When I first started cooking Thanksgiving for the family, well over 20 years ago (gasp!), stuffing wasn’t my favorite. I loved the flavors of sausage and celery, but still. not my fav. So, it stands to reason, that stuffing was the last recipe I worked on perfecting. I was quite content using mrs. cubbison’s boxed product, and fancying it up a bit adding celery, onions, and apples to it. But as I do with most dishes, I grew bored. And out of that boredom arose this stuffing of all stuffing recipe.

Chock full of fruits and vegetables, seasoned with sage and sausage, it’s a flavor explosion.

Ingredients:

sagey-garlicy croutons

16 oz traditional pork sausage (i.e. not italian seasoning)

2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups yellow onion, chopped

2 cups granny smith apples, chopped

2 cups butternut squash, chopped

1 package dried cranberries

1/2 cup white wine

4-6 cups chicken stock, depending on how moist you like your stuffing

I cup butter, melted

1 bunch of sage, sliced

couple pinches of salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place croutons in a large bowl. In a large pan sauté sausage over medium-high heat until slightly brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage from pan and add to croutons.

Sauté wine, celery, onions, apples, and butternut squash in rendered sausage fat, until just tender and onions are translucent. Add to large bowl. Add butter, sage, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and use hands to mix everything together. Add in chicken stock a few cups at time to get your desired texture. Pour mixture into a baking dish or two. Cover with tin foil.

Cook for 30 minutes on the middle shelf. Remove tin foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, making sure to check and make sure the top doesn’t burn.

A couple of notes:

1) As my typical thanksgiving gatherings are usually 9-15 people, this does make a lot of stuffing. You could easily halve the recipe for a smaller gathering - or freeze an extra portion for later - or snack on lots of leftovers.

2) I make a vegetarian version each year for my aunt excluding the sausage, and substituting vegetable stock. It’s just as good. To go one step further and make it vegan, either omit the butter or add in a vegan substitute.