Cornbread and Crusty Bread Stuffing with Apples, Sausage, and Pumpkin
Updated Feb 15, 2021, Published Oct 11, 2012
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Cornbread and Crusty Bread Stuffing with Apples, Sausage, and Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 1 batch Gluten-Free Cornbread Recipe, , cut into 1 inch cubes 4-6 slices stale gluten-free bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 ½ pounds crumbled sweet Italian sausage, , casings removed (omit for vegetarian version)
- 1 ½ cups celery, (about 2-3 stalks), diced to be the same size as the onions and apples
- 1 large onion, , diced to be the same size as the celery and apples
- 3 garlic cloves, , minced
- 3 large apples, , such as Granny Smith, cored, peeled, and diced to be the same size as the onions and celery
- 6-8 large fresh sage leaves, , finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, , finely chopped
- 1 cup pine nuts, (for nut-free version: omit entirely or use sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead)
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 2 cups free-range chicken or vegetable broth, , preferably organic
- 6 tablespoons butter, , melted (for dairy-free version: use 6 tablespoons Earth Balance® Vegan Buttery Sticks, melted)
- 1 large egg, (for egg-free version: omit entirely as the pumpkin puree will help with binding)
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree, (either from fresh pumpkin or canned puree, preferably organic)
- Sea salt and pepper, , to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Place the cubed cornbread and crusty bread cubes on a large baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes until the bread begins to feel slightly toasted. Then place it in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the sausage until it begins to lose its pink color. Add the celery and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes more, until the sausage is cooked through. Add the diced apples, sage, and rosemary. Cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add the sausage mixture to the bowl with the bread. Add the pine nuts (if using) and golden raisins. Season with salt and pepper to taste, about ½ teaspoon of each. (Can be made up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight.)
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, melted butter, pumpkin puree, and egg until smooth and wellblended. Pour evenly over the sausage and cornbread mixture. Use your best judgement as you pour. If it looks like too much liquid, do not pour all of it in. Gently mix it all together.
- Pour the mixture into a buttered casserole dish. This makes a lot of stuffing. You can use two 9×11-inch baking pans or one larger 11×13-inch baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes longer. Serve and enjoy.
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