Cheddar Biscuit and Sausage Dressing

Soft, sturdy cream biscuits are the basis for this incredibly flavorful side dish stuffing, aka dressing. The biscuits may be made several days ahead and allowed to sit out at room temperature, and the dressing may be made 1-2 days in advance with absolutely no loss of flavor or texture.

By Marge Perry & David Bonom

Yield: 10-12 Servings

Ingredients

Biscuits:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking Powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (about 1 cupa) extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3 cups heavy cream

Sausage Dressing:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups Vidalia or other sweet onions, chopped
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups low sodium chicken broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425F.
To make the biscuits: combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the cheese and stir to combine. Pour in the heavy cream and stir until moistened. Drop 16-18 quarter cupfuls of batter onto a large nonstick baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake in the center of the oven until the tops are lightly browned, 19-21 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
Reduce the oven to 350F. When the biscuits are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1-inch pieces and arrange in a single layer on 2 large nonstick baking sheets. Bake until toasted, about 25 minutes, rotating the pans up and down and front to back after 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook, breaking it into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the bowl with the biscuits. Return the skillet to the stove and melt the butter. Add the onions, mushrooms, celery, sage and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and all the liquid has evaporated, 24-26 minutes. Stir mixture into the biscuits along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the broth. Transfer to an Anolon Vesta Stoneware 3-Quart Oval Au Gratin baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, in the center of the oven until the dressing is heated through and the top is browned and crisp, about 28-30 minutes.