Every Thanksgiving my family wants me to make my sausage and fennel stuffing. I admit it’s delicious, but this year I’ve been experimenting with other versions that I’ve made in a large 13″ Le Creuset deep skillet. I love this skillet because it can go from stovetop to oven to the table…so it’s perfect for stuffing. But it you don’t have a large cast iron pan, you can use any skillet and then transfer the stuffing to oven safe dish.
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So this year I plan to make a batch of my signature stuffing…because my family won’t have it any other way.I’ll stuff that in the turkey, but I’ll take out my skillet and also make a batch of the fig/fennel/bacon stuffing below which is a wonderful mix of savory and sweet…and I just might like it even better than my traditional.
So this year I plan to make a batch of my signature stuffing…because my family won’t have it any other way.I’ll stuff that in the turkey, but I’ll take out my skillet and also make a batch of the fig/fennel/bacon stuffing below which is a wonderful mix of savory and sweet…and I just might like it even better than my traditional.
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And then there’s the cranberry/apple stuffing with maple breakfast sausage. I made it for a Kids Thanksgiving class I taught. They loved it so much, they were eating it out of the pan before it went into the oven! It too is a mixture of the sweet and the savory, plus a bit of tart from the apple.
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Either way here are 3 delicious stuffing recipes. And whichever one you choose, the process is the same…
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- Saute the vegetables in a hot pan with oil until soft, followed by the sausage (or the cooked bacon).
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
- Place in the oven until the inside is hot and the top is crispy and golden.
Cranberry/Apple Stuffing with Maple Sausage
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2 small (or one large) carrot – medium diced
2 celery stalks – medium diced
1 small onion – medium dice
1 package maple breakfast sausage (or your choice) – casing removed and cut in bite sized pieces
1 medium apple – medium diced
8 to 10 cups roasted bread cubes (use your favorite day old bread or buy it packaged)
1 cup dried cranberries (or to taste)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
1 cup chicken broth – or just enough to moisten the bread
1/4 cup olive oil (or enough to just cover the bottom of the pan
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Instruction
In an oven safe skillet
Saute the first three ingredients in the oil until softened. Add the apples and sausage and sauté for a minute or two more.
Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and bake in a 350-degree (176.6 C) oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is crusty
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Fig/Fennel/Bacon Stuffing
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2 small (or one large) carrot – medium diced
1 fennel bulb – medium diced (core removed)
1 small onion – medium dice
1 pound (.45 kg) thick cut bacon – cooked until crispy
10 – 12 fresh figs – quartered
8 to 10 cups roasted bread cubes (use your favorite day old bread or buy it packaged)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
1 cup chicken broth – or enough to moisten the bread
1/4 cup olive oil (or enough to just cover the bottom of the pan
Saute the first three ingredients in the oil until softened
Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and bake in a 350-degree (176.6 C) oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is crusty
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My Traditional Sausage Fennel Stuffing
Click the link above for this version. It also has step-by-step photos…including, how to core a fennel bulb.
I hope you enjoy these and please feel free to post any questions in the comments below.
Do you ever make stuffing recipes for vegetarians? That would be a great idea or I can delete the sausage or bacon.
I don’t have a recipe here for vegetarian stuffing but yes, you can eliminate the bacon or sausage and add another vegetable if you like such as sauteed mushrooms or thinly diced sweet potatoes…or maybe dried cranberries or raisins…or whatever strikes your fancy.