November 24, 2015
Ah, Thanksgiving. Minor decorating. No gift-giving. Just food, family, and football. That’s my kind of holiday.
It’s always been one of the year’s highlights for me. While growing up, we ate Thanksgiving lunch at my Grandma’s house. Always a feast! We would eat until we couldn’t hold another bite. Then, a few hours later, we managed to do just that as all of the desserts made their appearance. My grandma baked an array of pies. Chocolate, lemon, butterscotch, and pecan.
But the best dish she made for the meal was her dressing. If I could go back in time, I’d put myself in her kitchen and watch her make it. Moist and delicious. And the first scoop on my plate when it came time for seconds.
I’m including a recipe for dressing with a few surprise ingredients that break away from tradition. Enjoy alongside your turkey and family this Thanksgiving.
Sausage and Apple Dressing
9-10 cups bread, broken into small pieces
1 pound sage sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
¼ cup onion, diced
½ cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 ½ -3 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper
To a large bowl, add bread and cooked sausage. (This presents a great opportunity to use leftover rolls, buns, and end pieces of bread.)
In a skillet, cook onion and apple pieces. (Cook in a little butter or sausage grease.) Sautee for about 2 minutes over medium heat.
Add to bread and sausage mixture. Mix in egg and melted, cooled butter. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in about 2 cups of broth. Add more as needed. Mixture will need to be moist.
Spread into buttered 9×13 pan. Bake around 30 minutes on 350.
