A savory holiday fruit and nut stuffing

Family Features

When deciding which dishes to serve this year at holiday gatherings, consider going beyond traditional recipes and use beloved seasonal ingredients in new ways.

Pecan Apple Stuffing

Nonstick cooking spray

1 pound mild Italian sausage

1 tablespoon olive oil or pecan oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 celery stalks, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

12 ounces herb-seasoned cubed stuffing

2 cups tart apples, chopped

11/2 cups pecan halves

1 cup chicken broth, plus additional (optional)

11/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oven to 350. ∞ Grease large casserole dish or 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In large skillet, brown sausage, breaking into crumbles. Drain on paper towels. Discard excess grease.

In same pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Saute onions, celery and garlic 2-3 minutes, or until starting to soften and fragrant.

In large bowl, mix sausage, onion mixture, stuffing cubes, apples and pecans.

Add broth and stir to combine. If stuffing mixture remains dry, add additional broth as desired. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine.

Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes.

Source: American Pecan Council

Pecan-Crusted Prime Rib with Horseradish Cream Sauce

Horseradish Cream Sauce:

1 cup low-fat sour cream

1/4 cup horseradish, grated

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 lemon, juice and zest only

2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely sliced

Kosher salt, to taste

Fresh black pepper, to taste

1 boneless prime rib roast (8-10 pounds)

1 tablespoon, plus 1/4 teaspoon, kosher salt

2 teaspoons fresh black pepper, plus additional for pecan topping

1 cup raw pecan pieces

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 garlic cloves, divided

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided

To make Horseradish Cream Sauce: In small bowl, combine sour cream, horseradish, mustard, lemon juice and zest, and fresh chives; add salt and pepper, to taste. Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead of time and refrigerated.

Season prime rib with 1 tablespoon salt and pepper; let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

To make pecan topping: Heat oven to 325 F. In food processor, process pecans, rosemary, thyme, breadcrumbs, butter, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon mustard, remaining salt and pepper until combined. Set aside.

Cut small slits in fatty side of prime rib; stuff with remaining garlic. Rub remaining mustard over top of prime rib and apply pecan topping, making sure to press firm.

Transfer prime rib to roasting pan. Place rib roast in lower-third of oven, insert digital probe thermometer in middle and loosely cover top of prime rib with foil so pecans don’t burn. Cook 11/2 hours, remove foil and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 120 F.

Allow prime rib to rest covered 30 minutes so juices can redistribute. Serve with Horseradish Cream Sauce, if desired.