Here’s a great stuffing recipe, just in time for the holidays. I love the how the hot sausage and crisp, tart apples complement each other. The fresh sage adds a savory, slightly peppery flavor to the stuffing. If you can’t find fresh, substitute with 2 teaspoons of ground sage, or to taste.

I like to use cornbread stuffing mix for this recipe, but the herbed-seasoned mix works well, too.

Ingredients (Makes 6-8 servings)

• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups diced apples, peeled (I use Granny Smith)
• 1 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• Sea salt, to taste
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 lb. country sausage (I use Neese’s hot)
• 5-6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 package (14 oz.) cornbread stuffing mix (I use Pepperidge Farm®)
• 1½ cups warm chicken broth
• 1 large egg, beaten

Preparation

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion, apples, celery, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for a few minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

In the same skillet, brown the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain in a colander.

Add it and the fresh sage to the bowl with the veggies, mixing well. Stir in the bread crumbs, warm chicken broth and egg to the sausage and veggie mixture, until well blended.

You can now stuff your bird with this savory stuffing. This is great in Cornish hens, pictured here.

Or place the stuffing in a sprayed casserole dish and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or so. I do both!

I like my stuffing with turkey gravy, but this is great by itself!

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!

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