Recipe: Roasted-Corn Bread Stuffing (low fat)

ROASTED-CORN BREAD STUFFING
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, 2003
Yield: 4 servings

2 strips center-cut bacon, chopped
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (1 ear yellow corn)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup water
2 Corn Bread Muffins (recipe follows)
1 (1/2-ounce) slice hearty white bread
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 teaspoon of drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Set aside.

Add corn, chopped onion and celery, cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Crumble 2 Corn Muffins into a large bowl. Place white bread in a food processor, and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Stir into the crumbled Corn Bread Muffins. Add corn mixture, sage, thyme, black pepper, salt and bacon, stir to combine. Add broth, stir gently to coat. Place mixture in a (1-quart) baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

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CORN BREAD MUFFINS

Use two of these muffins for the stuffing and four for another use.

1 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly spoon the cornmeal and flour into measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Combine buttermilk, butter and egg. Pour buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture, stir just until moist.

Spoon the batter evenly into 6 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 6 muffins.