Thanksgiving Stuffing

I was recently asked (by Melissa Marlowe, former Olympian and Univ of Utah Gymnastics Great) if I have a good stuffing recipe, and in fact, I have what I consider to be a killer stuffing recipe. After I emailed it to her, I thought "why not put that on my blog?"
BIG CAVEAT - I have to tell you that it is based on the boxed stuff. I'm always in charge of the stuffing for the Hogan dinner, which usually involves 25 people. They initially mocked me for using boxed mix, but I've been asked to do stuffing every year for the past 10 years, so they must like it, or they really hate making their own stuffing.

It's all in the secret ingredient. Here's what I do (sorry, not photos this post):

1 box of Mrs. Cubbison's Cornbread Stuffing Mix
2 boxes of Stove Top Turkey Stuffing Mix

I follow the box recipes (add the quantities together for the 4 total bags of bread stuff) for butter and chicken stock. I use the recipe as a guide for diced onions and celery - but I usually add a bit more. I also add diced carrots - it's a secret from Lauren Suzuki - a dear friend here in LA.

Saute the veggies in butter. Then, add in the shitake mushrooms (THIS is the KEY Suzuki secret - shitake mushrooms. I buy the dried shitakes and reconstitute them for 2 days in red wine. When they're puffed back up, chop them up and return them to the wine they've soaked in). After adding the shitakes (including the wine), add the chicken stock, bring to boil, simmer (as directed on package) and then toss in the bread crumbs.

I know it doesn't sound mind boggling - but it's tasty - and I think it's gross to stuff the turkey cavity - even though my mom does it and her stuffing is always yummy. She use to crumble the stale bread, but even she now resorts to the boxed stuff.

Boxed stuffing mix is nothing to be ashamed of.