Sausage, Apple, and Fennel Corn Bread Dressing

Ingredients

• Corn bread:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• Stuffing:
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 6 ounces lean, low-sodium smoked turkey sausage, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups diced Granny Smith apple (about 1 large)
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced fennel bulb
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. To prepare corn bread, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, canola oil, and 1 egg in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan; cool completely.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 375°.
4. To prepare stuffing, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add onion and bay leaf; cook 8 minutes or until onion starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Add apple, celery, and fennel; cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper); cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Cool to room temperature.
5. Crumble corn bread into a large bowl. Add sausage mixture to bowl; toss to combine. Add broth and 2 eggs; toss to combine. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until top is crisp and golden brown.