dried cranberries

On Wednesday I shared with you some awesome cornbread muffins that I saw featured just last week on Baked By Rachel and just had to make. Let’s call it a craving. They make for a great breakfast, snack, or side for dinner. I just love how cornbread is so versatile like that.

Well, now I’m back with another awesome recipe from Rachel that uses those cornbread muffins as a great base for a side that will grace your Thanksgiving table. You start with the cornbread muffins, or some store brought cornbread, and add some more great flavors to make kick ass Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing. Really, it kicks ass.

But I guess it’s obvious for it to be a great stuffing recipe when you start with cornbread and then add in sausage, sauteed veggies, dried cranberries, and other great aromatics.

I used a plain breakfast sausage for this recipe as I don’t love Italian sausage… shhh don’t tell my Italian relatives! I just don’t like fennel that much!! But if you enjoy Italian sausage then I say feel free to use that just like in Rachel’s recipe. Just be sure to use a sausage that has been removed from its casing.

But now I have a question…

Do you call it stuffing even if you don’t put it in the bird?

I do. I guess it will always be stuffing to me just because that it what I’ve always called it so I associate the food itself more with the name than if it’s actually being stuffed into something.

I hope that you’ll give this Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing (or dressing… depending on what you call it!) a try since it is sure to be a big hit at your Thanksgiving table!

Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 5-6 cups cornbread broken into chunks (or 9 muffins)
• 1/2 lb plain breakfast sausage, like Jimmy Dean’s regular sausage
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 3/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

Process

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Create a single layer of the crumbled cornbread on a large baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until nearly crisp. (drying the cornbread out helps it hold it’s shape/texture)
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook  the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces while cooking. Transfer sausage to a large bowl reserving some fat in the skillet.
4. In same skillet, cook onion and celery with seasonings until the vegetables are tender and nearly translucent. Add the sausage back in. Add the dried cranberries and cornbread, toss to blend the ingredients together. Pour broth over mixture, toss again to combine well.
5. Transfer the mixture to a greased 2-quart baking dish.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until heated through and the top is crisp. Serve immediately.

Slightly adapted from Baked by Rachel