Sausage and Sage Dressing

I must have dressing with turkey; it’s a must in my opinion.  I like my moms best but this came out pretty good.  Here is a link to my turkey recipe and the citrus rub.

• 1 pound breakfast sausage
• 1/2 cup onion – diced
• 1 1/2 cup celery – sliced
• 2 Tbs dried sage leaf
• 1/2 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 4 cups chicken or turkey stock
• 2 pounds bread
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook sausage, onion, and celery until veggies are tender and sausage is cooked through.  Add sage, marjoram, thyme, garlic, and stock; bring to a simmer.

Tear bread into small pieces. I like to test my sausage and stock to see if it needs any salt or pepper by dunking a piece of bread into it and tasting.  Depending on the sausage and stock used you may need to zip up the flavors a bit.  Once flavors are right pour stock and sausage mixture over torn bread; stir.  Pour into oiled casserole and bake for 20 minutes until browned and heated through.  If making and chilling ahead allow 30 – 40 minute for baking.

Enjoy ~ Kimberly

Stuffed Chicken Breast ….. seared, poached, and smothered with mushroom sauce

I decided to make stuffed chicken breast for lunch today.  I didn’t feel like going to the grocery so I opted to use what I had on hand.  I went with a mushroom stuffing.  I had picked up extra mushrooms when I was making the lamb and barley soup and knew they would come in handy soon.  I prefer the cremini mushrooms over the white button mushrooms; but sliced button mushrooms were on sale this week and I love a bargain. My execution wasn’t perfect.  I was a tad aggressive when flattening the chicken breast and I didn’t take the time to roll it perfectly and tie it closed; but the end result was delicious. Once smothered in sauce no one will ever know it wasn’t perfectly beautiful!

Stuffed Chicken Breast ….. seared, poached, and smothered with mushroom sauce

• 8 o.z. mushrooms – sliced
• 1 Tbs butter
• 2 chicken breasts – boneless
• 1/4 cup onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup bread cubes – I used a crusty Italian bread I had left over
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbs water

Melt butter in medium skillet.   Dice 1/2 cup of the mushroom and add to skillet.  Stir in onion and garlic and sauté until tender.  About 5 – 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in bread cubes and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Allow to cool.  Meanwhile pound chicken breast flat with meat mallet or favorite implement (I use a flat-bottomed cup).

Divide stuffing between breasts and roll up.  Secure with twine or toothpicks if desired.

Add olive oil to skillet and sear 3 – 4 each side.

Add mushrooms and remaining chicken stock.  Cover and simmer over medium low heat for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove chicken from skillet and allow to rest 4 – 5 minutes before slicing.  Mix together cornstarch and water; bring mushrooms and broth to boil; stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened.  Slice chicken breast and pour sauce over top.

Enjoy ~ Kimberly

Homemade Herb Dressing ~ Stuffing Recipe

My mom makes the best sausage and sage dressing every Thanksgiving.  She doesn’t have a recipe she takes out and follows but it always comes out great; one of these days I’ll have to try to duplicate that.  Charles and I make dressing often sometimes we use sausage other times we jazz it up with cranberries or raisins.  Today I opted for a simple herb dressing with chicken stock.

Homemade Herb Dressing

• 1 Tbs butter
• 1/4 cup onion
• 1/2 cup  celery
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 8 – 10 sliced bread

Finely dice onion and celery.  Over medium heat melt butter and sauté onion and celery for about 5 minutes.  Add seasoning and chicken stock; stir together.  Tear bread into medium bowl.  Pour stock and vegetable mixture over bread.

Stir thoroughly and pour into small casserole.  Bake 30 – 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy ~ Kimberly