Holiday Fruited Stuffing

11/21/2000

1/3 cup diced dried apricots

1/3 cup dried cranberries or sweet cherries

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 package (6 count) English muffins

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 teaspoon ground sage or poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 to 11/4 cups canned or homemade low-salt chicken broth

In a small bowl, combine apricots, cranberries, and sherry. Let stand while preparing stuffing. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut muffins into 1/2-inch cubes; arrange in single layer in a 15-by-10-inch jellyroll pan. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly toasted.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add sage and salt; cook 1 minute. Add fruit and sherry mixture. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Combine toasted muffin cubes with vegetable and fruit mixture. If stuffing is to be cooked in a turkey, chicken, or Cornish game hens, add 1 cup broth. If stuffing is to be cooked in a casserole dish, add 11/4 cups broth. Toss mixture well. Bake stuffing in a covered 21/2-quart casserole dish at 350 degree for 30 to 35 minutes or until hot.

Yield: 6 cups