>If You’re Craving Carbs, Turn to Stuffing for a Creative and Fun Side Dish

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The story above is a satirical post sponsored by Kraft’s Un-Potato Stove Top Stuffing campaign. If you have a boring potato story of your own, you can submit it for a chance to win a $100 American Express gift card. Full contest details are posted at Technorati Follow along on Twitter too with #unpotatofest. I have received compensation for participation in the “Un-Potato” campaign from Kraft Foods. 

When I want to put a carbohydrate on the table for dinner, I’ve recently been turning to stuffing. Don’t get me wrong, I love potatoes, whether they’re sauteed in duck fat or mashed with butter and heavy cream, but it’s fun to mix things up and varied at dinner. Stuffing is a surprisingly versatile side that cooks up much faster than a batch of Idaho potatoes. It’s is like a blank canvas with great texture, just waiting for the flavor of the day. I love to throw in dried fruits, apples, and pears to do a little sweet and sour side. To get my family really excited, I often throw in a little bacon. Nothing gets the kids more eager to set the table than the smell of bacon wafting through the house.

Now I’m not a big fan of Jessica Seinfeld‘s hide the vegetables and trick your children philosophy, but I don’t turn my nose up at all tricks. I’ve used stuffing to introduce new vegetables in our weekly rotation: slivers of Brussel Sprouts, julienned zucchini, or small dice of sweet potato go down easy when they’re nestled with pillowy stuffing.

I usually make the whole box as a casserole, but I just learned that Stove Top has just come out with a larger canister version to make smaller quantities in the microwave. I’ll be adding that to my pantry with my next grocery run. Below is my current favorite combination, I can’t wait to hear how you play around with your stuffing. 

Bacon, Apple and Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 package of Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing
4 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 apples, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 cup of dried cranberries

1. Prepare the stuffing according to package directions. 
2. In a large frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat. When the bacon is lightly browned, add the apples and cranberries. Saute for  2 to 3 minutes, until the apples begin to soften, and add 3/4 cups of chicken stock. Scrape up the bottom to get all the browned bacon bits.
3. Pour the bacon, stock, and fruit into the cooked and fluffed stuffing. Mix well together. 
4. Place the mixture in an oven proof dish with a cover. Cover and cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
5. Enjoy immediately on turkey or chicken.

This post was sponsored by Kraft as part of their Un-Potato Stove Top Stuffing campaign. If you have a boring potato story of your own, you can submit it for a chance to win a $100 American Express gift card. Full contest details are posted at Technorati.