When I was a kid and had Thanksgiving supper at my Grandmothers house, I would hang out in the kitchen to enjoy the aromas and to be her taste tester. The best thing she made in my mind was her Chestnut Sausage Stuffing, it was to die for. By the time supper came around I wasn't about to eat anything but turkey as I was so stuffed from taste testing. You know I still do this to this day when I cook Thanksgiving supper for my family. Here is my GM stuffing recipe and I hope you enjoy it as much as we have over the years.
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 pounds chestnuts, shelled and chopped
2 12-ounce packages Jimmy Dean brand hot sausage meat*
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 loaves dried, sliced bread**
3-4 cups chicken broth
*Substitute your favorite, uncooked hot sausage meat if this is unavailable in your local supermarket. Do not use link sausages.
** **Arrange slices of bread on a baking sheet and place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until dried on one side. Turn and repeat the process.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°
Remove the crusts from the bread and cut the slices in to bite-sized pieces.
NOTE: Place the crusts in your food processor and make fresh bread crumbs for another recipe. Freeze the crumbs in a seal-able plastic bag.
Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet and add the onions. Cook until soft, but not browned. Add the celery and cook until soft.
Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and saute the chestnuts for one minute.
Place the onions, celery, and chestnuts in a large, spacious mixing bowl.
Add the sausage, sage, cumin, thyme, salt, and pepper and mix well.
Add the bread and mix until combined.
Pour half of the broth over the bread mixture and use your clean hands to combine all the ingredients. Continue adding broth until the stuffing is moist but not wet.
Place the stuffing in a 3-quart, 9x13x2-inch ovenproof baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes to crisp the top.
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus 60 minutes baking time.
