Stuffing Recipe (Dressing Recipe, technically) 1 1/2 pounds bulk Italian sausage 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 ounces pancetta bacon, diced 2 onions, chopped 7 large stalks celery, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 6 cups day-old French bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 3 cups crumbled cornbread 1 1/2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage 1 1/2 tablespoons poultry seasoning 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup toasted pine nuts 4 cups chicken broth 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup butter 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese Directions Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Grease a deep 9x13 inch baking dish or roasting pan. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the sausage. Cook and stir until the sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Place the browned sausage into a large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pancetta begins to brown, stir in the onions and celery, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook another 3 minutes until the aroma of the garlic mellows. Scrape the onion mixture into the bowl with the crumbled sausage. Add the French bread, cornbread, dried sage, poultry seasoning, salt, and pine nuts; stir well. Pour in the chicken broth and mozzarella cheese; stir until the chicken stock has been absorbed by the bread and the stuffing is evenly mixed. Pack the stuffing into the prepared baking dish, and dot the butter overtop. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then remove the foil, and continue baking until the top has turned golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with the fresh sage and shaved Parmesan cheese to serve. *** Not so great for vegetarians but it is yummy for everyone else.

Pulickman, he doesn't like garlic? He sounds a million times harder to cook for than a vegetarian! I put garlic in almost everything. Chi, with over 7 million vegetarians in America, I don't think it's too much to ask to cook one completely vegetarian dish. I think that if you go to the trouble of cooking a vegetarian dish then you should explain to the vegetarian that there is absolutely no meat products, including broth in it. Vegetarians do become skeptical, as there are so many definitions of "vegetarian" (although the original meant simply no dead animal products.) Theresa, that sounds delicious! Publick, someone who doesn't eat garlic sounds a million times more difficult to cook for than a vegetarian! Barnmom, go for it! You don't have to be vegetarian to eat dishes with no meat in them. Skip the fake meat- most vegetarians won't even touch that stuff, let alone meat eaters. Aptosca, I love apple stuffing! This thread has my mouth watering, I'm off to make some right now!

I also make my traditional favorites that have passed on over the years but also add some new trials. I've been making a wild rice, wild mushroom with both cornbread, (a homemade basic but left to dry out a day, or a week before and freeze)) and toasted boule 'croutons' and cubed boule. No eggs. The toasted bread adds flavor without the density. So i make two dressings using some of the ingredients from the original but make one with homemade veg stock and one with chicken stock and lamb sausage. (one vegetarian). Most of my bread comes from the freezer using ends and half loafs from earlier baking. Also remember to toss all together just before baking. Even if prepped ahead. We chop and prep ahead but keep the moist elements separate...even in zip-locks like a kit. The day before i'll have all the sauted veg like the celery onion parsley in a bowl, and top that with all the zip-locked bread, etc. Toss together easily just before baking. All our chopping happens the day or even 2 days before and some sautéing. As well as toasted nuts, Salads dressings, all the mixed roots and veg for roasting tossed in a bit of olive oil...separate bags based on cooking time....never roasted ahead but ready to go....

Eld6161, My chicken broth, that I make, could very easily be made vegetarian, just omit the chicken. You want celery, carrot, onion, garlic, and parsley. I save and freeze the scraps from other meals, but you could just use the whole vegetables. Cover with a good amount of water and simmer for an hour or so uncovered until it reduces. Strain through a sieve and freeze in 1/2, 1, and 2 cups containers. This makes a very mild broth. My dressing is a cornbread and stale sandwich bread dressing. If you want it, I will post. I use oysters, but have left out for grandson who is allergic. Use rice milk for moisture. Some vegetarians do eat fish and some don't. Like others said, by the time you use enough poultry seasoning, extra thyme, rosemary, and sage, that is what you taste. I would probably add some of the stronger mushrooms. What is the one everyone grills whole?