Sausage Dressing (Stuffing) with Apples, Dried Cherries and Chestnuts (Paleo, SCD, GAPS, grain free, dairy free option)

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Last Updated on March 30, 2023

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I promised to post some recipes for Thanksgiving.  That being said, what is Thanksgiving dinner without dressing? (I don’t prefer to stuff my bird, (a little scared to try it) so we call it dressing around here, not stuffing.)

Dressing is a personal thing.  It differs as much as people do.  Our favorite dressing includes sausage, steamed chestnuts and fruit such as apple and dried cherries.

Taking our new grain free diet into consideration, I thought all was lost this year.  After all, how do you make dressing without cornbread or Williams-Sonoma Focaccia Stuffing Mix?

Hopeful, I tried my traditional Thanksgiving Dressing recipe using Yummy Grain Free Bread in place of the usual bread.  The results?  My husband and I breathed a sigh of relief…Thanksgiving dinner was saved!

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Sausage Dressing (Stuffing) with Apples, Dried Cherries and Chestnuts (Paleo, SCD, GAPS, grain free, dairy free option)

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  • Author: Jen/ My BIG FAT Grain Free Life

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/4 cup ghee, or fat of choice
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 1/2 lb. mild Italian chicken sausage, casing removed
  • 1/2 cup apple, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries, optional
  • 3/4 cup roasted peeled chestnuts
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 cups cubed and toasted Yummy Grain Free Bread
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, or more if needed
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated, to taste if tolerated (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Heat large frying pan to medium heat. When hot, add ghee, onion and celery, sautéing until soft.
  3. Add sausage and break into bits. Cook sausage through.
  4. Add apples, dried cherries and chestnuts. Saute for a few minutes until apples soften.
  5. Add spices and cook for about a minute.
  6. In a large bowl, mix toasted bread cubes, sausage-apple mixture, chicken stock and eggs. If it seems dry, add more chicken stock.
  7. Pour into greased baking dish. Top with grated Pecorino if desired.
  8. Cover with tin foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes.