NEW ENGLAND SAUSAGE, APPLE AND DRIED CRANBERRY STUFFING

NEW ENGLAND SAUSAGE, APPLE AND DRIED CRANBERRY STUFFING image

Yield 14 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

14 ounces white bread cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
1/4 cup butter
6 cups sliced leeks (about 3 large leeks)
1 pound tart green apples, peeled, cored, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
4 teaspoons poutry seasoning
1 cup dried cranberries (about 4 ounces)
4 teaspoons fresh rosemary
2/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide bread cubes between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. Saute sausages in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coasely with the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a large bowl. Pour off any drippings from skillet. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning to the skillet; saute until leeks soften, about 8 minutes. Mix in dried cranberries and rosemary. Add the mixture to the sausage, then mix in bread and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Up to this point it can be made 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. To bake in turkey: Mix the eggs into the stuffing. Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Add enough chicken broth to remaining stuffing to moisten. Spoon remaining stuffing into a buttered baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake stuffing alongside the turkey until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.