NOTE: It's best not to compltely prepare the stuffing ahead of time beyond roasting the bread, as the giblets and stock can promote growth of bacteria, and you'll wind up with one heck of a bellyache.

6 slices multi grain or whole whest bread
3 tablespoons butter or "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter"
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup choped celery
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
1 egg -- slightly beaten
1 cup dried cranberries -- optional
1 cup turkey or chicken broth (more if needed)
1 cup commercial french fried onions -- optional

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, Cut the loaf of bread cubes about 1-1/2 inches around.. You should have about 6-8 cups. Spread bread cubes out in a sinngle layer on a large shallow baking sheet. Put the pan into the oven for about 10-12 minutes or until bread cubes are lilghtly toasted. Remove and set aside to cool. (This can be done ahead of time.)

in a large deep saute pan over medium heat, melt butter and add onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook and stir occasionally until vegetables are softene3d but not browned. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 359 F. Into a large mixing bowl, put the bread cubes, parsley, sage thyme and poultry seasoning. Mix well. Add the cooled vegetables, egg, and dried cranberries if using,. Mix well. Add the 1 cup of turkey stock or chicken broth and mix well, adding more, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition, until mixture is well-moistened. Mixture should not be soupy.

TO BAKE STUFFING SEPARATELY, spray a 11x7 casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer stuffing mixture to prepared casserole and sprinkle the french fried onions evenly over the top. Bake 30-35 minutes. (Stuffing can be made ahead no more than 2-3 hours ahead, and then chilled until just before serving.. Reheat uncovered in a 350-degree oven for about 20-30 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis using butter substitute: One Serving 1 cup
Sugar 2g; Total Carbohydrates 28g; Fat 5g; Sodium 270ng; Calories 160; Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 6g; Fiber 2g; Potassium 100mg