Sage Sausage & Apple Stuffing & Cranberry Ambrosia
Happy Thanksgiving week!! I shared my favorite stuffing recipe that is packed with sage sausage, dried cranberries, apples, and chestnuts. For me, it is just not Thanksgiving without this. And last year, I added a deliciously light and refreshing cranberry salad that I had seen @kelseynixon post about for years! It’s now part of our (giant) Thanksgiving menu. What’s one dish you can’t go without this turkey day?
Sage Sausage and Apple Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 lb bulk sage sausage
- 1 stick butter, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 stalks celery, cleaned and diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 Granny Smith apples, diced
- 1 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
- 1 cup peeled, cooked chestnuts, diced (optional)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp dry rubbed sage
- 4 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 12 cups bread cubes, lightly oven toasted, use good quality bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, brown and crumble the sausage until just barely cooked through. Add 2 tbsp of the butter and the olive oil to the pan and sauté celery and onions until translucent and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the apples and sauté for another 5 minutes to soften. Add the cranberries and chestnuts, if using, to the pan. Season well with salt, pepper, and rubbed sage. In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth with the remaining 6 tbsp of butter. Place the bread cubes in a very large bowl and add the sausage mixture. Pour buttery broth mixture over the dry stuffing one cup at a time, stirring until absorbed. The mixture should be moist and neither dry or soggy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, until stuffing is lightly browned on top.
Cranberry Ambrosia
Ingredients
- 1 12- oz bag fresh cranberries, about 3 heaping cups
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 20- oz can crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Using a food processor, pulse the cranberries and sugar until fine. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight). Using a sieve, drain the chopped cranberries (my kids love to use the reserved liquid for a fun drink with sparkling water) and combine with the drained pineapple and the marshmallows. In the bowl of a mixer, whip the heavy cream, and powdered sugar to soft peaks. Gently fold into the cranberry mixture, along with about 1/2 cup of the pomegranate seeds. Garnish the top with the remaining pomegranate seeds and refrigerate until ready to serve.
