SAUSAGE AND APPLE DRESSING MUFFINS
Ingredients
16 c. Bread, cubed to about 3/4” (I use a variety of breads)
1 lb. Ground sage sausage, cooked
4 c. Chicken or vegetable stock
2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
1 medium Granny Smith apple, cubed*
1 medium Red Delicious apple, cubed*
1 large Celery rib, sliced
1 medium Sweet onion, chopped
1/2 tbsp. Granulated garlic (garlic powder)
+/- 1 c. Dried cranberries, brown or golden raisins, or a combo of the three
(1 c. Chopped nuts, any kind, toasted)
Directions
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Place cubed bread in a roasting pan, Dutch oven, or very large casserole.
• Place in the oven and toast for about 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.
• While the bread cubes are toasting, place the stock in a large pot, and heat over a medium flame.
• Add the celery, onion and garlic, and simmer until the celery is slightly tender and the onion is becoming translucent.
• Remove from heat, and add the apples, browned sausage and berries/raisins.
• Gently stir in the toasted bread cubes until just moistened. If using nuts, gently fold them in now.
• Allow to cool to room temperature, and fold in the beaten eggs. (If the bread mixture isn’t cooled, the eggs will cook into scrambled eggs and the batch is unsalvageable.)
• Spray muffin tins with cooking spray, and lightly pack each cup with the dressing.
• Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and crunchy.
This one was inspired by Rachael Ray, who calls these “stuffins.” I took the idea of individual servings of dressing (stuffing) and applied it to my favorite recipe inspired by my Dad many years ago. (He passed into glory November 1, 1999.) The best part may, in fact, be the crispy crust that forms outside of the tender, moist innards.
*Apples may be peeled, if desired. However, leaving the skins on imparts much more flavor, and looks festive for the holidays with their lovely red and green.
“HEY DAVIS…”
“Is it dressing or is it stuffing?” It’s both, but in actual fact, is dressing. If it is placed inside poultry or meat, it then is properly called stuffing.
I am reticent to stuff poultry for a number of reasons, not the least of which is it is easily tainted with salmonella. Also, to heat the stuffing in the cavity to the temperature where salmonella is killed generally produces an over-cooked bird. I don’t consider either scenario worth taking the risk.
Stuffed chops, beef roulades and so forth don’t present these issues, and I have absolutely no issues with such.
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