Revamped: Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts Tossed in a Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette with Bacon Lardons, Dried Cranberries, Candied Pecans, + Crispy Shallots

My recipe for Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts Tossed in a Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette with Bacon Lardons, Dried Cranberries, Candied Pecans, & Crispy Shallots is far and away my most requested + most loved recipe during the holiday season. So, when I started getting organized for our upcoming Thanksgiving meal, I noticed that this recipe is four years old and in need of a desperate "revamping". The recipe is only changed slightly, but I added more detailed instructions to help my follow readers! Like before, it requires the same maple-mustard vinaigrette because I think it pairs with the dish like no one's business... I guess if you're not a mustard fan, you could use a balsamic reduction because that would work quite easily. But really though, listen to me and all the fans of this dish and go with the homemade dressing! Mmk? Good... moving on. Concerning the candied pecans, I will leave that up to you and what you want to do. I personally make the candied pecans, but I have used store-bought candied pecans, and no one even noticed the difference. So, by all means, if you want to save time and cut a corner, then go for it! Now, in a small pan, over medium-low heat, you're going to caramelize + crisp up those thinly sliced yummy shallots; they really bring the dish to another level. Next up on the list is cooking a shit ton of bacon... because bacon makes everything better, duhhhh. Once your bacon lardons are crispy, strain them out of their fat onto a paper towel to dry, leaving the just-rendered bacon fat in the pan. That's when you get the trimmed + halved brussel sprouts and begin to pan fry ... in BACON FAT (dun dun dunnnnnn)! Like I've said, bacon makes everything better. Crisp up the sprout halves until they have begun to brown on their flat side, and then toss all of them around to cook the other side of the brussel sprout. I know some people like their brussel sprouts to have some al dente texture, while others prefer a softer finished product. Either way, just cook them until they have reached your desired doneness. If you don't have a large saute pan that can fit all of your brussel sprouts, you might have to do 2-3 batches of them. But, thats no biggie at all! Now it's time to assemble this yummy side dish. In a large mixing bowl, add in the bacon-fat fried brussel sprouts, bacon lardons, dried cranberries, crisped shallots, and chopped candied pecans... all that is left to do is to toss all of the components together while drizzling the maple-mustard vinaigrette evenly over the dish. I suggest that you start off with just a little, and add as you go until you have the perfect amount of dressing that coats everything beautifully. And wham, bam, thank ya ma'am... YOU'RE DONE!! If you want to get a head start on this dish you could easily do any of the following: trim and halve the brussel sprouts and place them into a ziploc bag, make the candied pecans, and whip up the maple-mustard vinaigrette in a mason jar and refrigerate it. That way, you'll have most of the components done + all ready to start cooking! I hope you enjoy this holiday side dish as much as everyone else does!! Enjoy :)

Mmm, bacon lardons

golden brown + crispy shallots 

My Famous Brussel Sprouts in 2015 

So yeah, you have to make these... You'll thank me later!

For the Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette:

2T EVOO

2T Apple Cider Vinegar

4T Maple Syrup

2t Dijon Mustard

2T Grainy Mustard

2t Garlic, Minced

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

For Candied Pecans:

1 ½C Pecans, Toasted

½C Sugar

Pinch of Salt, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cayenne, & Chili Powder (I did a large pinch)

For the Crispy Shallots:

4-6 Large Shallots, Thinly Sliced

3T Canola Oil

Kosher Salt

For the Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts:

1T EVOO

1.5lbs Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into Lardons

2T Canola Oil

5lbs Brussel Sprouts, Trimmed and Halved

Prepared Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

1 ½C Dried Cranberries (save a handful for garnishing the dish)

Prepared Candied Pecans, Roughly Chopped (save a handful for garnishing the dish)

Prepared Crispy Shallots

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:

1. For the Maple Mustard Vinaigrette: In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until combined. Season it with salt & pepper to taste. Refrigerate the dressing aside until ready to add to the brussel sprouts.

