Holiday Stuffing/Dressing

This is my girl's family recipe, like her grandparents made and her mom continues to make. Plenty to stuff a 16 lb bird. Originally wrote it down in 2008, while her mom was making it at home.

Makes a large mixing bowl full, probably 12-15 servings, maybe more!

2 bags of Pepperidge Farms Herb Seasoned Stuffing (Note: 12oz? Cubbinsons comes in two 6oz bags, so 12oz?)

3-4 apples, any kind of RED apple (Gala), peeled and rough chopped

2 medium brown onion, chopped

1/2 bunch (5 stalks?) celery, chopped

1 lb of large white mushrooms, rough chopped, about 12-15 count, stems removed (NOTE only had 8oz in 2010)

1 lb Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage

3-4 eggs

2 sticks of butter

Dried basil (maybe 2 tbsp?)

Dried oregano (maybe 2 tbsp?)* (during Thanksgiving 2009, her mom said she never uses oregano, that she only uses ROSEMARY, never oregano)

Dried parsley (maybe 2 tbsp?)

Fresh thyme, parsley, sage chopped (maybe 1 tbsp of each)

2 cans chicken broth

Bell's Seasoning, about 1/2 box

Lot of pepper

No salt (stock, stuffing mix and other has salt already, Jackie doesn't add salt)

Instructions

(I've changed them slightly from the original version, to make it easier to do).

1. Pulse stuffing mix until small dice, like breadcrumb. Set aside in large bowl.
2. In batches, grind celery, apple, onion, and mushroom in the food processor until uniform.
3. Add both cans of broth and eggs to food processor. Add all fresh and dried spices except Bell's. Pulse some more. Add to breadcrumb bowl.
4. In a large skillet, melt butter and brown the sausage in it.
5. Pour entire butter/sausage mixture over stuffing.
6. Add boiling water (probably 2-4 cups) and stir to combine to moisten the mixture.
7. Knead, squeezing thru your fingers to make sure there are no lumps and mixture is uniform and even, 3-5 minutes.
8. Add Bell's seasoning, "until it smells right". She used approx 1/2 of a new box.
9. Add more warm water to make the mixture very moist. At night it will be very wet, because it will soak up water.
10. Should look as wet as a meatloaf. Sprinkle a little Bell Seasoning over the top.
11. Bake at ?? for ??. (Most everything is cooked except the egg, so shouldn't take too long).

My girl's mom (Jackie) stuffs it in the bird, bakes the leftovers.