Wheat Free Stuffing

You might think that wheat free stuffing would be a challenge to make since wheat free bread is difficult to make as good as the real thing. Luckily, wheat free bread can be a part of a delicious stuffing that tastes as good as any (wheat-filled) boxed variety that you can find.
This recipe begins with making your own croutons by toasting cubes of your favorite wheat free bread in the oven. To save time on the day of your meal, you can toast the bread a few days in advance and store in an air tight container.

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1-1/2 loaves gluten free bread (and other allergens if you're avoiding them) or enough to make 6 cups

4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup diced carrot
2 shallots, minced
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
2 teaspoons dry thyme leaves
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1-1/2 cups gluten free chicken broth

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes and place on the baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes being sure to toss the cubes every 15 minutes to ensure even toasting. When the bread cubes are dried completely, remove them from the oven and cool. Store in an air tight container until you are ready to make the stuffing.

2) Heat the oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add the onions, celery, carrot and shallots to the pan and saute until tender. Add the sage, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for an additional two minutes stirring frequently. Add the wine and continue to cook for two more minutes or until the wine is reduced by half.

3) In a large bowl, place the toasted bread cubes and toss in the vegetable mixture. Add the chicken broth and stir until the bread cubes are evenly moistened. Transfer to a baking dish and bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Makes 10 (1/2 cup) servings.