1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons dry cooking sherry
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups chicken broth
12 ounces Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup dry quinoa, cooked
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, sauté the Italian sausage and fennel seeds until the meat is thoroughly cooked, breaking the sausage with a wooden spoon into bite-sized pieces while cooking. When finished cooking, place the sausage on a plate.
Add the vegetable oil to the sauté pan, and over medium heat, sauté the fennel, onion, and celery until softened for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and then add the mushrooms, sherry, and garlic powder. Sauté until the mushrooms have softened and shrunk in size, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and vegetables to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, take off heat and add the stuffing mix, parsley, and lightly mix. When the stuffing is moistened throughout, add the Italian sausage and cooked quinoa.
Lightly oil a 9 by 13-inch pan with oil. Add the stuffing mixture, cover with foil, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community