Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Yield: 15 large servings

Ingredients

• Cornbread
• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 24 oz. pork sausage
• 3 cups sweet onion (~1.5 large), chopped
• 6 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 large Fuji apples, chopped
• 1 tbsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 package (6 oz.) stuffing mix
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 eggs, stirred together

Directions

Note to self: Next time toss in some dried cranberries & 50% more sausage.

1. For the conbread, combine all ingredients and mix vigorously until well combined.
2. Pour into a greased & floured 9" cake pan.  Bake at 450°F for 25 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.
3. Cook the sausage in a large skillet.  Remove with a slotted spoon.
4. Sauté the onion and celery in the pork fat until tender, about 6 minutes.  Add the apples and cook for another 5 minutes.  Stir in the sage and thyme and cook for 1 more minute.  Remove from the heat.
5. In a mixing bowl, combine the boxed stuffing mix and chicken broth.  Stir in the sausage, the onion mixture, salt, and pepper.
6. Cut the cornbread into small cubes.  Fold into the mixture.
• I used about 85% of the cornbread.  It's your call how much you'd like to use.
7. Fold in the eggs.
8. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight.
9. If stuffing in a turkey, stuff into the cavity of a cleaned and patted dry turkey.  Tie closed and bake as usual.
• Your turkey won't be big enough for all the stuffing, so bake the rest as instructed in step #10 and then combine them at the end.
10. If baking as dressing, bake uncovered at 350°F for 60 - 75 minutes.

Adapted from Southern Living.