Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage, Apples & Cranberries

I have always LOVED cornbread stuffing, but until recently I didn't know how to make it. I've tried several recipes, but this year decided to develop one of my own.

Ingredients

1 package fresh cranberries (rinsed & chopped)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I used one Gala & 1 Granny Smith)
1 cup cider
1 8X8 pan of cornbread, cooled & crumbled
1 pound pork breakfast sausage
1 stick butter
3 cups water

Directions

1. Soak cranberries & apples in cider for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
2. Cook sausage in a skillet, stirring frequently and crumbling the meat with a spoon, until it is well browned and no longer pink. Add sausage to the stuffing bowl and stir everything together. Add apples, cranberries with their liquid. Mix thoroughly. In a small saucepan, melt stick of butter. Add 3 cups water and stir. Pour this liquid into the stuffing mixture and combine thoroughly.
3. Store in the refrigerator for up to two days before cooking, or freeze up to a month in advance. I don't like to stuff my turkey. I bake the stuffing at 350, in a covered casserole dish, for 40 minutes. If you like your stuffing browned, cook it uncovered.