Name: Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1 pound garlic-and-herb pork or chicken sausage (or sweet Italian), casings removed; 1 medium red onion, chopped; 4 stalks celery, chopped; 3 medium carrots, chopped; 2 medium apples, chopped (I used Braeburn, but any sweet-tart cooking apple will do); 5 or 6 leaves fresh sage, chopped; 4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped; salt and pepper, to taste; 14 ounces plain croutons (or crusty day-old bread, torn into small pieces); 2 cups low-sodium chicken, vegetable or turkey stock; salt and pepper, to taste; optional toppings: dried cranberries, chopped walnuts or pecans

Scale

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound garlic-and-herb pork or chicken sausage (or sweet Italian), casings removed
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium apples, chopped (I used Braeburn, but any sweet-tart cooking apple will do)
5 or 6 leaves fresh sage, chopped
4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
14 ounces plain croutons (or crusty day-old bread, torn into small pieces)
2 cups low-sodium chicken, vegetable or turkey stock
salt and pepper, to taste
optional toppings: dried cranberries, chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 13-x-9 baking dish.
Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet. Brown the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break it into crumbles. Set aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low, then add the onions and saute until they have softened and are beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the celery and carrots, then saute for an additional 5 minutes. Add the apples, herbs, salt and pepper, and saute for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, toss together the croutons, skillet mixture and sausage crumbles (you may have to do this in batches). Spread the mixture in an even layer in the buttered baking dish.
Pour the stock over the stuffing, then let the stuffing mixture sit for 15 minutes so that the liquid has absorbed a bit. Top with dried cranberries or nuts, if desired.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top has browned and the stuffing is no longer wet. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Make ahead: This recipe is actually better if the stuffing is baked a day or two in advance. Cover with foil and refrigerate until an hour or two before you plan to eat. To reheat, bake for 30 minutes at 350F, pouring a half-cup of stock over the stuffing before it bakes so that it doesn’t dry out. If you go this route, add your dried cranberries or chopped nuts before reheating (not before the original bake) so that they don’t burn.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 12