Our Favorite Fried Rice

A few years ago I posted a recipe for Fried Rice Omelets. It was, and still is, one of our family faves.
Last week, when I visited my mom in Washington, she had a bowl of fried rice waiting for me. This is always the case when I take a trip home.
Every time she comes to visit, my kids ask her to make fried rice.
The best fried rice in our family is always at Grandma's house. When we can't have Grandma make it for us, we use her recipe to make our own.
Here are a few pics of our weekend together…

The second ship is the USS Kitty Hawk, which is the ship my dad was on when I was born.
Fun to see this resting at PSNS when we pulled in town.

Cute missionary studying.  I could see him from my mom's home every morning. Same place, same time. 

After days of rain, the sun makes an appearance!

These were one of my childhood favorites.
Mountain bars. Made in the PNW, by Brown & Haley.

A bit of outlet shopping. 

Hey Santa, We found Rudolph. He's in La Conner, WA

The beautiful little town of La Conner, WA

What's a trip to the PNW without a ferry ride. Or two. Or three...

Had to try a few Top Pot Hand Forged Doughnuts…
They supply Starbucks with treats. 1.3 million doughnuts. Per week.

Looking for the tulips at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Mt. Vernon, WA

Saw these crazy birds (geese?)  while looking for tulips. Have you ever seen that movie THE BIRDS?  Creepy.

Yellow tulips?

Daffodils. Not tulips, but still beautiful :)

Next time, we will have to plan the tulip trek in mid to late April. 

Enjoying a little bento and ramen with mom.

Mom's Fried Rice
ABK
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7  cups cooked sticky Japanese (pearl) rice, cooled completely (see tips below)
1/2 cup chopped onion (yellow or white)
1/2 lb chopped ham (about 1 1/2 cups or two thick deli slices)
2 cups cabbage, sliced thin
4 tablespoons butter, separated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt
pepper
soy sauce
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped white and green parts

Using a large non stick pan, cook each of the vegetables, separately*, in a small amount of oil and butter. I use about 1 teaspoon for each vegetable/meat. Salt and pepper each vegetable.

Transfer to a bowl or plate. It's OK to let the vegetables and meat inter-mingle at this point :)
After cooking all of the vegetables and meat, add about 2 tablespoons of butter to the Teflon pan. Over medium heat, add the cooked and cooled rice a little at a time, breaking apart clumps with two wooden spoons until the rice is evenly distributed in the pan, and the butter is mixed in well.
Add all of the vegetables and meat to the rice. Toss lightly in pan.  Season again with fresh ground pepper.
Add the soy sauce, a little at a time.  We don't like to drown the rice in soy sauce, so I only use about 2-3 tablespoons to 7 cups of rice. Taste, add salt and more pepper, if desired. After heated through, add fresh chopped green onions. Turn the heat off. If you continue to leave the heat on, your beautiful fried rice will end up as gummy rice.

Tips:
-Make sure the rice is cooked and cooled completely before starting to make fried rice. It is best to make the rice the day before. If you use hot rice when making fried rice, your dish will turn out to be a sticky, gluey mess.
-Make sure to use Japanese, or pearl rice, which is short and plump, not a long grain rice.
-*It is important to cook the vegetables separately. I used to cook them all at once and then add to the rice. My fried rice was never as good as my mom's. This is one of her tried and true methods.
-When "mixing" the rice and other ingredients together, do not stir this like it's a cake batter- toss the ingredients, like you would a salad. 

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Utah Fry Sauce

For a few weeks in February of 2002, Salt Lake City was the world's stage.  It was an exiting time, so many athletes, fans, and visitors from foreign countries. The media reported on everything from athletic events to two Utah phenomenon's:  green jello and fry sauce. Fun fact- two of the hottest Olympic pins traded at the 2002 games were the green jello pin, and the fry sauce pin.








As far as green jello goes, I'll tell you this, it's not making it's way into my kitchen. Ever.
Fry sauce... that's another story. One of my kids LOVES fry sauce. If there is any leftover when he's done dipping fries, he slurps up the remaining sauce. Not kidding. Ok, he hasn't done that for a few years, but he used to do it.
If you are familiar with fry sauce, you probably know it is served in almost every restaurant inside the Utah border where fries are served. What exactly is fry sauce?  Mostly, it's a mixture of mayo and ketchup, with various other ingredients added, depending on your liking. There are many stories about the origin of fry sauce.  Arctic Circle, a local Utah fast food chain, claims to be the first to serve it, way back in 1924.