2. For the Candied Pecans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes until just toasted. Remove from the oven and let it cool. Meanwhile, pour the sugar into a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon while the sugar melts. Keep stirring until the color turns a medium amber color. Once that color is reached, add in the pecans to the pan and quickly stir to coat. As soon as they are coated, spread them onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Let them cool completely before adding them to the dish (after they have hardened, you can chose whether or not you want to chop them up or leave them whole).

3. For the Crispy Shallots: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add in the canola oil. Next, toss in the thinly sliced shallots, along with a heavy pinch of salt and sauté them, stirring occasionally, until the shallots caramelize to a golden brown color and start to get a little crispy.  It is very important to not rush this process, so keep a constant eye on the shallots because they can burn quite quickly.  Remove the perfectly crisped shallots from the pan and put them into a bowl, and set them aside until you are ready to assemble the dish.

4. Crisping up the Bacon Lardons: In a large, deep sauté pan, bring the olive oil to medium-high heat and in the bacon cubes. Cook the bacon until they are very crispy and the bacon has rendered all of its fat. Remove the crispy bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate (leaving the fat in the pan).

5. For the Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts: Add in the vegetable oil into the rendered bacon fat and bring it to high heat. Gently place the halved brussel sprouts face side down (or the flat side), and season with salt & pepper. Cook them until they have browned and caramelized, and they have become slightly crispy in texture, about 10-15 minutes (if you have a big enough sauté pan to fit all of your brussel sprouts, then extend the time of cooking to 20-25 minutes; however, if you do not, then you will have to do several batches in order for all of the brussel sprouts to reach your required crispiness and doneness). After they have browned, using tongs, toss the brussel spouts to continue sautéing to cook the brussel sprouts all the way through, about 3-5 minutes (I prefer my brussel sprouts on the crisper side, but some people like to cook them longer until they are soft).

6. Assembling the Dish: Once they have all been cooked and have reached your desired doneness, remove the cooked brussel sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the prepared maple-mustard vinaigrette over the cooked brussel sprouts, tossing to cover all of them. Add in the bacon lardons, dried cranberries and chopped candied pecans, and toss once again. Season with salt & pepper if needed. Place the glazed brussel sprouts onto a serving platter and garnish with the remaining handfuls of dried cranberries, candied pecans and the crispy shallots. Serve immediately and enjoy while they are still warm!!

Southern-Style Jalapeno, Crystallized Aged Cheddar, Bacon Cornbread with Cilantro, Buttermilk, + Scallions, Fried in Bacon Fat Filled Skillet

Southern-Style Jalapeno, Crystallized Aged Cheddar, Bacon Cornbread with Cilantro, Buttermilk, + Scallions, Fried in Bacon Fat Filled Skillet

While at my in-laws home for the holidays in Birmingham, Alabama, we had the opportunity to go hang out with some good friends at night. After one night we arrived, our friend has made some cornbread, and then all of a sudden, we were on a cornbread-talking-kick for about a day straight because I told him of my favorite cornbread recipe. This isn't just any ordinary cornbread you make out of the box, this is a recipe I had adapted from the most famous cook in our family, Mama Jones. Mama Jones always instead on using stone-ground cornmeal (for better texture), a little bit of mayo (for extra added moisture), and frying it in a bacon fat filled cast iron skillet (for even more flavor). Now it might sound crazy to add mayo to a cornbread because as far as I know, no one else does it (well, besides when she did of course). But if you really break it down, it's mainly just eggs and oil whipped together. And in the deep South, we even add mayo to our red velvet cakes and any kind of chocolate cakes. So just take my word for it; it works fabulously. The process may seem tedious, but it is well worth the work, as long as you are organized. Start with three separate mixing bowls... one large and two small. In the large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients until it is a complete cohesive mixture. In one of the other small bowls, whisk together the wet ingredients until it is smooth and well incorporated. Lastly, prep the mix-in bowl by tossing the shredded cheddar, sliced scallion, crispy bacon bits, diced jalapeno, and minced cilantro in a little bit of AP flour. This will help the mix-ins to remain evenly dispersed throughout the cornbread, instead of sinking to the bottom. And now the best part happens... the bacon cooking part, #butofcourse. Fry an entire pound of bacon until super crispy in a large, deep cast-iron skillet. After the bacon has fried, strain the fat through a fine mesh sieve to remove it burnt, black bits from the bottom of the pan (make sure to rub down skillet with a paper towel to make sure there is no residue remaining. After that process, pour the bacon fat back into the skillet and return it to medium-high heat. Allow it to almost reach it's smoking point before pour in the cornbread batter, making sure to even spread and smooth out the batter, so that it fills up the whole pan. Cook for a few minutes until the edges begin to bubble and cook slightly. Afterwards, take that bacon fat-soaked-fried cornbread skillet and place it onto a baking sheet and cook it until you can insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean. After pulling it out of the oven, let it chill for 5-10 minutes before inverting it onto a cutting board and slicing it into pieces. I suggest your serve your cornbread with a softened high-quality butter or even a compound butter made with fresh cilantro or candied bacon or pepper jelly. This cornbread is the bomb... it is super moist, yet still has the desirable crumbly cornbread texture, while also having a spicy kick, a toasty cheese taste, and the smokey bacon flavor. Make sure to eat this cornbread while it is still hot and the butter is stilling melting on your slice of cornbread, yummmmmmm!! Enjoy :)

 

For the Cornbread:

1lb Thick-Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon

3 ½C AP Flour

1C Yellow Cornmeal (preferably coarse ground, we like Anson Mills)

2T Baking Powder

¼C Sugar

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper + Fleur de Sel, To Taste

2 Spoonfuls of Mayonnaise (for added extra moisture)

1-2T Honey

2C Buttermilk, Freshly Shaken

4 Medium Eggs, Lightly Beaten

2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Melted & Cooled (you can brown it to if you like, but we didn’t)

1 Lime, Zested

8oz Crystallized Aged White Cheddar, Shredded (but any high-quality aged cheddar will do)

½C Sliced Scallions

2-3 Jalapenos, Minced (depending on your heat preference)

2-4T Fresh Cilantro, Minced (depending on your preference)

High-Quality Butter or Compound Butter, For Serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get out your cast iron skillet.

2. For the Bacon: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and fry the bacon slices until they are all quite crispy. You do not want them to be chewy because when they are baked into the cornbread, they bacon bits tend to get soggy and you want crispy nuggets of gold. After you have fried all of the bacon, strain the fat through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Wipe out the skillet, in order to remove any black, burnt bits from the bottom of the pan (because that won’t taste to good at the end). Pour the strained bacon fat back into the rubbed-down skillet and let it sit there while you make the cornbread.

3. Beginning the Cornbread: In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, fresh cracked pepper, and fleur de sel until a cohesive mixture is formed. In another small bowl, plop in the two spoonfuls of mayo and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in the honey, buttermilk, beaten eggs, the melted (and cooled) butter, and the zest of one lime. We don’t want no scrambled eggs in our cornbread, y’all (so be careful with hot butter).

4. Prepping the Mix-Ins: Grate the crystallized, aged cheddar into large shreds. Add it into another small mixing bowl. Slice the scallions and add them to the cheddar bowl. Dice the fresh jalapenos and add them to the same bowl as well. Finely chop of the super crispy bacon until they resemble (slightly-larger) bacon bits and toss them into the bowl. Lastly, mince up as much fresh cilantro as you like and lastly add that to the mix-in component bowl. Add in a couple tablespoons of AP Flour into the mix-in bowl and toss all of the ingredients around, so that they are all lightly coated in the flour. This will help the mix-ins to remain evenly dispersed throughout the cornbread, instead of sinking to the bottom.

5. Finishing the Cornbread: Using the large mixing bowl of dry ingredients as the starting point, pour in the small mixing bowl of the wet ingredients. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't please DO NOT over-mix or it could become quite dry + crumbly. Lastly, add in the flour-tossed mix-ins by gently folding them into the batter, just until everything is combined and mixed throughout. Set this aside and get that bacon fat skillet ready.

