Dried Cherry & Sausage Dressing

Total Time Prep: 40 min. Bake: 45 min.
Yield 20 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
Apples and dried cherries add a sweet-tart flavor to my homemade stuffing. It makes a holiday dinner memorable. —Connie Boll, Chilton, Wisconsin

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf (1 pound) unsliced Italian bread
  • 1/4 cup cherry juice blend or unsweetened apple juice
  • 1 cup dried cherries
  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 medium Granny Smith apples, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups chicken stock

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cut bread into 1-in. cubes; transfer to two 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Bake 10-15 minutes or until toasted. Cool slightly. In a small saucepan, bring juice blend to a boil. Stir in cherries. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage, celery and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, breaking sausage into crumbles; drain. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in apples, parsley, butter, seasonings, bread cubes and drained cherries. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and stock; pour over bread mixture and toss to coat.
  3. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish (dish will be full). Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 204 calories, 11g fat (5g saturated fat), 43mg cholesterol, 422mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 1g fiber), 6g protein.

Apples and dried cherries add a sweet-tart flavor to my homemade stuffing. It makes a holiday dinner memorable. —Connie Boll, Chilton, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator

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