APPLE AND ONION STUFFIN' MUFFINS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (2 turns of the pan)
1 stick butter, softened
1 fresh bay leaf
4 ribs celery and greens (from the heart), chopped (save time and purchase celery already washed, trimmed and cut into sticks, this makes chopping fast work)
1 medium to large yellow skinned onion, chopped
3 McIntosh apples, quartered and chopped
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
8 cups cubed stuffing mix (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 to 3 cups chicken stock (available in paper containers on the soup aisle)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to skillet and 4 tablespoons butter. When butter melts, add bay leaf and add the vegetables as you chop them, celery, onions then apples. Sprinkle the vegetables and apples with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 to 6 minutes to begin to soften vegetables and apples.

Add parsley and stuffing cubes to the pan and combine. Moisten the stuffing with chicken broth until all of the bread is soft but not wet.

Butter 12 muffin cups, 2 tins, liberally with remaining butter. Use an ice cream scoop to fill and mound up the stuffing in muffin tins. Remove the bay leaf as you scoop the stuffing when you come upon it.

Bake until set and crisp on top, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove stuffin' muffins to a platter and serve hot or room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins
Source: TV Food Network/Rachael Ray - Thanksgiving in 60