For the Love of...: ...Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing

This is the ultimate holiday stuffing, whether it's Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter.  The cornbread gives it a wonderful texture and sweetness, balancing the savory sausage and bacon.  It is also chock full of vegetables- carrots, celery, corn and onions.  The cornbread can be made ahead of time and is delicious by itself or as a side for other dishes.

Cornbread

Ingredients

Cornbread:
-1.5 cups of cornmeal
-2 eggs
-2 cups milk
-2/3 cups of sugar
-1/2 cup canola oil
-2.5 cups of white flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-1tsp salt
-1 tbsp butter

Stuffing: (8-10 servings)
-8 mild italian sausages (you can use any kind you want)
-4 rashes of bacon
-8 medium carrots, diced
-2 large onions, diced
-6 stalks celery, diced
-2 cans of corn niblets
-3 cans of sliced mushrooms
-1/2 cup chicken stock
-3 tbsp sage, minced
-Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Cornbread:

1.  Preheat loaf pan or heavy bottomed pot in the oven at 400 F.

2. Mix together cornmeal, eggs, milk, oil and sugar in a bowl.  Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add to cornmeal mixture while stirring with a spatula until combined.

4. Take the preheated pan/pot out and melt a tablespoon of butter and swirl around the pan/pot, to prevent the cornbread from sticking later.  Pour mixture into the pan/pot and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Stuffing:

1.  Once cornbread is cool, cut into 1" cubes.  Place cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350 F until golden brown.

2.  Remove sausage from its casing and fry until browned.  Put the cooked sausage in a large serving bowl for later.

3.  Fry bacon until brown, then add carrots, celery, onions.  Cook until vegetables are soft.

4.  Add mushrooms and corn niblets.  Continue to cook until everything is combined and warmed through. 

5.  Mix cornbread, sausage, vegetables, corn, mushrooms and bacon altogether in the large serving bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Transfer into a large baking dish and add chicken stock.  Bake at 350 F for an hour. 

Enjoy!