
1 medium butternut or other winter squash or small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups fresh cranberries (about 8 ounces)
1 cup pumpkin seeds or coarsely chopped hazelnuts
2 tablespoons fresh minced sage leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1 cup cream or half-and-half, warmed, more as needed

Steps:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. If baking stuffing outside bird, grease a 2-quart casserole, large gratin dish or 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
Grease a rimmed baking sheet with a little olive oil or butter and spread out corn bread. Bake corn bread, tossing occasionally with a spatula, for 20 to 30 minutes, until it's toasted and a little crisp in places. Remove from oven and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine corn bread, squash or pumpkin, cranberries, seeds or nuts, and sage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir remaining oil or butter and the syrup or honey into cream or half-and-half and drizzle over stuffing mixture, stirring to lightly moisten everything. Do not saturate it, just soften it. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Place stuffing in bird and bake. Or put stuffing in prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake until hot, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until mixture bubbles and top is browned, another 10 to 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 317, UnsaturatedFat 13 grams, Carbohydrate 33 grams, Fat 18 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 9 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 341 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams, TransFat 0 grams