A few years back, I developed a recipe for Sausage and Apple Stuffing with Walnuts. I wanted something different besides the same old herb stuffing. We've served it every Thanksgiving since, and everybody loves it. I'll share it with you. I usually start to prepare it well after I've put the turkey in the oven, because I like to use turkey drippings in the mixture.

1 lb bulk spicy pork breakfast sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Hot)
1 1/2 cups celery, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup shallots, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 tablespoons butter plus 6 tablespoons melted
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
2 cups cooking apples, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces (Granny Smith works well)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, minced, or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, preferably crushed
1/4 cup fresh sage, minced, or 1 tablespoon dried sage, preferably rubbed but ground will do
6 cups dried bread cubes. (I cut the crust off all sides of several bread slices, cube the bread, then spread cubes evenly on a baking sheet and shove it in a 350 degree oven just until slightly golden and crunchy.) Store-bought stuffing mix can be substituted.
2 cups warm low-sodium chicken broth, or turkey drippings added to chicken broth to make 2 cups.
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Cook the sausage in the same pan and make sure the sausage is cooked through, around 10 minutes. Drain off sausage drippings and reserve 1/4 cup.

3. Over low to medium heat, cook the shallots, onion, and celery together, covered, in a saute pan with 2 tablespoons of butter and the reserved sausage drippings. Cook until softened. Place in a large bowl.

4. Break up any overly large pieces of sausage with a fork until all the meat is a uniform texture, then put it in the bowl with the celery, onions and shallots.

5. Toast the walnuts on a cookie sheet about 10 minutes at 325°F, taking care not to burn them.

6. Roughly chop walnuts and add to the bowl.

7. Cut the peeled apples into cubes and add to the bowl with the other ingredients.

8. Add the herbs to the bowl and mix.

9. Add the bread cubes toss to mix all the ingredients.

10. Add the warm chicken broth and the melted butter and mix thoroughly, make sure the bread is well coated.

11. Put the stuffing in a buttered baking dish or casserole and cover with foil.

12. Bake for 30 minutes, and then remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

Try it. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Thanksgiving!

S