Sausage Bacon Apple Stuffing

Name: Sausage Bacon Apple Stuffing
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 8-10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb bacon diced; 3 links Johnsonville Italian sausage (or your choice), casings removed; 1 large loaf Italian bread (16 cups toasted and cubed); 1 c diced onion; 4 - 5 stalks celery diced; 1 1/2 large apples, diced with peels on (I used Granny Smiths); 1/2 c dried cherries (or dried cranberries if you prefer); 2-3 c chicken broth (depending on how well you toasted the bread); 1/2 tsp sage, dried; 1 tsp poultry seasoning; 1/4 tsp celery seed; 1/2 tsp fennel seeds; 1 pinch red chili flakes; 1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt & pepper

By Didi Dalaba
@didicoffeegirl

We emigrated here when I was a little girl. Our first Thanksgiving was explained to us by an amazing American family. Aunt Fran showed my mom the spices, the bread cubes, etc. The next year my mom replicated and added a little of "her" in it. She made her own bread and then cubed it, toasted it in the oven (I've so taken a short cut on that)! She found the spices (with some help from Aunt Fran) the rest is history...

This stuffing is filled with memories! I remember sitting in the kitchen watching my parents make the meal and saying "America, such a good country and people"!

Enjoy!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

This sausage bacon apple stuffing recipe will be a full-flavored holiday side dish. It's filled with sausage, bacon, apples, dried cherries, sauteed onions, and an assortment of herbs and spices. This fluffy stuffing is super moist and almost a meal in itself. So good! The Test Kitchen

Rating:

★★★★★ 3 votes5

Comments:

38 Comments

Serves:

8-10

Prep:

1 Hr

Cook:

55 Min

Method:

Bake

Ingredients

1 lb

bacon diced
3

links Johnsonville Italian sausage (or your choice), casings removed
1 large

loaf Italian bread (16 cups toasted and cubed)
1 c

diced onion
4 - 5

stalks celery diced
1 1/2 large

apples, diced with peels on (I used Granny Smiths)
1/2 c

dried cherries (or dried cranberries if you prefer)
2-3 c

chicken broth (depending on how well you toasted the bread)
1/2 tsp

sage, dried
1 tsp

poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp

celery seed
1/2 tsp

fennel seeds
1 pinch

red chili flakes
1/4 - 1/2 tsp

salt & pepper
Add Ingredients to Grocery List

How to Make Sausage Bacon Apple Stuffing

Step-by-Step

Heat oven to 350F. Cut your loaf of bread in half and place on baking sheet to toast nicely golden.
As bread is toasting, in a skillet saute your bacon till crisp.
Remove to a paper-lined plate, and reserve your drippings.
Add your sausage to the same skillet and break apart. Cook until all pink has disappeared.
Remove to a plate and set aside.
Return the reserved bacon drippings to the skillet and add your diced onion.
Saute until onion is just starting to soften.
Bread should be toasted nicely. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, cube the bread and add the cubes into a large bowl.
Add your diced apples.
Add the rest of your ingredients including your spices, and mix well until all ingredients have been incorporated.
Add your chicken broth. Depending on your size bread, it could take either 2-3 cups.
Using a 13 x 9 pan spray with nonstick spray. Pour the stuffing mixture and spread evenly.
Bake at 350F for 45-55 covered. Uncover the last 20 minutes or so to crisp a little ontop.
You can serve from the pan, or place in a pretty bowl to bring to the table. Sit back, and get ready for compliments!!