Simple Pork, Onion & Herb Baked Stuffing

The best part of Christmas for me isn't the presents, it's the stuffing.  None of your packet mixes (shudder) or ready-made posh stuff for me - I like to make mine from scratch and bake it in the oven.  It tastes phenomenally good and much better than anything you can buy in a shop.

It's also great as a mini canape - just roll the mixture into small balls and bake in the oven : the perfect bite-sized party snack.

I use a mix of fresh herbs which grow in pots on my windowsill - you can change them to suit your own personal taste : add oregano, basil & crushed fennel seeds for a gorgeous Italian stuffing, or go fruity with chopped apricots and rosemary.  I've also stopped adding salt to the mix (as a gesture to The Hubs' reduced-salt diet) and there is absolutely no reduction in taste!

Simple Pork, Onion & Herb Baked Stuffing

450g Pork Sausagemeat
2 large Onions, finely chopped
1 large stick of Celery, finely chopped
100g fresh Breadcrumbs
1 tbsp chopped Parsley
1 tbsp chopped Sage
1 tbsp chopped Thyme
Lots of freshly ground Pepper

Preheat your oven to 200c/Gas Mark 6

Mix all of your ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure the mixture is well combined.

Now pat into a lined baking tin (use greaseproof or baking paper) & bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown on top.  You can use a loaf tin or a square tin - it all depends on your preference.  If you want to make  canapes, bake for about 15 minutes on a baking sheet.

This is absolutely delicious either hot or cold.  I tend to steal bits straight from the oven and then organise a commando raid on the cold leftovers too...