Fall Fruit and Italian Sausage Stuffing

10 1/2 pound whole turkey
4 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
4 Bartlett pears, cored and diced
4 Red Delicious apples, cored and diced
1 bulb fennel, diced
2 yellow onions, diced
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 loaves day old bread cubes, toasted
chicken stock to moisten
melted butter to taste
1 pound Italian sausage, browned and cooled
salt and pepper to taste


In a large saucepan, heat up a small amount of blended oil.  Add sausage, fennel, and onion and cook until the sausage is done.  Add the fresh apples, pears, and dried fruits to the pan.  Turn heat down to medium and cook until the fruit is starting to soften...approximately 10 minutes.
Add the bread cubes and mix all of the ingredients together.  Add chicken stock to the mixture until everything is nice and moist and looking like wet stuffing.  Put stuffing mixture in a 2 inch deep, buttered baking dish.  Place in a 350 degree oven and bake until the top is golden brown and the mixture is heated to 140 degrees in the center.  Finish by drizzling a little melted butter over the top.   Happy Thanksgiving!


Recipe courtesy:
Nathan A. Read CEC CCA
Executive Chef
Hiltons of Branson
Branson Convention Center
Payne Stewart Golf Club