Randy's Delicious Crock Pot Stuffing

Total Time: 5 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup mushroom, slice or whole if they are small
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons fresh sage
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon marjoram, optional
• 2 tablespoons fresh savory
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 (8 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 -4 italian sausage, mild to hot, optional

Recipe

• 1 for the bread -- around christmas, thanksgiving, easter etc you can usually buy the "stuffing bread" from some of the grocery stores. use 2 loaves of this if you can get it along with a half loaf of good medium rye bread, and a half loaf of sourdough bread as well -- all mixed together (it makes a fair bit of bread crumbs but remember they reduce). cut your bread up at least the night or day before and let it sit out to dry up. if your bread is too fresh, your stuffing will be a little more mushy.
• 2 if you can't get the "stuffing bread" that's fine, just use the rye, the sourdough, and a couple of nice farmers . you don't want to use an italian loaf as they tend to be too airy and light, the stuffing becomes mush. you can even add a box of stove top (or some other brand) of stuffing mix with your bread. i do this and mix it with my bread crumbs while they dry.
• 3 also, it is best to use fresh herbs. when you do however, don't be light on their usage -- go by the smell, when it smells like it should taste, you have the right balance. don't hesitate to taste it along the way, and add more or less of the herbs as it cooks. the most important herb is the savoury -- don't skimp on this one. use the amounts listed above as a minimum if you are using dry, but if using fresh herbs be generous, i typically use almost a cup of fresh sage, about half a cup of thyme, and almost a cup of the savoury too.
• 4 now you're ready to begin:
• 5 sauté sausage until it is almost cooked through, breaking it up like hamburger. add some of the butter, about 2 or 3 tablespoons at this point then add the celery to the sauté pan when the sausage is about half way cooked. now add the onions and the garlic to the sauté pan when the sausage is almost all the way cooked, then add the mushrooms at this point as well -- once everything is in and the onions are beginning to soften and become opaque you can add the rest of the butter and let it melt in -- finally add parsley just before it is done and fold it through the sauté mixture.
• 6 remove the sauté mixture from the heat and set it aside to cool a little.
• 7 beat eggs, add soup, baking powder, sage, pepper etc -- (all the rest go in here).
• 8 add broth -- stir -- mix well.
• 9 grease crock pot really well -- this is very important as it will stick to the sides.
• 10 with the crock pot about 3/4 full of the bread mix, add the sauté mix, and stir it all together. you can add some more of your bread after the sauté mix has been stirred inches now add the broth mix and stir it all together. again you can add more bread and continue to stir together, adding bread (until you run out, or don't want to add any more) and stir until it all seems nice and moist.
• 11 cook on high for 1 hour to start , then reduce and cook on low 4-5 hours -- stir every 30 to 45 mins and make sure you run the wooden spoon along the edges of the crock pot to avoid the sticking. taste test as you go, and add more spices and herbs to taste.