Go Stuff Yourself

So… I have much to be thankful for this month. One, a new job after five months of searching finally came my way (sigh of relief!). Two, it is sweater weather… and I’m not talking about “it’s foggy outside and I can trick my body into wearing a sweater” weather. I can actually see my breath in the morning. And the scarves… OH, the scarves! I have flung them out of my closet with flourish and have incorporated them into my daily wardrobe seamlessly. It’s as if the weather gods have tired of messing with me and are finally willing to toss me an appropriate weather bone.

Kyle’s halfway done with school, for the second year in a row we have secured our title as owners of the world’s cutest dog and I have wonderful friends, family and my health.

Does one really need a reason to have a seasonally satisfying and soul nourishing meal with the people they love most? Why shouldn't we chow down heartily to celebrate all that is right with the world?

I meant to post this recipe last week with an explanation about how much I used to hate stuffing. I was going to regale you with a description of my mom’s oyster version (sorry to throw you under the bus, Mom, but what kid likes shellfish next to their mashed potatoes and gravy?), as well as how the two of us came by this recipe from this school when we decided to take a mother/daughter cooking class three years ago. We left in agreement that while the instructor’s “Perfect Mashed Potatoes” were anything but, his stuffing was certainly a crowd pleaser and has made it onto our communal table every year since.

Truthfully, I hoped to make this an outstanding post because, for me, this IS one of the ultimate annual holidays and one of the reasons I am happy to be an American (obviously, not the managing to wipe out an entire race of people with sadistic methods and a European epidemic part). Unfortunately, I’m not infallible and I completely dropped the ball; I think the writing is banal and hastily put together at best. Apparently, when one has a lot to be thankful for, time has an easy and somewhat tricky way of getting away from said person. 

Although, would I have it any other way? I don’t think so.

Happy Thanksgiving (and happy eating),

Elizabeth

Three Bread Stuffing with Apples, Pecans and Sage Sausage

3 cups French or sourdough bread (no baguettes), cubed in one inch pieces

3 cups corn bread, cubed in one inch pieces

3 cups whole wheat bread, cubed in one inch pieces

1 pound sage sausage (Trader Joe’s makes one now!)

1 white or yellow onion, diced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

4 stalks of celery, halved and chopped

½ cup Italian flat parsley, freshly chopped

2 cups chicken broth

4 tablespoons (half a stick) of unsalted butter

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon crumbly, dried sage

3 large eggs, beaten

2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped

Grease a large Pyrex or metal pan with butter; set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine three different types of bread (or any combination thereof) in a large mixing bowl. In a large pan, cook sage sausage until there is no more pink visible. Pour on top of bread, add apples and pecans and set aside.

 In the same pan (no need to clean it… the flavor and little meat bits only add to the deliciousness of the stuffing), melt butter on medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add celery and stir for an additional 3-4 minutes. Once that’s done, add the dried oregano, thyme and sage, and chopped parsley; mix well with onions and celery. 

Pour this mixture on top of bread, apples, pecans and sausage. Slowly stir all ingredients in bowl together.

Once done, slowly pour 1 cup chicken broth on top of mixture. Stir well until incorporated, then slowly pour last cup of chicken broth. Pour beaten eggs on top and mix slowly, but well. You want to achieve a consistently moist, but not soggy, mixture.

Pour mixture into greased pan and cover with tinfoil. Put in 400-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove tinfoil after 25 minutes is up, and let bake for an additional 20 minutes. Serve immediately or keep warm until dinnertime.