Savory Herbed Poultry Dressing

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 16 cups old-fashioned bread or 16 cups mild sourdough bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 1/2 cups sliced celery (including tops)
• 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 2/3 cup small black olives, rinsed and drained (optional)
• 1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons finely diced carrots
• 2 teaspoons dalmatian rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon ground celery salt (tradewinds brand)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground winter savory
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
• 3/4 lb cooked crumbled bulk sausage
• 1 1/4 cups turkey broth
• 2 beaten eggs (optional) or 1/4 cup turkey broth (optional)
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional) or 2 tablespoons dry wine (optional) or 2 tablespoons turkey broth (optional)

Recipe

• 1 note: i recommend marion-kay ground (winter) savory. otherwise, substitute winter savory with 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/8 teaspoon ground parsley, 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme, 1 pinch ground dried lemon peel, 1 pinch ground mint, and 1 pinch ground rosemary. (step one): preheat oven to 300°f.
• 2 cut french bread into 1-inch cubes; spread bread cubes single-layer onto baking sheets; bake bread cubes at least 10 minutes, or until bread is dry and toast-like in texture, without being browned; transfer bread cubes into a very large bowl; raise oven temperature to 350°f.
• 3 prep all vegetables to specifications (2 cups chopped onions, 1 1/2 cups sliced or diced celery, 1 cup medium diced mushrooms, 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley, 3 tablespoons finely diced carrots).
• 4 grind all of the seasoning spices for dressing in a clean spice mill or coffee grinder; measure ground seasonings into a small re-sealable container (2 teaspoons dalmatian rubbed sage, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground winter savory, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel, 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme); seal the container with spices; shake well to combine; set aside.
• 5 melt 1/2 cup salted butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; raise heat to medium; add vegetables (except olives for now); stir the prepared seasoning into the saute mixture.
• 6 saute mixture for 8 minutes, stirring often; add olives and saute for two minutes longer (note: if using sausage in recipe, you may brown and crumble it in the previous saute pan).
• 7 add saute mixture (including cooked crumbled sausage) into bowl with bread cubes; fold mixture together for 2 minutes until very well blended (make sure every morsel is evenly moistened).
• 8 mix the broth ingredients in a bowl (1 1/4 cups turkey broth, 2 beaten eggs (or 1/4 cup additional turkey broth), and 2 tablespoons dry sherry or wine (optional, or replace with turkey broth); gradually trickle broth mixture into bread cubes and vegetables in bowl, then fold mixture until mixed very well.
• 9 spread mixture into a 2-3 quart baking dish (note: for moist dressing, cover with foil before baking; for a crisp outside/soft inside dressing, leave uncovered); bake for 30 minutes.
• 10 serve with your favorite poultry and enjoy!