Herby Mushroom Croissant Stuffing

                                                 
I've had this recipe saved for years and I'm so glad I finally made it. A lot of the prep was able to take place the day before which made assembling this take minutes before it was baked in the oven. The croissants add a fun twist to traditional stuffing and this makes a huge 9x13 pan which is perfect for serving a large group. I also think this pairs really nicely with the main dish which I'm posting tomorrow. I made a few slight adjustments to the original and I think it was plenty flavorful even with a little less butter, oil, and cheese. I've been eating the leftover stuffing for lunch this week and it's just as good as it was on the first day.

Serve with:
Baked Brie with Fig, Walnut, and Pistachio
Spiced Cranberry Paloma

Very slightly adapted from Half Baked Harvest. 

Ingredients:
-12 cups roughly torn croissants (I used about 12 mini croissants)
-2 tablespoons salted butter, thinly sliced
-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1 small onion, chopped
-3 celery stalks, chopped
-3-4 cups mixed mushrooms, sliced
-1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper
-4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
-2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
-2 cups roughly torn Tuscan kale
-2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
-1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
-2-3 cups low sodium veggie broth
-3 eggs, beaten
-1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Lay out the torn croissant pieces in a small layer on a lined baking sheet and top with very thin slices of butter (two tablespoons). Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted. 

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook the onion for 5 minutes and then add the celery and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are almost fully cooked. Add the butter, garlic, kale, sage, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally until the kale has wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.**

**This is the point where I stopped my prep. I had the vegetables in a container in the fridge and the croissants in another container on the counter. I then completed the next steps the day of serving right before baking.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together two cups of broth and three eggs. Add the vegetables and croissants mixing to fully combine. Pour into a greased 9x13 and top with cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 additional minutes or until the stuffing is golden on top.