Like many, last week I was happily enjoying my time getting ready for the holidays until late Friday evening, December 14, 2012, when my husband asked if I had heard of the horrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. I spent the majority of that day feeling under the weather and disconnected from the world. I heard vaguely of a shooting that had taken place but I wasn’t aware of any of the details.
Later that night, when I learned of the horrific loss of innocent children and heroic educators, I cried as I read the news. I knew none of the victims personally, but I didn’t need to. I mourn just as many others in our nation and across the world who are trying to make sense of such senseless violence. We mourn for those who lost their lives, for the families and friends of the children and educators who passed, as well as for the survivors who must find a way to heal and overcome the fear and horror of having experienced something so nightmarish.
As a mother of a young child, an aunt to little children and youth, and a friend to several great educators, I feel tremendous loss and sorrow. I feel great loss for all those who senselessly lost their lives, great loss for living in a society where unimaginable horrors are reality. Like many, I feel helpless, and wonder what, if anything, we could do to help those affected in Newtown. I hope and pray they will one day find solace…
Despite my feelings of sorrow, I am proud, however, to live among other citizens who risk their own lives to protect innocent children from harms way. Like many, I also wonder what, if anything I could do to prevent something so tragic from happening in our own neighborhood. What scares me most is that we cannot control the actions of others, we cannot know what will happen on any given day. What I can do, however, is to be grateful. Be grateful for my children, my husband, my parents, my brother, my family, relatives and friends. I will cherish my children, hold them dear to my heart and love them… love them like tomorrow might not exist.
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As the Christmas holiday approaches, one of the many things I planned was to share a few holiday favorites over the coming days. I hope I can stay focused enough to post all that I’d like to share amidst my being sick, and now my little one sick too.
The first dish is a simple, yet flavorful dressing (or stuffing) that I typically make for Thanksgiving, but there was a time in my childhood where my parents often served turkey with stuffing at Christmas. Our traditions have since changed, but I thought I would share one of my favorite holiday side dishes.
I’ll be counting my blessings this holiday season and praying for all those who have been affected by tragedy.
- 16 cups 1-inch bread cubes, white bread (1½ loaves)
- ¾ pound apple, garlic and chicken sausage, casings removed, chopped
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 cups medium-diced yellow onion (2 onions)
- 1 cup medium-diced celery (2 stalks)
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 2½ teaspoons dried sage
- 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place the bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the bread cubes to a very large bowl.
- In a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the onions, celery, apples, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Add to the bread cubes.
- In the same saute pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Add to the bread cubes and vegetables. Remove from heat.
- Add dried cranberries and toss gently. Pour dressing into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Drizzle chicken stock over the dressing. Toss if necessary. (NOTE: If making stuffing, place bread cube and vegetable, cranberry mixture into the cavity of the turkey and bake.)
- For dressing, bake for 30 minutes at 350º F, until browned on top and hot in the middle. Serve warm.