Sage and Pecan Dressing

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove to a large bowl, leaving the oil and drippings in the skillet. Add the onions and sauté over medium-high heat for 2 minutes; add the celery and continue cooking until the onions are translucent. Add the onions and celery to the sausage. Mix in the apples, water chestnuts, pecans, sage, eggs, broth, wine and cayenne. Stir in the cornbread and French-bread crumbs. If the mixture is too dry, add more broth. (If needed, extra broth can also be added to the dressing during baking.) Transfer the dressing to a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Serves 8.