Italian Sausage Southern Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 pre-made cornbread
• 4 slices dry wheat bread, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup chopped celery
• ½ cup dried cherries
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups chicken broth

Instructions

1. 1
   Place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is crumbled and is no longer pink inside. Drain the fat and set the meat aside.
2. 2
   Slice the cornbread into small cubes and crumble slightly.
3. 3
   In a very large bowl or a roasting pan, combine the cornbread, wheat bread, onion, celery, dried cherries, and golden raisins.
4. 4
   Add fresh and dried sage and the thyme, rubbing the dry herbs between your hands to release their flavor and aroma.
5. 5
   In a small bowl, whip the eggs with a fork and stir in the broth. Pour most of the egg mixture into the cornbread mixture, and toss well to moisten.
6. 6
   Add the remaining broth if the dressing appears too dry. Spoon the mixture into a large, lightly greased casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. 7
   Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more to brown the top of the dressing. If desired, the dressing may be assembled 1 day ahead, covered, and chilled overnight before baking.
8. 8
   To bake, remove the dressing from the refrigerator, set it aside 30 minutes to come to room temperature, and bake as described above.