3/4cupfresh cranberries or 1 cup dried cranberries
1and 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2cupsalted butter, cut into cubes
12cupsseasoned stuffing cubes (homemade or store bought)
1and 1/2 cups apples, chopped into small cubes
1/2cupwalnuts, chopped
1teaspoondried sage leaves
1and 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1teaspoondried rosemary
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
1/4teaspoonsalt
1and 1/2 cups apple cider
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°(F). Lightly grease a deep 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside.
In a large skillet or dutch oven cook the sausage, celery, onion, garlic, and cranberries over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer the ingredients to a clean plate and quickly drain any remaining liquid from the pan. Transfer cooked sausage mixture back to the skillet. Add in vegetable stock and mix well to combine. Add butter and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter is completely melted. Remove pan from the heat.
Stir in the stuffing cubes, apples, walnuts, sage, thyme, rosemary, pepper, salt and cider; stir well to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover the dish bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.
Notes
You may use sweet Italian sausage instead of spicy, if desired.
You may omit the walnuts completely, if desired, or use almonds or pecans in their place.
You may use unsalted butter if that's all you have, just increase the salt in the recipe by a 1/4 teaspoon.
You may prepare the bread cubes and sausage/cranberry/apple mixture the night before. Keep the bread cubes covered on a baking sheet, and the sausage mixture covered in the fridge, then mix everything together and bake it the next day. Or, make the entire stuffing recipe ahead of time and freeze it. Simply thaw the night before you plan on serving, then reheat - covered - for 20-25 minutes.
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