Fry sauce is simple to make and promises to take your fries to an Olympic level!  Eh eh eh.
Couldn't help myself.
Happy dipping, friends.

Utah Fry Sauce
A Bountiful Kitchen
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Basic ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup (or a mixture of barbecue sauce or chili sauce)

Add in any of the following:
1-2 tablespoon dill pickle juice
or
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
or
onion powder about 1/2 teaspoon
additional add in may include:
a few drops of hot sauce, or a few dashes of cayenne pepper

The Arctic Circle recipe is rumored to be:
equal parts:
mayonnaise, ketchup, buttermilk


Whisk together mayo and ketchup in a small bowl. Mix in any of the optional ingredients.
Keep refrigerated up to one week.
Serve with home made fries or onion rings, or serve on hamburgers.


Baked Fries

potatoes, any type- Yukon, Red, Russet
olive oil
salt
fresh herbs, if desired

Pre heat oven to 450 degrees (convection setting, if available). Place rack on top third of oven.
Thoroughly wash potatoes. Pat dry. Cut into slices, depending on desired thickness of fries.
Place cut potatoes on jelly roll or other large baking sheet.
Spray pan lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking to pan, or use silicone liner, or parchment paper.
Layer potatoes in single layer on pan. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and top with fresh herbs, I like fresh thyme.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes depending on oven, or until fries are golden brown.

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Fresh Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce

What's your Thanksgiving dinner assignment?  For less experienced cooks, assignments usually include: drinks, fruit platter, veggie tray, corn or some other no-fail type item. If you're looking for a way to upset surprise your Mother-in-Law and bring something out of the ordinary, bring what she requested, then take along a nice little dish of cranberry-raspberry sauce. It's unbelievably simple and delicious.
Who knows, maybe next year, you'll be hosting!
Or single.


Fresh Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce
A Bountiful Kitchen
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2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup fresh raspberries or frozen, whole, without syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Place all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for about 5 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have burst and the mixture thickens a bit. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and scrape into a heat proof bowl. Let cool and serve immediately or store in fridge for up to one month.
Serves 8 as a side.
Easily doubled.

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Fried Corn, Sage and Bacon Stuffing

If you have a bacon lover coming to Thanksgiving dinner, you need to make this dish. They'll love the combo of fried bacon, corn, onions and sage. I'm not saying abandon your favorite traditional stuffing, just add this one to the list of dishes you are making.  BTW, Are you getting your list together, checking it twice?
Want to know how to enjoy Thanksgiving day and not totally go bonkers while preparing and serving the ultimate feast?
Two words.
I know what you're thinking.
"Go out"  See how well I know you??
The words are: PLAN AHEAD.
I'm totally into make-ahead for Thanksgiving. You can make and bake a day or two ahead and simply heat up just before serving dinner (see tips below for keeping dishes hot with a cooler or  box). Making stuffing ahead is always in my game plan.
Need some ideas for the big day? I'll be posting almost every day this week.  A crock pot dish, a new twist on Cranberry Sauce, a beautiful and simple salad and a step-by-step to a perfect pie.  If you want to see my favorites, you can also check out my Pinterest board: Thanksgiving, the most wonderful time of the year.
Get ready. Time to get your Thanksgiving on.

Fried Corn, Sage and Bacon Stuffing
A Bountiful Kitchen
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1/2 lb of bacon, chopped into one inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup corn, fresh, frozen or drained from a can
8-10 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
8-10 cups french bread cubes, dried, or boxed bread cubes for stuffing*
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1- 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided in half
additional olive oil for drizzling on top of stuffing

Fry bacon in a pan until crispy. Drain off grease and set bacon aside on a paper towel to drain. Wipe out pan with paper towel. Using same pan, heat to medium high and add olive oil, onion and corn. Fry until onion is soft and corn begins to turn a golden color, about 5 minutes.
Lower heat to medium.  Add chopped sage and garlic, cook for about 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
Place 8 cups of dried bread in large bowl. Add fried ingredients. Toss in melted butter, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, chicken broth and 1/2 cup of chopped parsley.
*If the stuffing is too wet (very sticky and bread seems soggy instead of moistened with liquid, add the additional two cups of bread cubes.
Place all ingredients into  9x13 or other baking pan. Drizzle with additional olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons). Cover with foil and bake on middle rack at 375 for about 30-40 minutes total or until warmed through and golden on top. Remove foil for last 15 minutes of baking.

