We all have our opinions of stuffing, don’t we? My mom always used packages of bread cubes for her stuffing and while I really enjoyed her version, I didn’t like how mushy it was. She did serve two options at our Thanksgiving table-one batch of stuffing she stuffed in the turkey and the other batch, she baked in a baking dish that had a crispy crust. I opted for the crispy crust version, fighting my brothers over the crispiest edge pieces. This year, I’m making Sausage Mushroom Stuffing and I’m doing it my own way.
As a lifelong lover of bread, I believe that bread needs a little more reverence in the stuffing. I like a stuffing that has a bread pudding-like vibe with crispy toasted bits on top. Have you ever had the bread salad with the roasted chicken from Zuni in San Francisco? Think THAT.
I want something that will hold up to some gravy and give me a little crunch when I need it. So, in the spirit of borrowing from the past, I used my Mom’s secret weapon in her stuffing- breakfast sausage! It provides a nice hit of sage. It’s what makes all the men in my family reach for another spoonful. I also added mushrooms because I’m a fan of sausage and mushrooms. I’ll add them wherever I can!
So buy some good bread, dig into one of the edge pieces and save the rest for this Mushroom Sausage Stuffing at your Thanksgiving table. The leftovers the next day with eggs…oh boy!