6. For the Bacon Fat Fried Cornbread: Reheat the bacon fat in the cast iron skillet to medium-high heat until it is almost to its smoking point. Once it has reached that point, slowly pour or spoon in the loaded cornbread batter into the hot bacon fat. It should begin to sizzle and pop… this a good thing and what develops the most delicious crisp crust. Just make a concerted effort to spread out the cornbread, so that the whole pan is filled. Fry the bread just until the edges begin to bubble and cook, about 3-5 minutes, depending the size of your skillet. Place the hot skillet onto a baking sheet (this will help keep any drippings of bacon fat that might spill over while cooking) and place the whole thing into the preheated oven. Cooke the cornbread for 45 minutes to an hour, making sure to check the cornbread at the 30 + 40 minute mark with a toothpick for doneness (so it doesn’t get overcooked).

7. Serving the Cornbread: Once the cornbread it cooked thoroughly through, remove it from the oven and use a knife to run along the edges of the skillet to loosen up any stuck sides. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, just so it can chill a bit. After settling, invert the cornbread out of the skillet and onto a cutting board. Cut the bread into cake-style slices (we hade about 12 generous slices of cornbread at the end). Serve the cornbread with softened, high-quality butter (or even a cilantro compound butter or candied bacon butter, um yum) for even more flavor! Enjoy while it’s still hot and the butter begins to melt on each slice! 

Caramelized-In-Bacon-Fat Peaches with Bleu Cheese, Serrano Ham, White Balsamic Reduction Drizzle, + Fresh Herbs

Caramelized-In-Bacon-Fat Peaches with Bleu Cheese, Serrano Ham,
White Balsamic Reduction Drizzle, + Fresh Herbs

It's peach season, y'all! And thank gawd for that. Ripe peaches are practically religion down in the southeast. We use them for just about anything... cobblers, salads, on crostini, flavored lemonade, infused sweet tea, as toppings on pizza, and even in a savory capacity, like these caramelized peaches. It is the perfect side dish during the summer. What makes this recipe so mouth-watering? Well, let's just start from the beginning... they are caramelized in bacon fat (another southern staple), and then finished in the oven where they are caramelized with sugar and scented with fresh rosemary. After they achieve the dark, caramel-y color that you desire, you take them out of the oven and start assembling these sort-of-kinda "peach salads". Drizzle the tops of the caramelized peaches with some of the sweet + sticky + tangy white balsamic reduction. Now onto the matter of the bleu cheese... any kind will really do, but I especially like a soft, silky bleu cheese that will soften some while they sit on top of the warm peaches. Don't like bleu cheese, that's fine too! I'm sure that a creamy goat cheese would be a lovely compliment to the other ingredients! So spoon that sticky, yet delicious cheese into the center of the fruit and pile on a heap of shaved serrano ham. If you can't find serrano, prosciutto or country ham would work just fine as well! I love to finish these bad boys off with a little bit of fresh basil + minced chives because it gives the dish some herby elements that counteract all the sweetness and savoriness that is going on in the dish. We served our peaches with a pepper jelly glazed, BBQ rubbed, grilled pork tenderloin (I will post the recipe for that soon), and it was the perfect compliment to the hearty meat. I think this would absolute perfection for a dinner party with friends or just to whip up on a sunny weekday!! Enjoy :)

For the White Balsamic Reduction:

¼C White Balsamic Vinegar

1T Honey

For the Caramelized Peaches:

2T Rendered Bacon Fat

4 Large, Semi-Ripe Peaches (cut in half + remove the pit)

1T Granulated Sugar + 1T Light Brown Sugar

¼t Smoked Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

For Topping the Peaches:

1t of Bleu Cheese (per peach half… we had about 8 halves)

Shaved Serrano Ham (country ham or prosciutto may be substituted)

Fresh Basil + Chives, Minced

Red Pepper Flakes, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a bowl, mix together the sugars.

2. For the White Balsamic Reduction: Add the white balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook to reduce for 5-10 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Set this aside until ready to use.

3. For the Caramelized Peaches: Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add the rendered bacon fat. Once melted, reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the cut-side up of peaches with half of the sugar mixture, the salt and the pepper. Place them cut-side done in the skillet, tucking the rosemary in between. Cook for 5 minutes, or until cut sides are caramelized and golden. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on the un-cut side of the peaches. Drizzle a bit of bacon grease (1-2 teaspoons) over the peaches, then place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip the peaches so they are cut-side up. Roast for another 5-10 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, discarding the rosemary.

