Rustic Bread Stuffing with Bell Pepper and Fresh Thyme

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter ()
• 1.5 cups celery thinly sliced
• 1 pound top white country-style
• 0.3 cup parsley fresh chopped
• 4 teaspoons thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1 cup bell pepper green finely chopped
• 0.3 cup olive oil 
• 1.5 cups onion finely chopped
• 1.8 cups turkey stock 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• aluminum foil
• serrated knife
• glass baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Using long serrated knife, cut bottom crust and short ends off bread; discard.
2. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups loosely packed).
3. Place cubes in large bowl.
4. Add oil, thyme, and garlic; toss to coat.
5. Spread cubes out on large rimmed baking sheet.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Return cubes to same large bowl.
8. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
9. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper. sauté until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes; add parsley. DO AHEAD Bread cubes and vegetable mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature. Chill vegetable mixture.
10. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Stir vegetable mixture into bread cubes. Gradually add hot broth, tossing to coat evenly. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered side down.
11. Bake stuffing until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is brown, about 25 minutes longer, and serve.