Ingredients

• Prosciutto and Fresh Sage Stuffing
• What would a holiday meal be without stuffing, or dressing as some call it? If you like a generous amount of stuffing, estimate about 1 cup per person. The stuffing will probably not all fit in the turkey, so place the rest in a buttered casserole dish and dot the top with butter and bake separately in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Make the stuffing the day before and store in the refrigerator. Do not stuff the turkey in advance because bacteria can grow. Take it out (as well as the turkey) an hour before you put the turkey in the oven, but stuff right before you roast the turkey.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces prosciutto or pancetta, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 leek or one onion, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 2 fennel or 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds bread cubes, lightly toasted in oven (or 1 package of store bought)
• 1/3 cup fresh sage, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 5-6 cups chicken broth (3 cans)
• In a large sauté pan, add oil. Add prosciutto and sauté until lightly brown. Remove and set aside. To the same pan, add butter, leeks, onion, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the fennel or celery and cook until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• In a large bowl, add the bread cubes, sage, thyme, pancetta, and onion mixture. Start with 5 cups of chicken broth and pour over bread cubes. Add enough chicken stock so the bread is moistened through, but not soggy. Taste for salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight, and re-taste for seasoning.
• If you are going to bake alongside the turkey, place stuffing in a buttered casserole dish and dot with butter. Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden brown.
• Simple Guidelines to a Great Stuffing
• Stuffing can be made 1-2 days in advance. Take stuffing out of the refrigerator 1 hour before you start roasting to bring it to room temperature. Cold stuffing will slow the cooking process. Make sure to stuff both cavities and use toothpicks to secure skin folds. Immediately place in oven. Do not stuff the turkey in advance because bacteria can grow.
• Do not overstuff, because stuffing needs room to expand during cooking.
• Stuffing must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 160°F to be safe. Check it with an instant-read thermometer inserted all the way into the center of the stuffing.
• Remove stuffing immediately after roasting the turkey. Place in a heat proof-serving dish, cover with foil and keep warm in a 200-degree oven.
• Do not leave stuffing and other leftovers out for more than 2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers immediately following the meal to prevent spoilage.