By Cindy Widder

This is my favorite time of the year……the leaves have turned beautiful hues of red, orange, yellow and gold. The nights are cool and brisk, but the days still radiate warmth and sunshine. Plus…..the holidays will soon be upon us. The decorating, the shopping, the parties and family gatherings, and let us not forget (how could we), lots and lots of delicious food.

As Thanksgiving approaches, there are so many things I am thankful for….it would take much time to list everything. But as our daughter prepares to be deployed to Afghanistan next month, and with the celebration of Veteran’s Day this month, I am especially reminded of how blessed and thankful I am for those who serve our country. They so selflessly give of their lives and their time and sacrifice so much by being separated from those they love. And my heart goes out to their families and loved ones who must also sacrifice every day, but especially at this time of year when they have to celebrate the holidays without them. My prayer is that there will be many holidays in the future that they will get to spend together.

The recipe for this month is a little different spin on traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, but it tastes great and is not difficult to make, and doesn’t take much time. Things I love about any recipe!

Apple Cranberry Spelt Stuffing
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dried cranberries
¼ cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 cup chopped celery
2 apples, cored and finely chopped
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of celery soup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pkg Berlin Natural Bakery White Spelt Stuffing
1 pkg Berlin Natural Bakery Whole Spelt Stuffing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and cranberries; let soak for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and celery; cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently or until tender. Add apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.

Beat 3 eggs in a separate bowl. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.

In the large bowl with vegetables, stir in chicken broth mixture, celery soup, and cinnamon. Add spelt stuffing, stirring gently to combine. Add eggs. Spoon mixture into prepared dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until center is set.

Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. And until next time….Happy Baking!