Bread Dressing for Thanksgiving and all year round!

I am sure you have heard that it is not safe to cook your stuffing in the turkey. I always made both and I will confess to sometime living dangerously and stuffing my turkey but I like stuffing so much, I always made enough to fill two, 9"x 13" casseroles. If you are going to stuff the bird safely you must put the dressing in hot, but it isn't a good idea if you want moist cooked just right turkey and dressing at 160 degrees Fahrenheit. the stuffing actually acts as an insulator and does not easily get hot. This year I am making my dressing after Thanksgiving, hopefully with leftovers, because we are sharing the day with friends. This recipe also was devekoped over many years and was also inspired by my time with the American Heart Association. what this recipe's strong point is including fruits and vegitables into the meal. I like the crunch from the apples, celery and nuts. 

HOLIDAY FRUIT STUFFING
 Ingredients: 
2/3 cup           green onions, chopped
1 cup              onion, finely chopped
1 cup              celery, chopped
¼ cup             parsley, chopped
2 cups                        apple, finely diced
½ cup             dried apricots, chopped
1 cup              raisins
10 cups          bread, cut in cubes (a loaf)
½ tsp               sage
¼ tsp               ginger
¼ tsp               nutmeg
1 tsp                pepper
1-2 cups         chicken broth
2 Tbsp            butter melted

 Directions
 Put all the dry ingredients in a baking pan sprayed with “Pam” or a small amount of oil.  Then add broth and margarine and stir to moisten
 
Bake at 350°F for one hour.