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1
Preheat oven to 325 F.
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2
Cut corn bread into 1/2-inch cubes and in 2 large shallow baking pans bake in middle of oven until just dry, about 20 minutes.
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3
Transfer corn bread from 1 pan to a large bowl and in pan toast pecans in oven until insides are golden, 10 to 20 minutes.
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4
Halve leeks lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
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5
In a bowl of cold water wash leeks well and lift from water into a sieve to drain.
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6
Chop celery.
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7
In a 12-inch skillet cook leeks and celery in butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderately low heat, stirring, until leeks are tender, about 25 minutes.
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8
Remove sausage from casings and break into small pieces.
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9
Add sausage to leek mixture and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through.
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10
In a small heavy saucepan cook cranberries with sugar over moderately high heat, stirring, 5 minutes, or until some begin to burst.
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11
Chop parsley.
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12
To bowl of corn bread add remaining corn bread cubes, pecans, sausage mixture, cranberries, parsley, broth, and salt and pepper to taste and toss together.
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13
Cool stuffing completely.
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14
Stuffing may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
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15
Bring stuffing to room temperature before proceeding.
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16
Any frozen poultry destined for stuffing should be completely thawed, and the stuffing itself brought to room temperature before it's put into the turkey.
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17
Do not stuff your bird the night before you cook it; such a seeming time-saver can have dangerous results.
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18
Instead, it is best to loosely fill the bird's neck and body cavities immediately before roasting.
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19
And always use a meat or instant-read thermometer: The meat is done when the temperature of the thickest part of the thigh (be careful not to touch the bones) reaches 180F.
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20
; the stuffing baked inside the bird is done at 160-165F.
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21
After roasting, let your stuffed poultry stand 15 to 20 minutes, a double assurance that the requisite temperatures for food safety have been reached.
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22
In a shallow baking dish bake stuffing in preheated 325 F. oven 1 hour (for moist stuffing, bake covered entire time; for less moist stuffing with a slightly crisp top, uncover halfway through baking time).
