Cornbread, Sausage, Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing

Yield

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1/2	cup uncooked wild rice
3/4	pound (12-ounce package) bulk pork sausage
2	tablespoons oil
2	cups chopped onions
1-1/2	cups chopped celery
1	teaspoon fennel seeds
6	tablespoons butter
1	can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2	package (14 to 16 ounces) cornbread stuffing (4-1/2 cups)*
3/4	cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2	cup chopped parsley
1/2	teaspoon dried sage
1/2	teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4	teaspoon salt

*Six regular-size purchased or homemade cornbread muffins can be used in place of packaged stuffing. The muffins can be store-bought; one bagged or boxed cornbread muffin mix usually yields 6 muffins.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13X9-inch pan. Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and cook 45 minutes until grains have opened; drain and reserve.
Cook sausage in large nonstick pot over medium-high heat, 10 minutes until cooked through, breaking up larger pieces with side of spoon. Use slotted spoon to transfer sausage to large bowl.
Add oil, and heat in same pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and fennel seeds, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl with sausage.
Add butter and chicken broth to same pot and heat over high heat until butter melts. Remove from heat, add cornbread and toss to mix.
To the sausage mixture, add the reserved rice, cornbread mixture, cranberries, parsley, sage, pepper and salt. Toss to mix. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake covered 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 minutes more until top is crisped.