Ingredients:
- 1 9 x 13 inch pan of cornbread, made a day ahead and cut into 1-inch cubes. (May use 2 packages of Appalachian Trail Cornbread Mix or other recipe with good quality cornmeal.)
- 2 tablespoons each, butter and oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 4 cups chopped celery with leaves
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, bulk or if in links, pushed out of casings and crumbled
- 2 tart red apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 rounded teaspoon each: salt, dried thyme, dried sage
- Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup tawny port or calvados (apple brandy)
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 3 cups chicken broth (or homemade turkey or chicken stock)
Cornbread Sausage Stuffing Recipe Directions:
- Heat butter and oil in 6 quart pot.
- Saute the celery and onions over low heat until softened, but not browned, 10 minutes. Set aside in separate bowl.
- In same pot on stove, mash and break up sausage with metal spatula until crumbled and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add apples to sausage, saute 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cubed cornbread, celery and onion.
- Sprinkle in herbs, salt and pepper.
- Toss lightly and add tawny port, melted butter and stock, mixing entire contents.
Stuffing is more than enough for a 20 pound turkey. Put remainder of stuffing in covered oven proof pan and bake for 45 minutes.