Thanksgiving Sides: Stuffin' Muffin

Thanksgiving makes me so happy, like a kid in a candy store. Researching recipes, menu planning and of course the big beautiful turkey that awaits. My husband always makes the turkey and gravy, but I make the sides. And this year, I can confidently say that I now have my Thanksgiving side menu that I will be repeated. The reason for the confidence not only is that I loved it (if I may say so!) but because it passed my in-laws test. They are vegetarians and prefer either Indian or classic Spanish food. Every year they nibble on the sides to please me, but this year they took seconds! 

The first side I want to talk about is the stuffing. I found the recipe on the Today Show. It was a competition for the best stuffing and I adapted the recipe to suit our tastes and pantry, but I took the idea of making Stuffin' Muffins. Yes, the stuffing was in a muffin pan so everyone got their own piece nice and crusty.

1. In a large bowl toss 2 cups Italian season croutons with 2 cups chicken broth and 1 beaten egg.
2. In a large sauté pan, sauté 1 cup spicy chorizo and 1 cup sliced bacon in 1 tbsp olive oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the bread bowl.
3. Then sauté 1 cup minced onions in the same pan with the chorizo and bacon fat with 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 cup minced celery. Once slightly browned, remove and add to the bread bowl.
4. Then sauté 2 cups sliced oyster mushrooms with 1 stalk thyme, 1 tbsp fresh oregano and 1 stalk rosemary. Season with S&P and add to the bread bowl. 
5. Add chipotle powder or sliced serrano chilis.
6. Make them into small balls, drain out the excess liquid and add to a muffin tray.
7. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, broil for 2-3 minutes and enjoy!