SAUSAGE MAPLE BREAD STUFFING

Lay the bread cubes in a single layer on two baking sheets. Leave out to dry completely, tossing once or twice, for one to two days. (You can do this weeks in advance and just freeze the stale bread cubes until you are ready to use them.) Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375*. In a heavy, 8 qt. stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 5 Tbsp. of the butter over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the sage, thyme and poultry seasoning. Stir the herbs to coat them with the butter and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Stir in the onions and celery and cook, until softened, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, and ham hock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer, until the liquid reduces by one-third, about 30 minutes. Break the sausage up into quarter sized pieces and lay the pieces out on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Let cool, and then chop the pieces of sausage into smaller chunks. Add the sausage to the broth mixture and simmer, just about 5 minutes, to allow the flavors to blend. Remove the ham hock and bay leaves. Discard the bay leaves and let the ham hock cool a bit on the side. Stir the dried bread, several cups at a time, into the broth until all of the broth is absorbed and the bread cubes are well moistened. Stir in the maple syrup, pepper, and the remaining 5 Tbsp. of butter. Once the ham hock has cooled, pick off the meat (if there is any), chop it into small pieces and add it to the stuffing. Season to taste with salt, if necessary. (Depending on the sausage and the ham hock, it may be salted enough.) Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish and, if baking right away, bake uncovered at 375* until heated through and crisp on top. About 20 minutes if freshly made, or 30-40 if made ahead. Can be made up to baking point two days ahead, covered and refrigerated until baking time. Serves 12 ENJOY!