Sourdough and Sage Holiday Stuffing

Let me set the scene. You've been at your new job for 6 months and you are always bringing fantastic leftovers from the previous night's dinner for lunch to which everyone exclaims, "Oh, that looks so good! You're such a good cook, Chase!" While many would take these compliments and move on, I feel the pressure to continue to wow and impress with my culinary creations. So, it's close to Thanksgiving and your boss announces a Thanksgiving potluck, to which you scoff at because the last thing you want to do is eat food from co-workers you've exchanged minimal cordial words with in the past 6 months only lie and say how good their cranberry sauce is. Hint: no one actually likes cranberry sauce. And quite frankly, half of what they bring is crap - but they've made a valiant effort. Half of the potluck attendees will stop at a Walmart the morning of and pick up some type of flavorless dish that's been pre-made by smiley-face-embroidered-polo-shirt clad employees fresh off the short-bus only to have their "culinary" creations enjoyed by those who swipe their Lonestar card at checkout for their smokes and pumpkin pie. I'm implying the food shrink-wrapped in Walmart love is terrible, but I digress. (I should mention, I HATE Walmart.)

So, since you've always brought amazing food for lunch, the bar is set high for what your contribution will be to said potluck. After racking my brain and essentially freaking out for several days, I finally decide to make stuffing or dressing. I'm not sure the difference in the two - but for all intensive purposes, I'll be referring to it as stuffing. This is a challenge because you've never made stuffing for the very reason that it's the most difficult dish to perfect the day of Thanksgiving, more or less the night before with intentions of heating up in the microwave in the company cafe the next day. It almost always turns out to be a dry and flavorless mess your sister's mother-in-law insists on bringing every year for Thanksgiving. But I said, "No, you're going to do this and do this well - you have no choice, this is your moment to shine." I'm hard on myself, but it makes perfection that much more rewarding. Anyhow, here is what I came up with that leads to my boss coming to me two-weeks later and exclaiming, "Seriously Chase, your stuffing was the best thing about that potluck." In the words of Nene Leakes, "Haaay Haterrrzzz!"

Sourdough and Sage Holiday Stuffing

1 pound 'hot' italian sausage

1 stick unsalted organic butter

1 large loaf rustic sourdough bread - cut into one inch cubes

2 white onions - medium diced

1 bunch celery - medium diced

1 tablesoon of chopped fresh sage

1 package organic baby-bella mushrooms

1 carton organic reduced-salt chicken stock

1 teaspoon minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack centered in the oven. Spread the sourdough cubes onto a cookie sheet and place into the oven until browned and toasted. WATCH THEM - they will burn quicker than a tequila shot. Once toasted, set aside. In a deep saute pan, bring butter and garlic to med high heat and add the onions, mushrooms and celery. Salt and pepper to taste and cook until onions are translucent. It's important not to overcook the vegetables, they will continue to cook in the oven. Remove vegetables and set aside. Add the italian sausage to the same pan and cook until browned and fully cooked. Time to assemble. In a large bowl add the cubed bread, sautéed vegetables and italian sausage. Mix with a wooden spoon and add fresh sage until fully incorporated. Pour mixture into greased deep-sided 5x13 baking dish. Level off the top and add 1 and 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Cover with foil and place in oven. Let cook for 30 minutes. Remove dish from the oven and remove foil. At this time you will need to assess how moist the stuffing is. If it's too moist, continue on. If it's too dry, add additional chicken stock (with the cover removed, the moisture will be pulled out during the next half of cooking). Place back in the oven and allow to cook for an additional 30 minutes until the top is browned and crisp. Serve with your finest plastic cutlery. 

Enjoy!