Apple, Sausage and Herb Stuffing

If I had to pick only one food item to eat for Thanksgiving dinner, it would be the stuffing. Did you know stuffing and dressing are the same thing? Traditionally, stuffing was placed inside of the bird, dressing, cooked outside in a dish. Also, depending on where you come from, and what era you were raised, you either call it dressing or stuffing. Or stuffin. 
I was appalled when I first heard people say they "made" STOVE TOP stuffing for Thanksgiving. THAT, my friends, is a crime. Seriously. All you have to do is brown sausage, chop some veggies, throw in some bread, broth and butter and mix it all together? Repeat after me. This is easy. This is easy. This is my mom's recipe for stuffing. 
Thanks Mom! I love you.

Mom's Apple, Sausage and Herb Stuffing

Print Recipe

½ lb. sausage (Jimmy Dean Regular)

½ lb. lean ground beef (mom uses ground beef, I use all sausage)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 ½ cubes (3/4 cup) butter, melted

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

½ large sweet apple, peeled, chopped

2-3 cans chicken broth, MSG free

8 cups dried bread cubes, or 1 ½ bags cubed stuffing

½ bag herb seasoned stuffing (crumbly) Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing (optional) or make your own crumbly stuffing from bread crumbs

sage, garlic salt, poultry seasoning

salt and fresh ground pepper

Cook meat, drain fat. Add celery and onion. Cook until soft. Season to taste. In a large bowl or container, add dry bread crumbs and cubes. Pour melted butter over bread and vegetable mixture. Add chopped apples. Pour on chicken broth, about a cup at a time until moistened, but not soggy. Mix well. Stuff turkey loosely, place any leftover stuffing into a greased baking pan, cover with foil. Bake any stuffing outside of the turkey at 350 for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. When finished baking, if stuffing seems dry, add a little more chicken broth. Taste, and add seasonings again if needed.

Notes:

**I buy Artisan bread or white bread, thick slice. Cube and set it out to dry. Or dry in the oven a week or more before Thanksgiving. A couple of loaves are plenty. Just spread on cookie sheets (un-greased) for about 1-1 1/2 hours on 250-300 degrees. Let cool, bag, and save until the big day.You may also add some olive oil and salt and pepper for flavor before baking.

**I like all sausage instead of the ground beef and sausage combo.

**Add broth just until the bread is moistened and barely clinging to other pieces when shaped with hands.

**My mom adds one well beaten egg to the mixture before stuffing the turkey or baking.

**I generously season the stuffing. Especially with sage. Fresh is best, but dried will work.

**I usually double this recipe for a group of 25.

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