Family dinner - "heart attack stuffing"

Sometimes, it's not really about what we cook, but why we do it.  I don't have many Sundays off but was off today.  I got up early (for having a day off) and spent hours in the kitchen chopping, slicing, dicing, etc.  I love cooking so I was in my element.  I made a roast chicken, my heart attack stuffing, mashed potatoes, pan gravy, and broccoli casserole.  The house smelled wonderful all day and everyone commented on it.  The kids thought it must be some sort of holiday because not only was I home but I was cooking a "Sunday" dinner.

Here's my stuffing recipe.  Bear with me - I don't measure when making this so measurements will be approximate - you don't really have to be exact - it will be delicious even if you add too much onion.

Before we get to it - do me a huge favor - don't soak your bread.  I know many recipes tell you to soak your bread - DON"T DO IT - you will wind up with mush.  You want your stuffing/dressing to have some sort of texture.  You don't want baby food (or maybe you do - in that case soak away).  

Your ingredient list

• Bread - you can do this any way you want.  You can bake homemade bread, slice it, and let it stale for a day.  You can use packaged sandwich bread but if you do that, you will have to let it stale over the course of 3 days.  You can use packaged stuffing crumbs.  I normally use packaged stuffing crumbs.  Whatever you choose, you will need around 6 cups of crumbs. Whatever you do, don't try to speed up the "staling" process by toasting your bread - it's not the same.
• Sausage - I use a one pound tube of mild sausage.  You can use whatever brand you like.
• 1 super large onion or 2 med - chopped
• 1 stick butter (I said BUTTER)
• Chicken stock - around 1 cup
• 1/2 and 1/2 - around 1/2 cup
• Poultry seasoning
• 2 ribs celery sliced super thin (optional - I have found that I prefer my stuffing without celery)
• Pepper to taste (your sausage has enough salt, you shouldn't need to add more).

Put your bread crumbs in a large bowl and add poultry seasoning (around 1 tblsp)
Cook the sausage over medium heat - break it up a bit while it's cooking.  Don't overdo the breaking up part. When cooked, drain and add to crumbs.
Melt 1 stick of butter in a saute pan and add the chopped onion.  Let it cook for 10-15 minutes.  The onion will become soft and will brown a bit. 
Add the onion and butter to the bowl with the crumbs
Mix well.
Now you will want to add you liquids - you don't want the stuffing to be too wet.  Start with 3/4 cup of stock and 1/4 cup of 1/2 and 1/2.  Mix well.  If the stuffing seems too dry add some more stock and 1/2 and 1/2 but don't add a total more more than 1 3/4 cups of liquid - your stuffing with lack texture.
Pour your stuffing into a casserole dish - dot the top with butter - cover with foil, and place into a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes - until the top develops a crunchy texture.

Serve and enjoy.  FYI - this is certainly not a heart friendly or diet friendly recipe.  I only make it 3 times a year and we are super careful about what we eat for the rest of the week when this is being served.