Sausage Stuffing Bake

• 9 cups toasted bread cubes (from white bread, crusts removed)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 lb turkey sausage, casings removed (mild or spicy) or 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
• 12 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste) (optional)
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic (or to taste)
• 1 (10 ounce) can sliced mushrooms (very well drained, or use fresh sauteed mushrooms)
• 2 medium granny smith apples (peeled, cored and chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 12 cups coarsley chopped pecans, toasted (or use toasted walnuts)
• 1 12 cups dried cranberries (can use more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon dried sage (or to taste, or use 1 tablespoon fresh chopped)
• black pepper
• 1 12-2 12 cups low sodium chicken broth or 1 12-2 12 cups turkey broth
• grated parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Butter a 4-quart casserole dish.
2. In a large skillet melt butter; add in the sausage meat with onions, celery, garlic and cayenne pepper (if using); cook breaking up the meat with a spoon until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender (about 7-10 minutes).
3. Add in apples and mushrooms and cook 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
5. Stir in the the nuts, toasted bread cubes and dried cranberries; toss to mix well with wooden spoon.
6. Season with sage, lots black pepper and salt (I use seasoned salt but white salt will do).
7. Transfer the mixture to a buttered casserole dish and drizzle with chicken or turkey broth (using about 1-1/2 cups for a drier stuffing, or use up to 2 cups for a moister stuffing).
8. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top.
9. Bake covered in foil in a 350 degree F oven (second-lowest rack) for 30 minutes; uncover and bake until bread is golden brown and the stuffing is heated through, about 20-25 minutes more.

bread, butter, turkey sausage, cayenne pepper, onions, celery, garlic, mushrooms, granny smith apples, coarsley, cranberries, sage, black pepper, chicken broth, parmesan cheese

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/sausage-stuffing-bake-193394 (may not work)