Sage Sausage, Apple, and Walnut Stuffing

Give Thanks with Good Food.

This is the best stuffing for Thanksgiving! The sausage, apple, and walnut ingredients go well with most winter meals; I love it along with a pan of roasted beets, onion, and carrots. Saute a bunch of kale and you have an amazing winter meal.

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Sage Sausage, Apple, and Walnut Stuffing

This stuffing recipe is a big hit! It combines my favorite winter flavors of sage, country sausage, and apples. 

-recipe adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Bluebird Farm country sausage
• 2 cups bread crumbs or cubes
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping
• 2 tablespoons rubbed sage
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (Rome, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious)
• 1 -2 stalk celery & leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium canned)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted (See Note)
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.      Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl with the sage, black pepper, and paprika and set aside. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

3.      Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up into quarter sized pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its interior pink color, but not so much that it's dry, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes.

4.      Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about 5 minutes. Add  broth and parsley and bring to a simmer.

5.      Pour the vegetable and broth mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the toasted walnuts and eggs. Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes.

6.      Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Serve immediately or keep warm in oven.

 Tips: Put the dressing in the oven during the last hour of cooking the turkey

 Note: To toast nuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree F oven until golden, about 7 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving!
~William Lyons and Marie Williamson