Homemade Breakfast Sausage

1 lb. ground pork, minimally processed and additive free
1 tsp. sugar OR
1 1/2 T. real maple syrup, OR PANCAKE SYRUP
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. sage
dash paprika

Mix well with spoon or hands and form into patties and fry, or brown and crumble.

Sausage Stuffing

This is by far my most requested Thanksgiving recipe. The smell of the bread alone is reason enough to go the extra mile and make it from scratch. If you are not an "herby" person, you can half the amount of thyme and sage. The sausage just makes it special. Nobody passes this stuffing up. EVER.

Homemade stuffing bread (1 loaf makes one 9x13 casserole):

1 c. warm water
3 c. flour
1 T. sugar
1/2 T. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 1/4 tsp. (or 1 package) instant dry yeast
2 T. butter, cut into 4 pieces

I use my bread machine, and add these ingredients in order. If you don't have a bread machine, mix ingredients in a mixer, knead, and place in greased bowl. Cover lightly and let rise until double. Punch down, knead, and shape into loaf. Place in greased bread pan and let rise again until double. Bake at 375, 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool, wrap, refrigerate or freeze.

Stuffing:
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. chopped green onions (yellow onions work, too)
3/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 loaf stuffing bread, cut into cubes (easiest when cold)
1 lb. MSG-free chicken sausage (Adelle's Chicken Apple, Isierno's Chicken Breakfast sausage are great) OR one recipe BREAKFAST SAUSAGE (which is the best IMO)
1 c. chicken or turkey broth

If using breakfast-type sausage, cook and brown. Cut into small pieces. If using cured links (like Adelle's), simply dice into small pieces.

In skillet, cook and stir celery and onion in butter until tender, not wilted. Remove from heat. Place bread and sausage in a large mixing bowl. Gently mix in celery mixture.

Butter 9x13 baking dish. Add stuffing mixture. Evenly pour chicken or turkey broth over all. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

*If you wish to use regular bread, just stir thyme, sage, onion powder, and pepper into celery mixture and toss with cubed bread.

Wild Pineapple Rice

2 c. wild rice
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 T. butter
1 T. oil
1 t. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 c. pineapple juice
1 c. water

Saute wild rice, celery, and onion, salt, garlic, and pepper in butter and oil over MED HI heat. As rice begins to brown, stir constantly for three mins. Add liquids, cover, and when boiling resumes, take off heat. Allow to sit until rice has absorbed all the liquids and is fluffy with fork.
Delicious served with Brown Sugar Salmon and steamed or grilled vegetables.

Garlic Sweet Potato Mash

This is a combination of creamy mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, seasoned with mellow, buttery garlic. The flavors are out of this world together, and the sweet potatoes bulk up the nutrition value. Great with gravy, or without.

6-8 baking potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed
2-3 large sweet potatoes or yams
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1/3 c. butter
1 c. milk
2-3 t. salt, more as needed
black pepper as desired

Peel sweet potatoes. Cut all potatoes into thirds. Cover with water in large pot. Add garlic cloves. Bring to boil and cook until tender, testing with fork. Drain. Do not discard garlic pieces. Using potato masher or hand mixer, mash potatoes slightly. Add butter and milk. Stir, allowing butter to melt. Mash further until creamy, or desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly. Taste. Adjust seasoning.

Pecan Yam bake

This is from my sister, Shelli Larson. It is a Thanksgiving hit. Everyone wants to be sure somebody is bringing this dish. Why not have a little dessert on your plate, right next to the turkey, and before pie time?

3 c. cooked yams
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Turn oven on to 375°. In mixer, blend yams, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Spread evenly in buttered 9 x 13 casserole dish.

1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. pecans

Mix sugar, flour, and salt in small mixing bowl. Cut in butter and mix in pecans. Sprinkle over top of yams. Bake for 30 minutes, or until knife in center comes out clean.