Easy Stuffing for Thanksgiving

Making stuffing (or dressing) for Thanksgiving is not complicated, and it's easy to make a tasty batch. I use a box of Stovetop Stuffing (any flavor you like) as the base and build on that. The hardest part about this recipe will be chopping a few veggies and washing dishes afterwards.

EASY STUFFING
For the stock:
1 bag of turkey innards
4 cups water
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh sage
1 sprig fresh thyme
Freshly ground pepper

For the stuffing:
1 pound sage-flavored pork sausage
1 10-ounce package mushrooms, chopped
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (MacIntosh work well)
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped sage leaves
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 package Stove Top stuffing mix (any flavor is fine)
Optional: 1/2 cup dried cranberries

I start with the bag of innards, and toss that into a pot with about 4 cups water. Add celery and onion, herbs and freshly ground pepper, to the mix. This will be the liquid stock for the stuffing. Get this boiling on the stovetop.

Then, take the pork sausage and brown it in a pan, breaking it into crumbles along the way. Once it's fully cooked you'll want to drain the fat and set the meat aside.

Take the chopped apples, the mushrooms, sage and butter and place in a bowl. Add the stuffing mix and toss it gently till it's mixed. Then toss in the cooked sausage and stir some more. Set aside.

Turn off the stove and remove the turkey innards from the stock. I toss out the neck and anything with bones and remove the herb sprigs. I usually take the liver and kidneys and chop them. I add this to the stuffing mix and then begin pouring in the stock. Add one cup of the stock (with the celery and onions) and then toss to coat. Keep adding small amounts of the stock to the stuffing mixture until the texture is right. You don't want it soupy and mushy. You want it to be moist and fluffy. Toss in the dried cranberries, if desired.

At this point, you can stuff the bird with the dressing and bake according to the directions for the size of the bird. Or you can bake it in a separate dish, covered, at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.