Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Ingredients

Salt

to taste

Black pepper

to taste

Dried sage

1 tablespoon

Chicken broth

2 cups

Unsalted butter

4 tablespoons

Apple (preferably Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)

1, peeled, cored, and diced

Celery

2 stalks, diced

Onion

1 medium, diced

Sausage (pork or turkey)

1 pound, casings removed

Bread cubes (preferably day-old or crusty bread)

8 cups

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a large baking dish (about 3-quart capacity).
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.
3. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and apple. Sauté until the vegetables are soft and the apple is slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread cubes, cooked sausage, sautéed vegetable and apple mixture, chicken broth, dried sage, salt, and pepper. Mix until the bread is evenly moistened.
5. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden and crispy.