Thanksgiving Italian Sausage & Cranberry Stuffing

"By Sur La Table cooking class"

I can’t believe it’s already September. I thought I’d share a recipe we learned from a cooking class we took. We took the cooking class at Sur La Table about holiday cooking. This amazing stuffing recipe is now our family tradition. It adds a little oomph to the same old turkey stuffing you have every year.

The Perfect Pairings:

To complement the robust flavors of this Stuffing dish, a thoughtful selection of wines elevates the meal into an experience.

• Pinot Noir: It’s light body and acidity, which is an excellent pairing for turkey, makes it versatile enough to handle the stuffings flavors. Oregon or Burgundy would be my choices

• Gamay: which is a medium bodied red, offers fruity and earthy notes that will compliment the sausage & cranberries

• Chardonnay: A full-bodied Chardonnay from Burgundy or Oregon complements the sausage and the sweetness of the cranberries.

• Sauvignon Blanc: The acidity of this wine work well with the savory elements of this dish

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter to grease pan

• 1 lb. crusty country white bread

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium garlic clove, peeled, minced

• 1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage

• 3 medium leeks washed, thinly sliced

• 2 granny smith apples diced 1/4 in

• 2 celery ribs diced 1/4 in

• 2/3 cup dried cranberries

• 1 tbsp minced rosemary

• 1 tbsp minced flat leaf parsley

• 3 large eggs beaten

• 1 cup Chicken Broth

Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, generously butter a 13” baking dish

2. Cut crust off the bread into ¾ inch cubes. Put into a large bowl and toss olive oil and garlic. Put evenly on baking sheet, put in oven until golden brown stirring occasionally about 15 minutes then put back in bowl.

3. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, add leeks, apples and celery about 8 minutes. Stir in cranberries, rosemary and parsley. Salt and Pepper to taste. Chill.

4. Using a silicone spatula, mix in eggs and broth thoroughly. Transfer to baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes

Closing Notes:

If you are tired of the same old same old, try this dish. It’s our new favorite and even the picky family members love it too. We love trying out the cooking classes at Sur La Table and this one didn’t disappoint.