Sausage Stuffing Recipe

Just in time for Thanksgiving. 

This recipe for stuffing is a favorite for many. 

When my children were younger and in elementary school I used to make Turkeys for each of their classes, stuffing and all. I got a reputation as the Turkey Lady, and I must admit I rather enjoyed it, reputation and all.

Sausage stuffing 

2 large yellow onions - chopped (diced)

2-3 stalks of celery - cleaned and then cut into strips and then chopped (diced)

2-3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped fine

1-2 pounds Italian sweet sausage 

2-3 bay leaf

Rosemary leaves (fresh or dried)

1 stick of butter

Chicken stock (2-3 cups)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 bag seasoned bread cubes (pepperidge farms makes a good one)

Take the sausage out of the casing, crumble it so it is in small pieces and cook in a frying pan until cooked through. Because sausage has fat you usually will not have to add any fat to the pan before cooking. If you feel like it needs it,  add a little bit of olive oil if you have it. 

When the sausage is browned and cooked through set it aside. 

In a stock pan melt the stick of butter on low  heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Cook until the onions become translucent. Do not brown the onions. Add half of the chicken stock, the Rosemary (if using fresh, use a nice sprig of it, if using dried use a tablespoon.)

Let it simmer on low for 1/2 hour.

In a large bowl, or in the baking dish your making the stuffing, mix the cooked sausage, bread cubes and the onion, celery mixture. Add the rest of the chicken stock, it should be moist, not too wet. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree preheated  oven until heated through, approx 45 minutes.  If you like a crunchy top take off the aluminum foil for last 15-20 minutes of baking time. 

If you enjoy mushrooms you may add them. I would add them while cooking the sausage. Personally, I think this "dressing" has so much flavor that the mushrooms get a little drowned out. However, if you'd like to sweeten it up a little, add a small chopped apple to the stuffing right before baking. 

I will look for some pictures to add to this post later. 

Don't forget, you can always email me if you have any questions!

Thefoodcrawl@gmail.com

Enjoy!

BuonAppetito 

xoxoxo

Lorraine

Pumpkin Cheese Cake

I saw a recipe in my local paper The Journal News the other day and it looked fabulous. It was for a Pumpkin Cheesecake. This time of year anything made with pumpkin gets me excited. I love the taste of pumpkin! Pumpkin and butternut are my favorite.
The recipe is adapted from a country singer Trish, that's all I remember about her. I did change a few things in the recipe, but I don't think that it would make that much of a difference. She used pecans and I used walnuts (its's what I had in the house) and I added a hint of orange zest...because I like it. Otherwise, everything else is pretty much as Trish said to make it.

20 gingersnap cookies crushed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/2 stick unsalted butter melted

mix all together and line the bottom of a 9" spring form pan and bake in a  350 preheated oven for 8 - 10 minutes.  Let cool.

With an electric mixer,
Beat 16 ozs of cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar .
Add 1 tsp vanilla.
Add 3 eggs, adding each egg, one at a time.
Mix well.
Reserve one cup of the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

To the cheese mixture add 1 cup of pumpkin puree
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
*orange zest
taste it and see if you want to add some more cinnamon or nutmeg. I did!

Take your mixture out of the refrigerator and only using half of the reserved mixture drop spoonfuls into the bottom of your pan. Now put your pumpkin mixture on top. Now spoon the remaining cheese mixture onto of the pumpkin mixture. Using a butter knife swirl through the top and make a marble design.

Bake at 350 for 50 - 60 minutes.
Trish didn't say to bake the cheesecake in a water bath, but I went ahead and did that anyway. I can't wait to take a bite of this one!
Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxoxo
Buon Appetito
Lorraine

Happy Thanksgiving!

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││∩│ ▓ ║∩田│║▓ ▓ ▓∩ ║
•°*”˜˜”*°• From my house to your house •°*”˜˜”*°•
•°*”˜˜”*°•Happy Thanksgiving to family and friends•°*”˜˜”*°•

If you are reading this I want to thank you for taking the time to stop and visit this blog. With so many food blogs out there, I am thankful that you pop in and read mine. 

If I have been able to help you, or inspire you to cook a dish that you hadn't before,  I am thankful.

I am thankful that you have the confidence in me to try one of my dishes.

I am thankful for so many things.

But most of all I am thankful for  my beautiful family.

 They are loving and supportive in all that I do.

I am thankful for my dear friends. 

Some of you have known me forever.

You laugh with me and cry with me, and never question why.

I am thankful for the new friends in my life.

I love the bridges that we are building and all the common interests we share.

So Thank You for letting me be a small part of you lives. 

For this I am most Thankful.

xoxoxo

Lorraine