apple sausage dressing.

I'm exhausted.  Are you exhausted?  That said, here's my recipe for Pretty Mommy's Holiday Recipe Exchange. (Make sure to check out Michelle's Cranberry Bread and Torrie's recipe for Turkey Gumbo.  Hope you saved the carcass!)

Allison's Apple Sausage Dressing (serves 8-10)

1/4 cup of unsalted butter 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped fennel (about 1 large bulb)

2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

1 1/2 pounds hot Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh sage finely chopped

8 cups day old *bread, cubed (see cook's note #1 please)

1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste 

1 cup chicken stock

Melt butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Saute onion, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add celery and fennel and saute until tender about 10 minutes.  Remove form heat; add apple, sausage, sage, bread, and salt.  Season to taste with pepper and mix well.  Add the chicken stock, a little at a time, to moisten until the mixture just holds together. (You might not use all of the stock.)

Place dressing in a large covered baking dish and bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes.  Take the cover off the last few minutes so the top gets brown and crusty.

Cook's Notes

1.  I use *cornbread in this recipe.  But you can also use a large loaf of day old sourdough bread, which is delish too.  Actually, any old bread will do!  I know there can be some (household) controversy over bread vs. cornbread stuffing.  In fact,  we got to my parents' last night and I discovered that my mom had made a second non-cornbread dressing!  Oh, and and I should mention that there were only SEVEN of us, two of which were the girlies, and you know whose stuffing they ate!  (REALLY mom????!!!!!)  

2. I use a combination of sweet Italian and spicy Italian sausage so that the girlies can and will eat it.

2.  Don't save this recipe for the holidays!  It's yummy and SO easy.  Half it up and make it for dinner whenever.

3.  Leave the bread out and you've got a wonderful saute to serve with eggs served any way.  

4.  I host Christmas morning and plan on trying the saute mixture (minus the apples and bread) in a frittata.  

Hope everyone enjoyed her Thanksgiving!  We are getting our tree today.  : )