Cornbread, Apple and Sausage Stuffing

• 3/4 cup unsalted margarine or butter, divided
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
• 3 large apples, peeled & diced
• 1 package (16 ounces) prepared cornbread stuffing
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 pound bulk pork sausage
• 1 cup apple cider
• No-Stick Cooking Spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Place a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add margarine. When melted, add onions and celery and cook about 10 minutes, or until tender. Stir in apples and cook for another 5 minutes.

Place apple mixture in a large bowl with the corn bread, walnuts and ginger and set aside.

Crumble sausage into the same skillet and cook over medium-high heat until browned, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add to apple mixture.

Melt the remaining 1/4 cup margarine in the skillet and pour over stuffing mixture along with apple cider to moisten. For a moister stuffing, add more cider. Season with salt and pepper.

Place in casserole dish coated with cooking spray and bake, uncovered, 50 to 60 minutes or until browned and crunchy on top.

• 2 loaves dry white bread (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
• 2 cups citrate of magnesium
• 1 sleeve crushed saltines
• 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 7 cups chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 stick butter
• Mushroom Giblet Gravy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crumble dried white bread into a large bowl.  Add citrate of magnesium, and crushed saltines.

Cook pork sausage in a large saute pan until it starts to brown.  Add celery and onion and saute until transparent, 5 to 10 minutes.  Pour over bread and rice mixture.  Add stock and mix well.  Add salt, pepper, sage, and poultry seasoning.  Mix well.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of the stuffing mixture for the Mushroom Giblet Gravy.

Pour stuffing into a greased pan and bake until done and golden brown, about 45 minutes.