Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients & Instructions

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup dried cranberries (original recipe was raisins)

2 cups apple juice

⅓ cup melted butter (or margarine)

2 ½ cups peeled and chopped apples (prefer Granny Smith’s)

⅓ cup dry white wine (I do ½ cup and use it to also reconstitute the dried cranberries)

1 lb bulk pork sausage (omit if vegan)

1 lb package Bell’s Ready Mixed Stuffing

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onions for 5 minutes and then add chopped celery for an additional 5 minutes. Add the thawed pork sausage and cook with vegetables for 10 minutes. Since my daughter is Vegan, we obviously omit the sausage. Pour in the apple juice, wine, cranberries (or raisins), and apples. Heat through.

In a large bowl, combine the contents of stuffing packet with above mixture. Stir with a fork to blend well. At this point, the recipe calls for packing lightly in a turkey up to 20 lbs. This is where I part ways with the recipe. I pour the dressing into a large casserole dish and cook it uncovered for a crispier top at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. (If I am pre-cooking the dish to be reheated at a later time, cooking time is closer to 25 minutes. When ready to re-heat and serve, I will add ¼ cup apple juice or chicken stock to help rehydrate the stuffing and then cook covered.)

This is a favorite comfort food for any time of the year and is quick and easy to prepare for a weeknight supper. Even better is Round Two Recipe of Stuffing Waffles with Breaded Chicken Tenders. Add an egg as a binder to leftover stuffing and form into little patties. Place in a waffle maker and close cover. Proceed to cook until golden crispy. Once plated, top with baked or deep fried breaded chicken tenders and drizzle on Maine made maple syrup. Try this for a savory take on chicken and waffles.

Hope you find these recipes delicious. Please share your thoughts and any suggestions on the recipe. We would love to hear from you.