I first posted this recipe three years ago. We've had our Thanksgiving turkey and that "standard" stuffing. With Christmas and New Years approaching, many of us will double down: the final turkey of the year is destined for our table. But, and this happens to me, a second round the regular stuffing does not have the same Thanksgiving excitement. Don't misundertand. I want stuffing. But I want different stuffing. My wife Suzi bakes break, sourdough and rye. Here is her solution for stuffing boredom. It's a great solution.

There is a lovely work called the Thanksgiving Cookbook by Holly Garrison that has a Calvados Rye Stuffing. Suzi was inspired by the recipe, but this particular recipe has her own signature. And, no calvados, so it's kid friendly.

Suzen’s Apple and Rye Stuffing

Yield: 2 ½ cups

Ingredients:

• ¼ pound butter
• 5 celery ribs, finely chopped [2 cups]
• 1 large onion, finely chopped [1 cup]
• 3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and chopped [about 3 cups]
• 9 cups of bread rye bread pieces, dried and broken into postage stamp-sized pieces
• 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup turkey stock

Preparation:

Heat the butter in a large skillet until melted. Pour off ¼ cup and set aside. Add the celery, onion, and apples to the butter remaining tin the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp. Combine the skillet mixture, bread, sage, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and toss gently until well mixed. Drizzle the ⅔ cup of the stock over the ingredients and mix well. If the stuffing mixture is too dry, add the remainder of the stock. You can add water as well. The mixture is properly moist when it hold together when lightly pressed in the palms of your hands.

Place in a greased pan big enough to support a 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 60 minutes. If the top of the bread begins to singe, pull it.

Source: Inspired by Thanksgiving Cookbook by Holly Garrison

Photo Information: Canon T2i, 18-55MM Macro Lens, F/2.8, 1/100 second, ISO 200