Stuffed birds!

 So I have been saying I was going to work on a clean stuffing recipe for months and I have finally done it. OK so I haven't spent as much time on it as I would've like and this is definitely not the end all be all on the best stuffing recipe, but it is a good base. I think.

INGREDIENTS:
3 thick slices of almond butter bread (recipe just a few months back) cubed
5 stalks celery sliced
1 apple diced (I like a little sweet and a little tart so I used fuji)
1 tbsn coconut oil
1/3  C onion
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C pecans
1 tsp sage
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

CHICKEN RUB:
3/4 C olive oil
3 tbsn garlic
2 tbsn rosemary
1 tbsn basil
1 tsp pepper
salt to taste

Mix all ingreidents together for the rub, and cover the chicken in it, don't miss the skin between the wings and the body. (Don't forget to clean the chicken inside and out and remove all the gizzards and neck that are stored inside the cavity). Set aside.
If you want to use the neck and organs to make a broth or chicken stock now is the time. Put them in a pot with water almost covering them. Add spices of your choice, I usually go with bay leaves, salt, garlic, parsley and basil. Simmer on low of a few hours (about as long as it takes to cook the bird) and you have a tasty chicken stock that you can use for your stuffing next time or soup.

In a saucepan combine everything but the bread cubes and the pecans. Turn on med high until it boils, reduce heat and cover and let simmer until the vegys are tender.
Meanwhile, put the bread cubes on a cookie sheet, in a single layer, and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, until crunchy but not heavily browned. Set aside.

After vegys are tender pour over toasted bread cubes, add the pecans and blend well. Put the bird in a shallow baking dish and gently add some stuffing to the cavity of the bird, laying the remaining amounts outside in the baking dish. Don't pack all the stuffing into the cavity, the fuller it is the longer it will take to cook.
Bake the bird at 400 degrees uncovered for about 30 minutes or until the top is beautifully browned than "tent" (or cover the baking pan and bird with tinfoil that doesn't touch the bird)  turn the oven down to about 350 and finish cooking.

 

It should be tender and fall off the bone yummy. The apples in the stuffing really help juice up the meat and bring a bit of a sweet flavor to the dish. Now if you really want to have at it boil and mash some garlic sweet potatoes and have yourself a clean thanksgiving-ish meal.