Sourdough Stuffing With Pears and Sausage

From Cooking Light November 2005.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 8  cups  cubed  sourdough bread
• 1  lb turkey sausage
•  cooking spray
• 5  cups  chopped onions
• 2  cups  chopped celery
• 1  cup  chopped carrot
• 1 (8 ounce) package  pre-  sliced mushrooms
• 2  cups  cubed peeled bartlett pears (2 medium)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  chopped fresh basil
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh tarragon
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups  reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Arrange bread ina single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 9 minutes or until golden. Place in a large bowl.
3. Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage, and cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add sausage to bread cubes, tossing to combine. Set aside.
4. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; saute 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in mushrooms; cook 4 minutes. Stir in pear, basil, tarragon, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until pear begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add pear mixture to bread mixture, tossing gently to combine. Stir in broth and pepper.
5. Place bread mixture in a 13x9-in baking dish coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake stuffing an additional 15 minutes or until top of stuffing is crisp.