Ingredients:
4 T. butter
1 1/2 lb. mild Italian sausage, casting removed
2 yellow onions, diced
1 fennel bulb, diced
3 gloves garlic, minced
7 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 t. thyme
1 1/2 t. sage
1/4 c. dry sherry
1 c. peeled and roasted chestnuts, halved (buy them already peeled and roasted at Trader Joe's)
1 package stuffing (12 or 16 oz. box)
1 loaf french bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 T. parsley
3 - 4 c. chicken stock, warmed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large 9 x 14 pan with 1 T. butter. In a large frying pan, cook sausage over medium-high heat until sausage is done, about 7 mins. Cool on a plate. In same pan over medium heat, melt butter and saute onion and fennel about 12 mins. Add garlic, mushrooms, thyme, sage and salt and pepper, about 2 t. each. Cook another 12 mins. Stir in sherry.

In very large bowl, combine sausage, vegetables, chestnuts, stuffing (box of stuffing plus cubed bread) and parsley. Stir in stock 1/2 c. at a time, making sure all bread absorb the stock. Transfer to baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins. Uncover and bake another 25 - 35 mins. This recipe serves 10 - 12.