Cooking with Love

with Gianna Conte    (Jan)

Sausage and rice stuffing, an Italian twist for Thanksgiving

Sausage and rice stuffing, an Italian twist for Thanksgiving

Ready to enjoy my favorite holiday

Ready to enjoy my favorite holiday

Holiday Sausage & Rice Stuffing

I was requested to add a sausage stuffing recipe. This is a recipe given to me by a very dear friend, Linda who now lives in Florida. I have to give her credit for this delicious combination. I am adding cooked rice to use if you like that combination.

Here are the ingredients:

1 lb sausage with casings removed

3 cups cooked white rice ( you may use 8 oz package of seasoned bread stuffing mix instead)

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 & 1/2 cups raw chopped peeled apple

1/4 cup melted butter (if you're not using sausage drippings)

Directions:

Remove casings from sausage and brown in large frying pan. Remove sausage; set aside.

In large bowl, combine browned sausage and remaining ingredients and 1/4 cup of melted butter or 1/4 cup sausage drippings. 

Mix thoroughly and either stuff the turkey or place in casserole oven proof dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake separately for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Here's Linda during her last visit

Here's Linda during her last visit



Let's get baking!


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees


 1 whole thin skinned orange, remove the stem and cut in quarters. Keep the skin on the oranges.

In a clean large food processor, add the orange quarters, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, three large eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla, 1 tsp of orange extract, 1 tbsp of Triple Sec liqueur, optional, 2/3 cup vegetable oil. 


Pulse all ingredients in the processor and then puree until mixture becomes a batter with specs of orange peel.


Add to the processor:


2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt


Process all dry ingredients until they are entirely incorporated into the batter.


Bake in a greased and floured spring pan, using a parchment paper circle on top of the greased bottom.*


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place in the center rack of the oven.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven.


Remove from your oven and let it cool down completely. Dust with powdered sugar or make a drizzle of 1/4 cup powdered sugar and fresh squeezed orange until thick and smooth.  Pour onto the cooled fresh orange cake.


*if you don't have a large processor, you can use a blender.


Enjoy with some espresso and close your eyes and it will feel like you're in Sicily.