Gluten Free Stuffing
Without a doubt, my favorite dish on a Thanksgiving spread has always been the stuffing. The thing I love most about this side, besides the fact that it is basically just carbs moistened (yep, I said it) with flavor of other ingredients and chicken broth, is that every family makes theirs differently. No two houses make their stuffing the same; some (me) feel passionately that no stuffing is complete without sausage, some dice the bread so small it is a somewhat carb filled mush, and some throw some things in there that honestly boggle my mind. No matter the recipe, stuffing should be included on every single forkful of turkey eaten during the Thanksgiving meal. In our house, the stuffing has always included the same key ingredients: sausage, pecans, apples, and celery. Each bite includes the perfect mix of sweet and savory with also the somehow crunchy and also moist bread. While most stuffing dishes are an absolute no-go for anyone avoiding gluten, this version features my favorite gluten free bread, Canyon Bakehouse, making it an approved dish for all types of celiac relationships.
Ingredients (Serves ~10 people):
Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free 100% Whole Grain Country White Bread (1)
Stalks of celery (3)
Green apple (1 ½)
Spicy Italian sausage (2 lbs)
Tablespoons butter (3 tablespoons)
Pecans (2 cups)
Homemade chicken stock (2 ¼ cups)
Egg (1)
**If not following a low FODMAP diet and able to tolerate garlic & onion, add the two to all of the steps involving the celery
Directions: 12 Hours prior:
Cut the Canyon Bakehouse bread into ½ inch cubes and place on a tray. Toast in the oven @ 350° for ~10 minutes or until they look crisped
The main prep:
Chop the celery and apple into ½ inch pieces
Place the chopped celery in a sauté pan with the butter, cover, and allow to sweat and lightly brown
While the celery is cooking, place the pecans on a baking tray and cook in the oven @ 350° for ~10 minutes or until they are fragrant and before they begin to burn
Once the celery is cooked through, take the sausage out of its casing and cook on the sauté pan while continuing to break it into pieces with the back of a spoon or spatula
While the sausage cooks, crumble the now toasted pecans into pieces
Once the sausage is cooked, combine the toasted bread pieces, toasted pecans, cooked sausage, and the sautéed celery into a bowl
Whisk the 2 ¼ cups of the chicken stock and 2 eggs together and mix it into the bowl of above ingredients
Place all ingredients in a baking dish and refrigerate overnight
Remove from the refrigerator ~1.5 hours before serving and allow the dish to reach room temperature
Cook @ 350° for ~30 minutes or until warmed up and the top begins to crisp.
Remove from the oven and serve hot
Compliant with the following diets:
Gluten free
Dairy Free
Low FODMAP
