The co-star of the show! Next to the turkey, ham, prime rib or Whoville roast beast 😉 , I think the stuffing deserves top billing right next to the star, don’t you?!
I always go all out and do a “kitchen sink” stuffing that’s packed with wonderful goodies! Besides the usuals, this year I added craisins and dried pomegranates and it was positively outstanding!!
Why I only make this once to twice a year is beyond me! I think I’m definitely going to have to add this to a few more seasons!
Since it can all be made the day before, it would be a perfect match for a pork tenderloin on the grill this next summer! Pop it into the oven and forget about it while grilling!
But enough talk about grilling. I miss it already!! We have gotten to enjoy the year’s first snowfall though, and wow was it ever beautiful! We got blasted with about 8″ and that blanket of white was simply breathtaking!
The only creatures stirring were my feathered friends!
Including a rare appearance by Mr. Woody Woodpecker himself!
If I hadn’t just made this for Thanksgiving, it would go beautifully with my baked ham for Christmas! But I think we need a bit more of a break from it and I’ll save it for Easter dinner to go alongside a nice leg of lamb instead! 😉
I never stuff my stuffing into the bird anyways, and prefer to bake it in a casserole dish. So, it can easily be paired with any number of dishes!
And it stays super moist because not only do I add plenty of broth and a beaten egg, I also add applesauce in addition to a couple of Granny Smith apples!
Pecans, spicy sausage, bacon, celery and onions, dried fruits and mushrooms do their part, too, to all come together in perfect harmony to make the best stuffing you’ve ever had!
Any one of these ingredients can of course be omitted to suit your taste or accommodate any allergies, but if no one has any trouble with any of them, please try the “kitchen sink” combo just once! It’s quite a spectacular stuffing that’s sure to have something in it for everyone!
So, first, my apologies that you didn’t get to try this for Thanksgiving, but being a first-time blogger, it couldn’t be helped.
So just Pin it, stash it, print it, or save it for when you need it for the next occasion! And it’ll be right here for you next year! 😉
Have a great day all!! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, and hope that you have all of your holiday shopping done now! It sure is a chore, isn’t it?!
HOLIDAY APPLE SAUSAGE STUFFING with BACON, MUSHROOMS, PECANS & DRIED CRAISINS ‘n POMEGRANATES
At least 12 servings
1 lb. ground Italian sausage, mild, sweet or hot
1/2 lb. quality lean thick-cut bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
1 large onion, diced into 1/2″ pieces or to preference
2 large stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 (8 oz.) container fresh sliced mushrooms
1 Tbl. dried parsley, or a small palmful of fresh chopped if you have it
1 tsp. dried ground sage (*and be careful! it’s 1 tsp. not a Tbl.)
1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed between your fingers and thumb to release flavor
1-2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces (if apples are kind of small, use 2 — and one can be a red or golden delicious apple if you’d like)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup applesauce
1/2 – 1 cup chopped pecans, as desired
1/3 cup craisins
1/3 cup dried pomegranates
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1 extra-large beaten egg
1 (16 oz.) bag dry bread cubes, unseasoned or seasoned doesn’t seem to matter
1/2 stick more butter, optional, cut into small pieces (to dot top if desired)
DIRECTIONS:
In large deep frying pan, sauté first 9 ingredients until done, breaking up meat into small chunks, and adding apples last only sautéing for 2-3 minutes. Drain grease and melt in butter.
Fold in rest of ingredients until well combined except egg, bread cubes and cut-up butter.
Fold in beaten egg, then bread cubes. Don’t over mix the bread cubes. Just fold until they’re all moistened.
Place evenly into large, deep, sprayed baking dish. Dot top with pieces of butter if desired. Cover and refrigerate until needed or bake now.
If baking now, pop covered dish into preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. *If a crispy top is desired, remove lid during last 5-10 minutes.
*Or you can stuff into your turkey JUST BEFORE turkey is to be baked. DO NOT pre-stuff your turkey.