Tips and how to make your own warming oven:
-If you would like to prepare this for make ahead, assemble, cover with foil and place in refrigerator. One hour before baking, remove and set on counter. Preheat oven to 375. Bake for about 40 minutes,  on middle rack in oven. If the dish is a bit dry, add about 1/2 cup of chicken broth by drizzling on top of casserole before baking. Re-seal foil and bake. Remove foil for last 15 minutes of baking.

-If you need to keep multiple dishes such as yams, stuffing, or mashed potatoes warm and you are short on oven space, or you want to transport dishes and keep them warm, make your own warming oven. You will need a regular cooler or a cardboard box.  Line the box or cooler with newspaper. If you are using a cooler, make sure to use a thick enough layer so when you place the hot dish inside of the cooler, it won't melt the plastic.  Cook the dish according to recipe. Remove from oven. Place a layer of foil on top of the dish. Seal edges.
Lay the pan flat in the bottom of a cooler, box or tub. Place a cookie sheet on top of the pan if you need to stack dishes. Try to lay newspaper in between as well, to make an insulted layer. Layer some more newspaper on top of the dish. I have sometimes loosely wrapped the dish in newspaper to add extra insulation if I am transporting and not serving the dish for a while.  Close the lid and don't peek. This will keep dishes hot for about 2-3 hours after baking. The key is to place the dish into the box immediately after removing from oven, and to refrain from opening the box after placing the dishes inside, until ready to serve. Make sure to secure the dishes if you are transporting (stuff the box with extra wadded up newspaper to make sure the dishes do not move around, and don't leave the box outside in the cold.

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Grandma's Corn Pudding

Corn. So ordinary.
How to dress it up for the holiday? Make it yours.
For years I've wanted to help the corn, make it feel a little less naked at Thanksgiving. But it's always an afterthought. Throw the corn into a pot and cook while we ask a blessing on the feast.
It always seems a little out of place to me. The plain yellow kernels sitting in the bowl, while every other dish was given so much care and preparation. This year I'm dispensing with the bowl and serving corn pudding. It's a little sweet. A little salty. A smooth bit of cream-corn goodness in a beautiful little circle on your plate. Yes, you can bake and serve it straight from the dish. I opted for cutting into circle shapes, which dressed it up a bit more.
And, you know, we all want the corn to feel dressed at the table.


Grandma's Corn Pudding
Adapted slightly from Allrecipes.com
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1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons cornstarch
5 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 cups frozen corn or 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn
2 (14.75 ounce) cans cream-style corn

1 teaspoon salt

garnish with chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
In a large bowl, whisk cornstarch into cold milk until smooth and no lumps appear.
Add eggs and beat until eggs are incorporated. Add melted butter and sugar, stir in corn, creamed corn and salt. Blend well. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 1 hour or until golden on top and set. Garnish as desired.

Serves 8-10

Tips:

-I baked in a 9x13 glass pan, then waited for the dish to cool a bit (about 10 minutes). After cooling a few minutes, I cut the pudding into circles using a biscuit cutter. I cut the circles as close together as possible to eliminate any waste. If you want, you can just serve it in the dish. Or bake it in ramekins or custard cups, greased and filled about 1-1 1/2 inch full. Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and check after about 40-45 minutes. 

-If using frozen corn, do not thaw before adding to dish.

-This dish may be made ahead and re-heated. 

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Bread Cubes for Stuffing

Hey there. You and I have been friends for a long time now. You know what to expect this time of year. Thanksgiving talk.
I'm going to start out the month with a post about making your own stuffing. Because I believe stuffing, not turkey, is the crown jewel of an amazing Thanksgiving feast. I purposely make huge batches so I can eat it for days after the celebration. If you are scratching your head and asking "what's wrong with instant stuffing out of a box?" We need to have the talk.
Yes, that talk.
Never, ever, use pre-made "just add water and serve" boxed stuffing.
Homemade. Your new mantra. Homemade. Homemade. Homemade.
Homemade= a new life.
Your new life starts with a simple task. Drying bread.
Every time you have extra bread sitting around the house and you know you aren't going to eat it all up before it gets stale, cube it and bake. Every time you have spare bread (Baguettes, French bread, Sandwich bread, rolls, Artisan bread) cut it up.
It's that simple.
Here are a couple of recipes I've posted in past years. The first is my mom's tried and true (for over 50 years) Apple and Sausage Stuffing. It's simple, delicious, and it's on our holiday table every year. If you are looking for a starter dressing, this is it.

