Ingredients you’ll need:
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup butter
1 lb breakfast sausage, cooked & crumbled
8 cup cubed sourdough bread
8 cup cubed cornbread
1 [10 3/4 oz] can cream of chicken soup
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage [or 1 tsp ground sage]
1 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped [optional]
2 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 [14.5 oz] cans chicken broth
2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and cut into chunks
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a 9 x 13 inch or 5 quart baking dish with cooking spray. In a stove top pan, saute the onions and celery in 1/2 cup butter until translucent. Season with salt and pepper to taste then set aside.
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Cube the sourdough bread and corn bread and place into a large mixing bowl. [Tip: leave on the counter overnight to dry out.] The next morning, they’re ready to soak in all the goodness from the chicken broth and soup. Chop the parsley and sage. It’s a bit difficult for me to give you the exact measurement on the fresh sage, but around a 1/4 cup chopped. Add to the mixing bowl along with the soup, beaten eggs, cooked onions and celery, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. The soup is a trick my Mom showed me, and it not only adds flavor, but, it gives the dressing a luscious, creamy texture.
Next, begin to add the chicken stock to the ingredients in the bowl. Using a large spoon or spatula, fold the chicken stock through the mixture. If you use less cornbread and bread than I did, you may not need the entire 3 cans of stock. However, you will use at least 2-2 1/2 cans. The dressing mixture should be very moist.
This is the point you add the cooked sausage and apple chunks. It’s up to you….
I’m definitely adding it! Stir thoroughly.
Pour the dressing evenly into the prepared baking dish. I used a 5 quart round dish, but the dressing will easily fit into a 9 x 13 inch dish.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden. Yield: 14-16 servings
Cook’s note:
If you bake your dressing in a deep dish as I did, the baking time will be closer to one hour. The top will be crunchy and golden and the inside moist and delicious.
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ½ cup butter
- 1 lb breakfast sausage, cooked & crumbled
- 8 cup cubed sourdough bread
- 8 cup cubed cornbread
- 1 [10¾ oz] can cream of chicken soup
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage [or 1 tsp ground sage]
- 1 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped [optional]
- 2 Tbsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 [14.5 oz] cans chicken broth
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and cut into chunks
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a 9 x 13 inch or 5 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a stove top pan, saute the onions and celery in ½ cup butter until translucent. Season with salt and pepper to taste then set aside.
- Cube the sourdough bread and corn bread and place into a large mixing bowl.
- Chop the parsley and sage add to the mixing bowl.
- Add the soup, beaten eggs, cooked onions and celery, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Begin to add the chicken stock to the ingredients in the bowl. Using a large spoon or spatula, fold the chicken stock through the mixture. If you use less cornbread and bread than I did, you may not need the entire 3 cans of stock. However, you will use at least 2-2½ cans. The dressing mixture should be very moist.
- This is the point you add the cooked sausage and apple chunks. Stir thoroughly.
- Pour the dressing evenly into the prepared baking dish. I used a 5 quart round dish, but the dressing will easily fit into a 9 x 13 inch dish.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden.
Can you use ground sage? If so, how much?
You could use ground sage, also referred to as rubbed sage but be cautious because it has a very strong flavor. I would recommend adding it 1 teaspoon at a time and adjust to your taste. As a rule of thumb dried herbs, such as dried sage leaves, are twice as potent as fresh. Whichever form you use, add slowly and taste [preferrably prior to adding the raw egg] and season to your specific taste. I hope this helps!