Recipes and Cooking Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffing 4.0 (12) 1 Review By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on September 8, 2011 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Blaine Moats Prep Time: 45 mins Bake Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins Servings: 12 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients Nonstick cooking spray 9 slices bacon ¼ cup butter 2 cup sliced button mushrooms 1 ½ cup coarsely chopped leeks (4 to 5 leeks) 1 ½ cup chopped celery (3 stalks) 3 cup coarsely chopped, cored, peeled (if desired) Fuji or Granny Smith apples (about 2 large) 1 tablespoon minced garlic (6 cloves) ½ cup whipping cream 12 cup dry country-style bread cubes* 1 tablespoon fresh snipped sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 ¼ - 1 ¾ cup chicken broth Fresh sage leaves (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. In an extra-large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels; crumble bacon. Drain fat, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add butter to drippings in skillet. Add mushrooms, leeks, and celery. Cook over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add apples and garlic. Cook and stir for 2 to 4 minutes or until apples are just softened. Stir in cream. In an extra-large bowl combine apple mixture, crumbled bacon, bread cubes, the 1 tablespoon sage, the thyme, and pepper. Drizzle with broth to moisten, tossing gently to combine. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through and top is light brown. If desired, garnish with sage leaves. *Tip: To make dry bread cubes, preheat oven to 300°F. Cut 18 to 21 fresh bread slices into 1/2-inch cubes to yield 12 cups bread cubes. Spread cubes in two 15x10x1-inch baking pans. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cubes are dry, stirring twice; cool. (Cubes will continue to dry and crisp as they cool.) Or let bread cubes stand, loosely covered, at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare stuffing as directed through Step 2, except do not preheat oven. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for up to 24 hours. To serve, preheat oven to 375°F. Remove plastic wrap; cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes more or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 268 Calories 15g Fat 28g Carbs 7g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Calories 268 % Daily Value * Total Fat 15g 19% Saturated Fat 7g 35% Cholesterol 34mg 11% Sodium 507mg 22% Total Carbohydrate 28g 10% Total Sugars 6g Protein 7g Vitamin C 4.7mg 24% Calcium 50.5mg 4% Iron 1.6mg 9% Potassium 231mg 5% Folate, total 88.7mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.1mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.