One year, I had 42 people coming for Thanksgiving dinner, so I had to find a way to make enough stuffing for everyone. I used my mom’s stuffing recipe as a base, but then added cream, apples from our tree and locally made curry chicken sausage, and I baked them in a muffin tray. These little savory bread cupcakes are now a staple of my holiday dinners, and each year when friends and family gather around my table, I hear, “This is so good! What’s the secret?” Of course, I always smile and say, “Love”—love from one mama to another.
Ingredients
- 8 cups white bread cubes
- ¼ cup of butter
- 4 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 white or yellow onion diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 pound of sausage meat—you can use Italian pork sausage, curry chicken sausage, or any sweet or spicy sausage you prefer.
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preparation
If you are making your own bread cubes allow bread to dry out the night before or toast.
Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook sausage meat until browned, breaking apart with a fork. Remove from heat to a medium bowl.
Using the same pan, melt the butter and cook the apples, onion and celery until celery is tender.
In a medium bowl, mix bread, poultry seasoning, parsley and set aside.
In another medium bowl, combine the cream and eggs, making sure the eggs are well mixed. Add sausage, apple, onion and celery to the bread and mix. Incorporate the cream and egg mixture thoroughly, until bread is soaked. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the bread pudding mixture into the muffin tins and bake until set, about 25–30 minutes.
Remove the puddings from the muffin tins to a serving platter and serve.
*Sometimes I sprinkle shredded white cheddar cheese on the muffins; it’s always a huge hit.
About this recipe
Recipe courtesy of Karen Elgersma, Edible Vancouver Island
