A is for Amazeballs Apricot Stuffing

I am sure you are scratching your head at this title of this post but seriously, this is my all time favorite stuffing ever. My mom has made it for years and while she has tried to deviate from time to time she has always gone back to making it this same way (probably because I throw a royal two-tear-old style fit). I absolutely LOVE this stuffing to pieces. When I made it last year I froze the extras in so I could defrost it for use later. The stuffed pork loin I made a few months later was absolutely AWESOME and as you know (from Mondays post) it is also great for stuffed acorn squash as well.

What seriously gets me about this stuffing is the complex mix of sweet and savory.  It is a timeless classic brought to you by Silver Palate, one of those 90s era cook books that was a staple in my mom’s kitchen.  That cook book is to date one of my most favorite ever. While I don’t own a copy myself, I love perusing through my mom’s whenever I am at home.

The Silver Palate’s Grand Marnier Apricot Stuffing

1 C  dried apricot

1 ½ C Grand Marnier

1 C butter

2 C chopped celery

1 large onion, chopped

1 lb bulk sausage

1 lb herb stuffing mix

1 c slivered almonds

2 C rich chicken broth

½ tsp dried thyme

S&P

Place apricots in 1 C of the Grand Marnier in a sauce pan, bring to a boil and then remove from heat and set aside. Melt ½ C of butter in a skillet and sauté celery and onion for 10 min. Remove veggies from pan and allow to cool in a large bowl. Use the same pan to cook the sausage making sure to crumble it and cook until there is no longer any pink left. When fully cooked, add to the veggies in the bowl. Add the stuffing mix, apricots with liquid and almonds making sure to stir to combine. Heat the remainder of the butter and stock until the butter is melted. Pour over the stuffing mixture and add the remaining ½ cup of GM. Stir to moisten and season with thyme, salt and pepper.