Sausage and/or Mushroom Stuffing by Roger

Roger, a friend from work, gave me this recipe. It’s so good, why wait until the holidays? This delicious recipe requires drying out the bread for 3 days. Sounds like too much work? No way! Once you taste it, you’ll be hooked.

1 Giant Loaf Wonder Bread
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh, minced parsley
1/2 tsp. sage
1 packet dried chicken broth
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
4 celery stalks, diced – (I dice the leaves, too)
1 lb. portabello mushrooms OR
1 lb. uncooked crumbled sweet Italian sausage

3 days prior to making stuffing, take 3/4 of a Giant Loaf of Wonder Bread and put in a large paper bag. Add the spices. Fold the top over to close, and shake bag to mix. Place in a closet, or cupboard, or just out of the way for 3 full days – minimum.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil. Add onion, celery and garlic. Saute for 10 minutes. If you are using mushrooms, add them now, mix to warm and remove from heat. If you are adding crumbled sausages, add them now and cook for about 15 minutes – or until browned.

Place paper bag on counter next to a large bowl. Take bread out of bag and break into small pieces into large bowl. Gently add pan ingredients to the bread and add 3-4 cups water, a cup at a time, and mix gently, but well. Let stand covered for 5 minutes, then stuff your bird. OR place into prepared baking dish and cook for about 30 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I’m not real big on the sweet & sour thing, but these meatballs are divine. I served them with some rice pilaf and green beans, and we barely had leftovers.


1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk or half-n-half
3/4 cup bread crumbs (seasoned is ok)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt + 1/4 tsp. added later
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork (OR all pork OR all beef)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1 can cranberry sauce (whole or not)
1/2 cup of your BBQ Sauce (I use KC)
1 green pepper sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup cold water
1 Tbsp. cornstarch


Crack the egg in to a large bowl and beat; add all the ingredients up to the meats and mix well. Add the meats and mix well. Shape into small meatballs and set aside. Place the oil in a large skillet that you have a lid for and heat. Add the meatballs and brown for 5 minutes on each side on medium heat. Drain off the fat.


Combine the cranberry juice and the can of cranberry sauce with the BBQ sauce in another bowl. Add 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt and a dash of black pepper. Pour this slowly and evenly over the meatballs. Add the sliced peppers. Bring this to a boil, cover and simmer 30 minutes.


Blend the cold water with the cornstarch then slowly add to the simmering meatballs while stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. It will become thickened. Serve.

Sausage & Potatoes

This is mixed together in one pan and roasted. Great for cooler weather.

8 links sweet Italian sausages (or a mix of hot & sweet)
6 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut
1 large onion peeled and sliced
Heaping Tbsp. of minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice each sausage into 1/2 inch slices and toss in pan. Toss in potatoes, onion and garlic too. Sprinkle the olive oil and salt & pepper over everything. Mix up well with your hands. Place in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Pork Chops II

This second pork chops recipe is oven baked because I use much thicker cuts than I do for the Pork Chops I recipe. These are truly moist and mmmmm, good. We have them with Stove Top brand stuffing and of course, apple sauce.


6 slices bacon (Bacon Bits are fine)
6 large pork loin chops
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
2 apples, skinned and sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup cold water
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, fry the bacon till crisp then drain and crumble the bacon. OR, add about 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil (NOT olive oil) to the pan and let it get hot.


In the bacon grease or in the hot oil, brown the chops on both sides for about 5 minutes each. Place them in a baking dish, sprinkle to taste with the kosher salt & pepper. Holding the peeled apple over the pan with the chops in it, with a small knife, just slice off chunks and drop onto the chops, then sprinkle all over with the brown sugar. Set aside.


Add the flour to the grease/oil in the skillet and stir over med-high heat for 1 full minute. Add the water, vinegar and poultry seasoning and cook until thickened – this will only take about 2 minutes. Pour over and around the chops, then sprinkle the crumbled bacon or bits over top. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or a tad more if the chops are super thick.