Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Standing time: 10 minutes

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

1 pound bulk pork sausage, crumbled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
1½ cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 recipe Cornbread Sticks, crumbled
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1½ cups unpeeled, cored, chopped apples
½ cup minced parsley
3 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
3/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
1 16-pound fresh or thawed frozen turkey
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups low-fat (1% milkfat) milk

Directions

1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat for 5 minutes and transfer to a large bowl. Melt the butter in the skillet, add the celery and onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to the bowl; toss with the corn sticks, stock, apples, parsley, 2 teaspoons of the thyme, the sage, ½ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper, and the pecans if you wish.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Stuff the body and neck cavities of the turkey, then truss. Insert a roasting thermometer in its thigh. Transfer the rest of the stuffing to a buttered baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate.
3. Roast the turkey on a rack in a large open roasting pan, basting often, for 4½ hours, or until a thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 180°F. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, during the last 30 minutes. Let the turkey stand for 10 minutes; carve it, discarding skin. Reserve the pan drippings.
4. To prepare the gravy: In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the drippings over moderate heat. Whisk in the flour, the remaining 1 teaspoon of the thyme, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper, and cook until bubbly. Whisk in the milk; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until thickened.

Nutritional Information: Calories 483, Saturated Fat 6g, Total Fat 19g, Protein 44g, Carbohydrate 31g, Fiber 0g, Sodium 501mg, Cholesterol 135g