Let’s kick off the holiday season with a table full of nutritious, tasty recipes that won’t have you in the kitchen all day so you can enjoy time with your holiday guests! Whether prepping each course from scratch or hosting a laid-back Thanksgiving potluck, make-ahead recipes are a great idea for a stress-free party. To increase the nutritional value of your dishes, make sure to use Eggland’s Best eggs. They're the only eggs that provide better taste, better nutrition and better freshness! This easy and delicious recipe I'm sharing can be made ahead of time. You'll see for yourself that a better egg makes for a better recipe!

This time of year also means lots of baking, right? Eggland’s Best eggs actually lead to a better baking recipe as they improve emulsifying qualities! Eggland’s Best eggs are also a natural source of many vitamins and minerals, including Omega-Threes. In fact, Eggland’s Best eggs have double the Omega-Threes than ordinary eggs. Omega-Threes are classified as essential fatty acids because they are important for maintaining good health and the body cannot make them on its own.

By swapping out ordinary eggs for Eggland’s Best eggs, you’ll get superior nutritional benefits with:

• 10 times more vitamin E

• 6 times more vitamin D

• more than double vitamin B Twelve,

• 38% more lutein

• 25% less saturated fat

Independent testing has confirmed that Eggland’s Best eggs stay fresher longer than ordinary eggs due to a wholesome, all-vegetarian hen feed. So a simple swap of just this one ingredient can help fuel your family with superior nutrition throughout the entire holiday season.

This Sausage-Herb-Stuffing with Butternut Squash and Cranberries is the perfect crowd pleasing recipe! I used French bread, sweet Italian sausage, Fall spices and even a little wine along with four Eggland’s Best eggs! The entire blend of all the ingredients make for a savory, succulent and special dish that may just become a family tradition!

Sausage-Herb Stuffing with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 25 min | Yield: 12 servings | Recipe by: Lori Lange, RecipeGirl

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 pounds rustic French bread (sliced or unsliced), cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

• 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms

• 1 1/2 cups 1/2-inch diced butternut squash

• 1 cup sliced shallots (about 4 large)

• 1 cup diced celery

• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 cup dried cranberries

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided

• 4 Eggland's Best Eggs (large)

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

PREPERATION

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.

• Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

• On a large, rimmed baking sheet, bake the bread for about 15 minutes- or just until it is toasted and slightly golden. Let cool, then transfer to a large bowl.Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with nonstick spray.

• Add the sausage to the skillet, using a spatula to break up the sausage into crumbles as it cooks. Cook until no longer pink.

• Scrape the sausage and drippings into the bowl with the bread.In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.Add the mushrooms, butternut squash, shallots, celery and salt. Stir often while cooking- until the vegetables are softened (about 10 minutes).

• Stir in the garlic, sage, rosemary and red pepper; cook, stirring for about 1 more minute. Add the wine and continue to simmer until the vegetables have absorbed most of the wine.

• Scrape the vegetables and all of the juices into the bowl with the bread and the sausage. Sprinkle in the dried cranberries.

• In medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups of the chicken broth, eggs, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.

• Pour it into the bowl with the stuffing ingredients and sprinkle parsley on top. Use clean hands to toss the stuffing with the liquid. You want the bread to soak up as much as possible.

• Scrape the stuffing and any juices into the prepared pan and create an even layer. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth on top and cover the pan with foil.

• Refrigerate for at least one hour. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Let the stuffing sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.

• Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the bread pieces are looking golden and crisp on top. Serve warm.

The aroma of this recipe really fills the room and the colors of the dish make for a beautiful presentation. This can be served in a large pan like this or even in little personal ramekins! Don’t forget to dress the table using Autumn colored napkins and a Thankful jar in the middle for each person to toss in their appreciative thoughts!

One thing I’ll be thankful for is my health and using Eggland’s Best eggs in the recipe will help keep that up for years to come! In fact, Eggland’s Best has been doing just that for long time, they’re actually celebrating their 25th anniversary this year!

To make sure you’re using Eggland’s Best eggs, look for the distinctive “EB” red stamp right on the shell. The stamp itself is also USDA-approved and food safe, which proves how Eggland’s Best cares about all the details from the inside to the outside of each egg. Eggland’s Best eggs are sold in most supermarkets and store across the country - feel free to visit their website for a location near you.

So have confidence this holiday season knowing you’re serving your entire family nutritious, healthy and delicious ingredients in all courses of your meal from appetizers to dessert! If you’re in need of some new flavors this holiday season, visit EgglandsBest.com!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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