Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread bread cubes on rimmed baking sheets and dry briefly in oven 5-10 minutes. Lightly toast pecan pieces in oven, until just fragrant (3-5 minutes). Place the bread in a large bowl.
- In a large skillet, melt 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of Kerrygold Unsalted Butter over medium heat. Add the bacon, cook until browned. Add the onions, and stir until they soften, about 8-10 minutes. Add the apples (or pears) and soften another 3-5 minutes. Add the herbs and pecans, salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly. Remove from heat. Add vegetable mixture to bread and toss well.
- Whisk broth and eggs together and drizzle over mix. Toss well and let rest for about 5 minutes.
- Generously butter the muffin tins using Kerrygold Unsalted Butter, coating the sides and bottoms of the cups thickly. Spoon 1/2 cup of the stuffing mixture into each muffin cup, making certain to get a good mix of vegetables and bread in each cup. Using back of spoon or the bottom of a 1/4-cup, press well to compact the stuffing. Mound another 1/2 cup or so of the remaining mix on top of the stuffing in each cup, pressing well with your fingers to hold shape.
- Bake until tops are golden and crisp, 20-28 minutes. Let cool and set in pan, approximately 15 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, loosen around the edges and remove from tin.
NOTE: Any stuffing recipe can be turned into muffins, simply add beaten eggs (3-4 eggs per 12 cups of bread) just before baking, as detailed above.