The second recipe is a less traditional, but delicious Artisan Stuffing with big chunks of mushrooms, onions, Italian Sausage, cornbread, Artisan, French Bread and fresh herbs. It's fresh and fun and a nice addition to your traditional feast.

Today- instructions on how to prepare the bread for your home made stuffing. In a few days, I'll post a new stuffing recipe. If you have a favorite stuffing/dressing you'd like to share, post a link in the comments, we would all love to see what you're planning for the big day...

Bread Cubes for Stuffing
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Loaf of Artisan or French Bread or any other type of leftover bread or rolls
Olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Cube the bread, spread out onto a large cookie or baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle generously with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Bake in 250 degree oven until bread is lightly toasted and completely dried out.
About 1-1 1/2 hours, depending on density of bread and oven.
Cool completely, bag until ready to use.

Tips:
-Also delicious as croutons.
-Save the crumbs as well to use in dressing.
-You may also up the temp on the oven to 300 and bake for about 30-40 minutes.

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Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad

I originally posted this salad a couple of years ago. It is a perfect side with our Family Favorite Enchiladas or any type of barbecue dish.  Soon, fresh corn and tomatoes will disappear.
Forever.
Thought you needed a little drama in your life.

Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad

A Bountiful Kitchen

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6 ears corn or one small bag of frozen corn

3 large fresh tomatoes,  or 1-2 pints of grape or cherry tomatoes

1/2 large sweet onion or about 1 cup chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

two to three sprigs fresh oregano (optional)

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

coarse sea salt

fresh ground pepper

Boil corn in large pot of water for about 7 minutes. Drain and plunge corn into cool water. Cut corn off cob and set aside to cool completely. If using frozen corn, do not thaw. 

Chunk tomatoes and onion. Coarsely chop basil and strip the oregano off stems. Place cooled corn, chopped vegetable and herbs into large bowl. Toss with vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste. Serve chilled or room temperature

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Tomato, Cucumber and Cottage Cheese Salad

Don't you love it when you Pin something, and click on the photo, expecting to be taken to the link that will provide the recipe, then- nothing? Dud. A while back, I Pinned a photo of a salad that I thought looked perfect for late summer months. When I tried to see the link to the photo, it was a dead end. No recipe link. Oh well.
I looked at the photo again, and discovered this: You don't need to be Martha to figure this one out.
All you need are: tomato, cucumber, cottage cheese and about 5 minutes.
Best three ingredient salad.
Ever.

Tomato, Cucumber and Cottage Cheese Salad
A Bountiful Kitchen
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Tomatoes, any type about 2 cups
Cucumbers, about 1 large or 3-4 small
16 oz low fat cottage cheese, I prefer small curd
fresh ground pepper

Wash and cut the tomatoes. Wash the cucumbers and seed if desired. Slice the cucumbers into small pieces or if using large cukes, slice long way, into fourths, so you have four long slices, then seed. Cut the cucumber into chunks. I like to leave the skin on for color.
Using a medium size bowl, preferably clear, layer the tomatoes, cucumber and cottage cheese, as you would if making a yogurt parfait. Place in fridge until ready to serve.
Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Tips:
-This salad can be made year 'round, but is best in the summer months when garden cucumbers and tomatoes are available. That said, it is also best made with tomatoes that are NOT juicy. I like to make it  with cherry or grape tomatoes (simple to slice them in half, or leave them whole in the salad) so there is not an issue with the tomatoes giving off too much water and making the salad runny.

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Cooler Corn for 350

How do you cook corn on the cob for 350?

Here's the recipe/method we used at Girl's Camp last month. 

Best way to cook corn for a crowd. Ever. 

