by Karen Frazier

Yes – I know it’s after Thanksgiving, but some people turn around and make stuffing again at Christmas. Plus, I didn’t want to offer you a stuffing/dressing recipe until I’d tried it out on my own. That way, if it was terrible, we all would have all had disastrous stuffing on Thanksgiving. It wasn’t – it was tasty.

• 8 ounces pancetta, cubed
• 16 ounces bulk sage sausage
• 2 tablespoons paleo-friendly fat (coconut oil, duck fat, etc.)
• 3 onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 6 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 apples, chopped (optional)
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cups almond meal
• 6 rosemary sprigs, stems removed and chopped
• 6 sage sprigs, stems removed and chopped
• 6-8 thyme sprigs, stems removed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
• 3 eggs, beaten

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large pot on medium-high heat, cook the pancetta and sausage,stirring occasionally, until browned, about five minutes. Remove the pork from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside in a large bowl.
3. In the pot with the fat from the pork, add the paleo-friendly fat and cook until it melts.
4. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about five minutes. Remove from the vegetables from the fat with a slotted spoon and add to the bowl with the pork.
5. In the same pot, add the celery and apples. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about five minutes more.
6. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Add the entire contents of the pot (including the fat) to the bowl with the other vegetables and the pork.
8. Add the almond meal, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix well.
9. Spread the mixture in a large casserole. Bake in the preheated oven for one hour.

Tips:

1. Try replacing the apples with about a pound of chopped mushrooms.
2. To quickly chop the herbs, put them all in a food processor and pulse for about 10 one-second pulses, or until well chopped.

photo credit: Stuffing at the ready via photopin (license)