2. Doze in sunshine (Tank).
3. Watch documentary on Monty Python and work a bit more on the kimono-style sweater for Miss Mallory, while stuffing/dressing/pudding bakes, before going off to workout (me).
4. Realize the obvious: Miss M's sweater will *not* be completed by Christmas evening. The best hope is for December 30th completion date thereby making it the last completed project for 2011.
5. Go workout so that one may eat 1/3 of one's body weight in delicious bread pudding at dinner.
*The recipe was from Epicurious with the trial-run at Thanksgiving. The recipe below is my adaption, and quite frankly, it's even more delicious. (I also had to remove the milk component due to my body's dislike of anything dairy from cows; there's not enough butter per serving in this recipe to hurt me, luckily, so it's still included.)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound pork bulk sausage
1 pound andouille sausage
2 cup diced celery
1 large white onion diced
8 apples (various kinds) diced peeled cored
2 bay leaves
2 lbs total of French bread loaves, 1-inch cubes with crusts
2-3 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
Add sausage; sauté until cooked through and brown, breaking into pieces with spoon, about 8 minutes.
Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large sheet lined with paper towels.
Add celery and next 6 ingredients to drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Discard bay leaves. Drain mixture of any leftover drippings in a sieve. Place on another large sheet with lined with paper towels.
Combine apple mixture with sausage in large bowl.
(This portion may be made a day ahead. Cover; chill. Just be sure to reheat to lightly warm before continuing with the other directions.)
(I changed the cooking temp and time below from the original, too. I cooked it longer and slower.)
Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Add bread to sausage mixture.
Whisk 2 cups of the broth, and melted butter in bowl to blend. Mix into stuffing; season stuffing with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs; transfer to prepared dish.
Bake uncovered until cooked through and brown, about 45-55 minutes.
Remove from oven, allow to stand 15 minutes before serving.
Try not to make obscene noises while enjoying it. (Okay, this is also added by me.)
**If you like stuffing with less moisture, add only 1 cup of broth. Adjust as you deem necessary.
