Herb & Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 8 c bread cubes

• 1/2 c (8 TB) butter

• 1 1/2 c diced onion (1 large or 2 small)

• 1 c diced celery (about 3 large stalks)

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 lb bulk mild Italian sausage (or remove casings from links)

• 2 3/4 c chicken broth

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 TB fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1 TB fresh sage, chopped

• 1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.

2. Place stuffing cubes in large mixing bowl.

3. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and celery, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook 2 more minutes. Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the stuffing cubes.

4. In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Break it up with a spatula while cooking. Add the browned sausage and any fat from the pan to the bread cubes and vegetables.

5. Add the chicken broth, egg, rosemary, sage, parsley, salt and pepper to the bread cubes mixture and mix until the bread is soft and moistened. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 65-75 minutes, uncovered, until deeply golden and crisp on top.

Note: This can be assembled up to a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake. Bake according to the directions above. It can also be frozen after baking, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. When you're ready to serve it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325ºF oven until hot.