4. Assembling the Peaches: Place the caramelized peach halves onto a plate and put a piece of blue cheese into the center, followed by a drizzle of white balsamic reduction and a mound of shaved serrano. Garnish the top with fresh basil and chives, along with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and some more balsamic reduction. Enjoy with a glass of white wine.

inspired by: sugar roasted peaches

Creamy Brie Mac n' Seven Cheese with Toasted Breadcrumb Topping

Creamy Brie Mac n' Seven Cheese with Toasted Breadcrumb Topping

There are a few dishes, in life, that we are constantly searching for "the best" of. I've done it many times, mainly with my chocolate chip cookies, tinkering with it just ever-so-slightly until perfection has been attained. I also do it with southern pimento cheese, fudgy brownies, and mac n' cheese. People rave about Martha Stewart's recipe, but although it was great, it was still missing something. But the other week, I came across this idea to use BRIE in the mac n' cheese. OMG I love Brie. I love it plain, I love it on sandwiches, I probably would eat it off the ground (if no one was watching). So, to toss something so utterly creamy & smooth into mac n' cheese, I just thought it was stunningly brilliant. A simple Béchamel sauce is made, but then is amped up with sharp white cheddar, fontina, havarti, gruyere, + parmesan cheese. That's a full cast of characters, y'all!! Ain't nothing wrong with that. I love this mixture of cheeses because they all are different in taste and texture (or melt factor, as I like to call it). Every single one plays a crucial role in this pasta dish, so don't leave one out... ya'hear. On top, I put some homemade breadcrumbs with butter and garlic. This gives the dish a great contrast of texture as well. All who tried this mac, raved about it. Especially my two year old niece, who can sometimes be picky. So all you mommies out there, this is kid friendly, yay. Anyway, make this now, while it's still super chilly outside and enjoy a big bowl of it by the fire. It'll be the perfect night!! Enjoy :)

creamy brie cheese + toasted breadcrumbs, yum :)

For the Topping:

3T Unsalted Butter

2 Cloves of Garlic, Finely Minced

1 ½C Toasted Bread, Pulsed into Bread Crumbs

For the Béchamel:

4T Unsalted Butter

¼C AP Flour

1C Heavy Cream + 2C Warm Milk

¼t Mustard Powder, Cayenne, Salt, & White Pepper

For the Mac n’ Cheese:

1lb Small Pasta (elbow, corkscrews, shells, etc)

1C Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

1C Fontina Cheese, Shredded

1C Havarti Cheese, Shredded

1C Gruyere Cheese, Shredded

6oz Brie Cheese, Rind Removed + Cut into Small Cubes

½C Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al-dente. You want it to have a bit of bite. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain well.

3. For the Béchamel: While the pasta boils add 3 tablespoons butter to a medium skillet and melt. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds then throw in the homemade breadcrumbs and toss to coat.

4. Toast the crumbs for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Once the crumbs are lightly toasted remove form the heat and set aside.

5. In the same pot you boiled the pasta, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook/bubble for 1 minute, stirring once or twice to avoid burning. Gradually whisk in the milk and raise the heat up to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently until the sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in all of the cheese, mustard powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese is fully melted. Stir in the pasta and transfer to the prepared baking dish.

6. Evenly sprinkle on the toasted crumbs and place the baking dish on a baking sheet.

7. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the crumbs are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the heat and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing Bread Pudding with Sausage, Apples, + Caramelized Leeks

Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing Bread Pudding with Sausage, Apples, + Buttered Leeks

