Prep apples, leeks, onions, celery, and garlic. Place the vegetables into individual plastic bags or air-tight containers and store them in the fridge. I also typically bake the cornbread a day or two before. I roughly crumble the bread, place it into a zip-lock storage bag, seal it, and place it into the fridge until I am ready to use it.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place a skillet over medium-low heat with 3 tbsps of evoo; when the oil is hot, add the leeks and onions and saute until the onions are opaque. Add the celery and garlic and continue until the celery is softened. Be careful to maintain a low heat to avoid browning or scorching the mixture. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the mixture to a bowl, set aside.

Adjust the heat to medium-high and place the skillet back on the stovetop; add the sausage to the skillet and cook until browned. Use the slotted spoon and transfer the sausage to a bowl or plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess grease.

Add the cornbread to a large buttered baking dish; I used a 15-inch x 10-inch x 2-inch casserole dish. Mix in the apples, leeks, onions, garlic, and sausage. Add the poultry seasoning, sage, smoked paprika, and chopped parsley.

Add sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.

In a small bowl, add the chicken broth and eggs and whisk.

Next, drizzle the chicken broth and egg mixture over the stuffing and thoroughly mix to combine.

Dot the stuffing mixture's top, sides, and corners with unsalted sweet cream butter cubes.

Cover the pan with foil, place on the oven's center rack, and cook for 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is golden brown, in about 12-15 minutes.

Use an instant-read thermometer; the internal temperature of the stuffing should be 165 degrees.

Serve warm.