apple sausage stuffing with bacon, mushrooms & pecans

Ingredients

• 1 lb. - bulk ground sausage, jimmy dean is fine, regular or hot
• 1/2 lb. - lean thick bacon, cut into 1
• 1 - large onion, diced
• 2-3 - stalks celery, sliced
• 1 (8 oz.) - container fresh sliced mushrooms
• 2 - apples, cored and diced (unpeeled), such as granny smith and red or golden delicious
• 1 Tbl. - dried parsley flakes, or a small palmful of fresh if you have it
• 1 tsp. - dried ground sage, (*be careful, 1 teaspoon not a tablespoon)
• 1 tsp. - dried thyme, crush between thumb and fingers when adding
• 1/4 cup - butter, melted, (half a stick)
• 1 1/2-2 - cups chicken broth, 2 for more moist stuffing
• 3/4 cup - applesauce
• 1/2-1 cup - chopped pecans, as desired
• 1/2 tsp. - salt
• 1 tsp. - pepper
• 1 (16 oz.) - bag dried unseasoned breadcubes(or your own), *if seasoned add less sage