Brown Rice Sausage, Apple Stuffing Cakes
Yield: 24 cakes

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and broken up
1 sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
1 pound mushrooms, slice thinly
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup chicken or vegetable stock
Salt, to taste
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup finely chopped or shredded green apple
½ cup milk
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet, heat butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and the sausage begins to brown.
3. Add in mushrooms, celery, and carrots and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes. Add in garlic, thyme and sage and cook one more minute, stirring constantly.
4. Add dry white wine and cook until liquid has reduced by half.
5. Add in chicken stock and simmer for 5-7 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half. Season with salt, then turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
6. In a large bowl, mix together cooked brown rice and apples. Add the sausage and vegetable mixture into the rice bowl and gently stir together.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Pour over the stuffing mixture and mix well.
8. Grease a muffin baking tray and fill each with a heaping spoonful of the stuffing mixture. Bake 25 to 28 minutes until tops begin to brown. Serve hot with cranberry sauce.