Create a new holiday tradition
with this cornbread based dressing. Serve at your family's holiday
feast.
Sausage,
Fruit & Nut Dressing
- 1 cup dried apples
12 ounces pork breakfast sausage
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
8 cups crumbled Herbed Cornbread (recipe follows)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2/3 cup chicken broth
- Cover dried apples with
warm water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain well and chop.
- In a large skillet, crumble
sausage and saute with onion and celery until sausage is cooked
through and vegetables are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Place dried cornbread
in a very large mixing bowl, add the apples, sausage and sauteed
vegetables, the pecans, apricots, the 1/2 cup chicken broth,
herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and place dressing
in a large shallow casserole and bake for 15 minutes in a 375
degrees F. oven; spoon additional 2/3 cup chicken broth over
top and bake for 10 minutes more.
If making dressing ahead, proceed with recipe through mixing
of all ingredients, place in casserole, cover and refrigerate
overnight. Increase initial baking time to 30 minutes.
Serves 8 to 10.
Herbed Cornbread: In a medium bowl, stir together
1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder,
1/2 teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons sugar. In small bowl, beat
two eggs and stir in 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 cup milk,
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon crumbled dried
sage. Stir wet ingredients into dry; stir just to mix and turn
batter into greased 8x8-inch baking pan. Bake in a 400 degree
F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool,
crumble coarsely and let stand overnight, covered loosely, to
dry. Makes 8 cups.
Recipe provided courtesy
of Pork, The Other White Meat.