Cooler Corn (for 350)

A Bountiful Kitchen

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175 ears of corn, husked and broken in half to yield 350 pieces

boiling water

coolers (we used two 165 Quart coolers they were about 1/2 full of corn, you may use smaller coolers)

About 2 1/2 to 3 hours before serving, start boiling water. We boiled about 40-50 quarts of water per cooler. 

Split the cobs evenly between coolers. 

Pour boiling water into coolers with corn. 

Close lid and don't open for at least 30 minutes, or until time to serve. 

Tips:

-Corn takes about 30 minutes to cook.  Will stay warm in cooler for up to three hours, unless the lid is opened :) 

-Don't worry, the corn will not over cook. 

-We assigned a couple of people to sit on chairs and serve the corn with tongs. We had the servers open the small "door" on the lid of the cooler instead of the large lid; this allowed the water to stay warm until everyone was served. Place a bowl of melted butter with brushes on a table for those who want butter. 

-You may use any amount of corn, follow directions above. Don't fill the cooler more than 3/4 with corn to allow for an adequate amount of hot water to cook the corn. 

-We used most of the corn we cooked, the extra cobs were cut up and used in a Southwest Salad the next evening.

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Warm Caramelized Pear and Asparagus Salad

Brookie called me a couple of weeks ago and told me she made the most wonderful salad for dinner. I knew the boys would not be thrilled about a spinach, warm pear and asparagus salad, so I threw it together one night when it was just me and the doggie at home. Since Jack is not generally interested in greens, I was able to have the entire salad to myself.
Oh my goodness.
So simple. So delicious. Sweet, savory. You know how I feel about that combo.
Incredible.
You have to try this.

Warm Caramelized Pear and Asparagus Salad
adapted from Season with Spice
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2 Bosc pears – cored and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
1 lb of asparagus,  tough ends snapped off
A handful of pecans or walnuts
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh spinach
Crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese, optional

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette and set aside.
In a large skillet or frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add pear wedges and cook for a minute over medium heat (turn wedges over once). Using tongs, move the pears to one side of pan. Add asparagus to pan and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add nuts and cook for another minute until the asparagus is just tender and pear is softened and browned on the edges. Remove from heat and place on top of spinach on serving platter or individual salad plates. If you would like the nuts to be sweetened, sprinkle a little sugar on top of the walnuts or pecans.
Crumble cheese on top if using. Drizzle a small amount of dressing on top of each salad.

Serve warm.
Serves about 4-6

Tips:
-Prepare all of the ingredients before starting to cook. This recipe comes together quickly and it is best to have everything ready so the salad may be served warm.
- Depending on the firmness of the pears and asparagus, cooking time may vary. You may need to turn the heat up a bit to medium-high heat to get the pear to caramelize.
-I left the cheese off and loved this salad. I think goat cheese would be best and add a little creamy tang to the salad.
-Adding sugar to the nuts is optional- I added about a teaspoon at the end of cooking.
-This salad took me less than 15 minutes to make.
-This salad is best served warm, but is also good served at room temperature.

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Spinach and Artichoke Bread Pudding

Winter.

We're in the dead of it. You know it's cold when people are getting excited about a 35 degree day! Today we had an ice storm. That brought back memories of the good old days when we lived in Oregon.
Cold weather=cooking.
This is a dish I make almost every year at holiday time. Mostly at Christmas, sometimes at Thanksgiving. My friend Tinker brought this to a Recipe Club dinner we had years ago. I fell in love with it then and have been making it since.  I love it with Brie, but it's less rich without and just as good. If you love artichokes but someone in your family is a hater, leave them out and add another sautéed fresh vegetable. It's one of those recipes. Make it your own. Perfect side dish for almost anything: fish, chicken, pork, beef or a veggie meal.
Oh, PS. I'm moving in a week. Down the street.
Wish me luck.

Spinach Artichoke Bread Pudding

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, Food Network
this recipe yields 2-9x13 pans of bread pudding, easily halved

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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 pounds spinach, washed (3 cups cooked and roughly chopped) or 2 boxes of frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and all water pressed out
2 cups chopped yellow onions (I like sweet onions like Vidalia, Walla Wallas, etc)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or fresh basil, thyme, oregano and sage chopped 1-2 tablespoon each
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 (8 1/2-ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained, roughly chopped
6 large eggs
1 cup cream

2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 to 14 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old French Bread (about 1 loaf)
1 pound Brie, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, optional
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2- 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Place spinach in a large pan with about 1 cup water, boil until wilted. Rinse with cold water, squeeze water out of spinach. Chop. Set aside. Or use frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the drained artichokes and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Combine the eggs, cream, half and half, milk and lemon juice in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the bread, spinach, artichoke mixture, brie (if using), 1/4 cup Parmesan, and parsley and stir gently to combine.

Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until firm in the center and golden brown, about 30 more minutes.  Serve warm.

Tips:
-This dish may be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. Remove from oven about 2 hours before serving. Let sit on counter for one hour to bring to room temperature, then bake as directed.

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Artisan Cornbread Stuffing with Apples and Italian Sausage

Last year I attended a class where Laura Muir, blog author of Fresh Cooking Happy People, taught us how to incorporate more fresh veggies and fruits into our holiday cooking. Everyone in the class loved this recipe for Artisan Stuffing. If you are looking for a side dish this Thanksgiving that is geared more to the grown up crowd, this is your dish. It's loaded with fresh mushrooms, onions, Italian sausage, apple chunks, fresh herbs and my favorite, golden raisins. This dish is a bit spicy, savory, sweet, filled with three different types of bread and lots of fresh herbs.
Less than a  week to go, people.


Here's a little step by step for you, 'cause I know you love the visual guide...

Make the cornbread, cut into cubes a day or two before, let sit on counter or in oven till dried. 

Dry the other types of bread as well. Was that heavy sighing? This is the simple part. 

Your family is worth it. Your family is worth it. Your family is worth it. 

.

The mushrooms, wash, dry and cut them up. Not too small, you want to taste the big chunks. Remember, this is grown up stuffing :) 

After roasting. Don't leave this step out. You may want to roast a few extra. 

For, uh, testing purposes. 

The Italian Sausage. See the colorful bits in the sausage? This is what gives the stuffing a little kick.

Fresh apples and onions roasted together. Who needs turkey?

Ready to toss and place in the pan...

Your cousins on the Mayflower loved this dish. 

Serious. 

Artisan and Cornbread Stuffing with Apples and Italian Sausage
adapted from Fresh Cooking Happy People
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16 oz Cremini or any type of fresh mushroom, washed and cut in half or quartered if large
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups day old cornbread or one regular size Jiffy Cornbread mix, cooked according to package directions, cooled and cut into 1 " cubes
2 cups french bread or rolls cubed into 2 inch pieces
2 cups Artisan bread cubed in to 2 inch pieces
1/4 to 1/2 pound Italian Sausage
1 cup or one medium large diced onion
2 large golden delicious apples, skin on, cored, chopped into 1" cubes
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar or 1/2 cup white (cooking or regular) wine
4 or 5  springs fresh thyme
4 teaspoons fresh rosemary
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped coarse
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (dried ground)
1 cup golden raisins
16 oz chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste


Prepare one or two days ahead:
Cube all three breads and let sit in single layer on cookie sheets several hours or overnight. Baking in a 250 oven for 1 hour works well. Let sit on counter overnight.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place rack on top third of oven.
Place mushrooms on a lined or lightly greased cookie sheet and drizzle with oil and salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Set aside.
Cook sausage, remove from pan. Cook onions and apples in pan without wiping out grease. Apple and onion should cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly softened.  Add brown sugar and let cook for about 3-5 minutes on medium high until deep golden color.
Decrease heat to medium and add cider vinegar or wine. You may add remaining herbs at this time, or leave them out until final tossing of ingredients before baking. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Toss lightly add golden raisins and add chicken broth until liquid is absorbed.  Add salt and pepper to taste. You may not use all of the broth, just toss until dressing has absorbed enough of the liquid to make a moist, but not sticky, wet stuffing. Some of the liquid will cook out during baking.
Place ingredients in lightly greased casserole or 9x13 pan. Cover with foil.
Bake covered at 375 for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs.
Serves about 12-15 as a side dish.

Tips:
-This is a great make ahead dish. You can prepare this dish ahead and refrigerate up to two days in advance. Let sit on counter for about one hour before baking. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. or until heated through and golden brown on top.
-You may use a cornbread mix or your own home made variety. Stay away from sweet brands and recipes, or the flavor of the dish will change.
-This dish is easily doubled to make 2-9x13 pans.

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