Sausage and Herb Stuffing

Stuffing is definitely my favorite side dish at the Thanksgiving table (with mashed potatoes coming in at a very close second). I love a nice hearty stuffing with tons of flavor, and that’s exactly what I’m bringing to the table with this recipe! After a lot of trial and error, I found the exact recipe that I was looking for. This stuffing combines fresh toasted bread, sweet sausage, apples and craisins (or raisins if you prefer), some fresh herbs, and a hint of sugar for sweetness.

 Allow this stuffing to grace your holiday table…it will be devoured! 😊

 
 

Ingredients:

 

10 cups of cubed white bread (about 1 ½ small loaves or 1 large loaf)
  *Choose a hearty, good quality bread- I typically use Arnold.
1 lb. sweet sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 stick butter
1 apple, peeled and chopped
½ cup raisins or craisins
2 – 2½ cups chicken broth
1 egg
¼ cup freshly chopped sage
¼ cup freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tsp. ground thyme
1 tbsp. sugar
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange bread cubes on baking sheets and bake until the bread is lightly browned and toasted (about 15 minutes, give or take) Remove from oven and let cool. Transfer the bread to a large bowl.

2. Place the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and celery and sauté for about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic to the skillet and continue to sauté until the veggies are soft (should just be a couple of minutes).

3. Add the apples and raisins to the skillet and sauté for one more minute. Add 1 cup of broth to the skillet and then pour the mixture over the bread in the large bowl. Toss everything together.

4. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the sausage and use a spoon to break it apart into small pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage just starts to brown. Transfer the sausage to the bowl with the bread and veggie mixture.

5. Pour one cup of the chicken broth into a separate bowl. Whisk the egg in with the chicken broth. Stir in the thyme, sage, parsley, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour the broth mixture over the bread in the large bowl. Stir well to combine. If the mixture is too dry, add a bit more broth (you may or may not need to…use your judgment).

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the mixture into a buttered casserole dish (about 3 quart or 9 x 13 inch). Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and slightly crispy.

 

Enjoy! 😊