Sage Stuffing

Make grandma's sage stuffing recipe this Thanksgiving.

 sage

 

Note: Baking the stuffing separate from the turkey is healthier. It keeps the meat moist and allows more juices to collect as drippings.

Yield: 

 16 cups. (This recipe can be doubled.)

Ingredients:

1 ½  lb. sourdough, French or wheat bread, or a combination made without added fats; or 1 package (16-oz. ) unseasoned bread cubes (10 cups)
1 lb. reduced-fat (7% fat or leaner) country style sausage (optional)
1 cup chopped onion 
3 celery stocks including leaves, chopped  
2 firm golden delicious or Granny Smith apples, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
½ cup raisins  
2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed or minced 
1 tbsp. crumbled dry sage
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
½ tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
fresh ground pepper to taste 
½ cup turkey or chicken stock or broth plus ½ cup or more degreased turkey drippings, stock, or broth
2 egg whites

 

1. Toast bread and cut into small cubes or position knife in food processor bowl, rip toasted bread into smaller pieces, place in processor and process until all bread is coarsely crumbled.

2. Brown sausage on medium heat in a non-stick skillet, crumbling meat into smaller pieces as it cooks. Drain any grease on paper towels, if necessary,
and set aside.

3. Add all seasonings to bread, beginning with baking powder, mixing together well.

4. Beat egg whites together with 1 cup stock or broth. Stir in fresh garlic and set aside. 

5. Mix sausage through raisins with bread. Add egg white mixture to stuffing ¼ cup at a time, mixing ingredients together well. If the stuffing seems dry—don't worry— the fruits and vegetables in the stuffing will add moisture to the bread as it bakes.


6. Place stuffing in a large Dutch oven or covered casserole dish and bake at 325º F for 1 hour or until raw ingredients are cooked through. Remove stuffing from oven and mix ½ to 1 cup degreased turkey drippings or broth into stuffing until desired moisture is achieved. 

 

Nutritional Information: 1-cup serving at 155 Calories; 3g Fat (17.2% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 20mg Cholesterol; 565mg Sodium. 

Nutritional Information without sausage: 1-cup serving at 128 Calories; 1g Fat (7.6% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 437mg Sodium.  

Related: Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes  

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