Bread Stuffing with Sausage and Chestnuts

1 lb sliced firm white sandwich, French or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (approximately 10 cups loosely packed)
1 1/2 cups chestnuts, boiled or toasted and coarsely chopped
1 lb bulk pork breakfast sausage
2 cups chopped onions
4 - 8 T butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 t dried sage, or 1 T minced fresh
1 t dried thyme, or 1 T fresh minced
3/4 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground clove
1/3 to 1 cup chicken stock

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly toast the bread cubes. Turn into a large bowl. Add the chopped chestnuts.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the onions and cook until the they are soft. Add the butter and let it melt. Pour all into the bowl of bread cubes. Add the parsley, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, nutmeg and clove. Mix together well.

Moisten with a bit of stock at a time until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together. Turn into a large, shallow buttered baking dish. Moisten with the remaining stock. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the top has formed a crust and the stuffing is heated through, 25 to 40 minutes.

Makes enough stuffing for a 14 - 17 pound turkey.

Notes:

This is the only stuffing my Mom ever made. As is typical with Thanksgiving dinners it is the only stuffing I like.