Homemade Turkey Sausage Cornbread Stuffing with McIntosh Apples

Ingredients

For the sausage:
2 pounds ground turkey, blend of white and dark meat
Poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper (if not included in the poultry seasoning)
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons coriander, a palmful and a half
1 tablespoon fennel seed, a scant palmful
2 teaspoons ground sage, 2/3 palmful
2 teaspoons granulated onion, 2/3 palmful
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, half a palmful

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper or cayenne, half a palmful
For the stuffing:
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
1 stick butter, cut into pieces, plus additional, softened
3 to 4 ribs celery, chopped with leafy tops
3 McIntosh apples, chopped with skins
2 onions, chopped
1 quart turkey or chicken stock
1 large fresh bay leaf
1 bag cornbread stuffing pieces or croutons, preferred brand Pepperidge Farm
Salt and pepper

Yields: 10-12

Preparation

For the stuffing, place turkey in a bowl and season evenly with poultry seasoning and salt and pepper, if not included in spice blend. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine well. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add sausage meat and brown and crumble with a potato masher; remove to a plate.

Add butter to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. When butter foams, add celery, apples, onions and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Cook to soften, 10 minutes, then add stuffing cubes or croutons. Moisten with stock and season with poultry seasoning; combine with sausage. Grease baking dish with softened butter, fill with stuffing and dot the top of the stuffing with butter as well.

To serve, preheat oven to 425ºF. Bake the stuffing just long enough to crisp up the top and warm stuffing through, 20-25 minutes if at room temp, and serve.