Do y'all absolutely hate me?? I'm guessing that's the case... and I sincerely apologize. Blah blah blah, I know. I've been missing from the count and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. That means blogging... regularly. So you probably have sooooo many questions--mainly why have I been MIA. Well, with the launch of my Etsy store, Haute + Heirloom, I have been slam-damn-packed. LIKE SERIOUSLY Y'ALL. If you haven't gotten the chance to check the store out, then please head over. I'm excited to announce that it has taken off and been uber-popular :) Yay, go me!! But today, I'm back... with a way-overdue recipe from Thanksgiving. I know, it's shameful, though it's far too delish not to share. This would be the perfect substitute for stuffing at your Christmas dinner table, so it's totally relevant. To get started, it's a play off of the popular holiday dish, but slightly different, because it is transformed into a savory bread pudding. Savory bread pudding is relatively new to the scene, mainly due to the fact that we all associate bread pudding as a sweet recipe. But y'all, don't fear it--embrace it!! It's my jam. Really. And to only make the situation better, the stuffing/bread pudding is loaded with cornbread, buttered leeks, sausage, caramelized apples, wine, fresh herbs, and a creamy custard. All of the components are soaked and baked until the middle is soft and smooth, but crusty and cooked throughout. I love the texture so much here. Sometimes stuffing/dressing can be far too dry or far too wet, this is substantial yet pillowy. You know what though, it's even better the next day!! Yes, it's very true... I love to slice up some of it, toss it in a french toast batter, and then fry it until golden brown & crispy. A french toasted-bread pudding-stuffing cake... OMG, melt in yo mouth. So, c'mon y'all, you gotta try this stuff, especially because I'm posting a recipe for the most killer Thanksgiving Club sandwich tomorrow. Don't wet your pants in excitement!! Enjoy :)

sliced up + ready to be french toasted :)

crispy fried sage

Oh just the most ridiculous Thanksgiving Club Sandwich

see dem layers??

You're gonna wanna piece of dat.

For the Thanksgiving Cornbread Straffing:

4C Stale Cornbread, Cut into 1-inch Cubes

4C Stale French Bread, Cut into 1-inch Cubes

2C Stale Crusty & Chewy Italian Loaf, Cut into 1-inch Cubes

1C Leeks, Cut into ½-inch Thick Slices (white & light green parts only)

2T Unsalted Butter

1T Olive Oil

1lb Ground Sausage (regular, spicy, or sage flavored sausage can be used)

2 Chicken & Apple Sausage Links, Cut into Small Cubes

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter

1 Large Vidalia Onion, Chopped

2 Ribs of Celery, Chopped

2 Granny Smith Apples, Diced (you can leave the skin on or peel it off)

2T Maple Syrup

5 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1C White Wine

2T Fresh Sage, Minced

2t Fresh Rosemary & Fresh Thyme, Minced

1T Fresh Parsley, Minced

¼t Turmeric, White Pepper, & Paprika

5 Large Eggs

2C Chicken Stock (depending on how moist you liked your stuffing, you could add 1C more)

1 ½C Heavy Cream

1C Whole Milk 

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with Pam. Set it aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cubed cornbread, French bread, and Italian bread.

3. For the Caramelized Leeks: Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the 2T butter. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove the caramelized leeks into the bowl of cubed bread.

4. In a deep sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the ground sausage, making sure to break it up into small pieces and brown it well until completely cooked through. Remove the crumbled sausage by straining it from the fat in the pan, onto a paper towel to cool (making sure to leave the rendered fat behind to sauté the vegetables). Melt the stick of butter in the same pan and add in the chopped onions, celery, and apples, seasoning with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes or until translucent or caramelized. Drizzle the maple syrup over the sautéed vegetables and toss in the minced garlic. Continue to cook, over medium heat, until the garlic softens slightly and becomes fragrant. Carefully pour in the wine, add the herbs and seasonings, and cook to reduce the liquid by half, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Pour this mixture into a bowl, along with the cooked sausage and bread.

5. Meanwhile, in another bowl, whisk together the eggs with the stock, heavy cream, and milk. Place the tossed, cubed bread into the prepared baking dish, making sure it’s an even layer and that each bread is mixed throughout. Distribute the vegetable-sausage mixture over the bread cubes, tossing well. Pour the liquid mixture over the bread (tossing a little to mix it well). Sprinkle the top with a little salt and pepper, if needed. Let the bread pudding soak for at least 3 hours, but can be soaked overnight and baked the next day.

6. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, and then remove the foil, and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the dressing is cooked through and the top is crispy. Keep warm until ready to serve.