Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
• 4 cups cubed white bread
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 packages turkey or maple sausage ( I like the maple sausage best)
• 2 granny smith apples peeled and diced
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted almonds 
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/8 cup apple juice
• 2 tbsp garlic powder or to taste ( taste the stuffing as you season it and adjust according to what you like)
• 2 tsp salt or to taste, 1 tsp pepper
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup melted butter - if putting the stuffing in the turkey

***

 If baking the stuffing separately...

• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Toast the nuts in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat stirring often until golden and set aside.
2. Remove the sausage meat from casings and saute over medium high heat until brown.
3. Set aside, reserve 3 tbsp or so of the drippings in the pan, discard the rest.
4. Saute the onion and celery in drippings. When just starting to soften, add the apple and dried cranberries. Saute together until starting to turn golden and then add the apple juice and de-glaze the pan. 
5. Put the cubed bread into two large bowls (I use two so I can season properly)
6. Season to taste with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and garlic powder.
7. Distribute the sausage mixture and toasted nuts evenly between the two bowls. Mix well. This can be done ahead the day before to this point. I seal it all up in a large tupperware bowl and then leave until the next day. The flavours will meld together into a state of profound fabulosity.
8. When ready to stuff, melt your butter and add it to the dressing, then stuff your bird.
9. If you prefer to cook the dressing on the side, which is what I usually do, add about a cup and a half of low sodium chicken stock along with the melted butter to the dressing. Mix it up, put in a greased casserole dish and bake covered at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove the cover for the last fifteen minutes of baking for a nice crispy crust.

I know, it's a lot of butter. But didn't you get the memo? There are no calories with turkey dinner!