Sourdough Stuffing

Ya ya, this picture is not the greatest - it's from Thanksgiving 2005 if you want the tragic details.  I'll have to take some better ones this year.  And while I was looking for a picture of my stuffing to post, I realized I have absolutely no Thanksgiving pictures from 2007.  That is the real tragedy!  Very hard to believe too since we're such the picture taking family.

Anyway, here is my stuffing recipe.  It is TAAASTY!  And if you don't like sausage...me either!  But I LOVE it in this recipe.  I've never met a person that didn't like my stuffing, so don't be the first.  This recipe makes enough to stuff your turkey, plus fill an oversized casserole dish.

Ingredients:

1 loaf sourdough bread, cubed & dried or toasted in the oven

1 8x8 pan of cornbread, cubed & dried or toasted in the oven

1 box of Mrs. Cubbison's Seasoned Dressing

1/2 bunch celery, chopped

1 large onion, small diced

1 lb. sage sausage, pick a good one, no cheapies (a bad sausage can ruin your stuffing)

2-3 apples, peeled & diced (optional)

1 cup Craisins (optional)

2 cubes butter

2 cans chicken broth

1 tsp. dried sage

Directions:

I often make my cornbread a day or two before Thanksgiving and allow it to harden, but you can also use the oven toasted method.  The best sourdough I've used is a round loaf made by the Coeur d'Alene French Baking Co., but you can get it at Walmart - it's usually on the bottom or top shelf.  The two things that make this recipe great are the sourdough bread and the sage sausage, so don't use alternatives!

Place the cubed & dried sourdough, cornbread, Mrs. Cubbison's boxed stuffing mix & Craisins into a large mixing bowl - or two if need be. 

Cook sausage & extra sage seasoning in a large skillet over medium high heat until heated through.  Remove sausage from the pan and allow to drain on paper towels.  Add butter to the pan, followed by the onions, celery & apples.  Allow to cook for a few minutes or until slightly tender, but not mushy.   Stir cooked produce & sausage into the bread mixture.  Add chicken broth until moistened and stir again to distribute.  You may need more or less broth depending on how much bread you've used.  (You want the bread to be soft and a little wet, but not soggy or mushy.)  Now you're ready to stuff your turkey!

Place leftover stuffing into a casserole dish and bake covered @ 350 for 30 minutes.  Remove covering and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crisp on top.

Note: You can prepare this the night before.  Just refrigerate the sausage/produce mixture and add to the bread & broth in the morning prior to stuffing your turkey.