Preheat Oven to 350ºF (175ºC)

• In a large frying pan, add one tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the diced onion and cook for a couple of minutes until it becomes lightly golden brown.  
• Add all the vegetables, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cover. 
• Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. They should still have a slight firmness, not fully cooked.
• In a separate pan, heat another tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the sausage and cook until it develops a dark caramelization and a nice Maillard reaction.
• Be sure to break up the sausage into small pieces and crumbles as it cooks.
• Add the fresh sage, dried fruits, garlic, and cook for a few more minutes. 
• Then, add the pecans, mix well, and turn off the heat.
• In a glass bowl, combine the eggs and buttermilk.
• In another glass bowl, place the bread cubes. Add the cooked sausages and vegetables, and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture over these ingredients and carefully mix everything together.
• Grease your muffin pan with non-stick spray or softened butter. Pack the muffin cups tightly with the stuffing mixture.
• Bake for about 35 minutes until the stuffin muffins turn golden brown and are set.
• Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. 
• Flip them out of the muffin tin.  Serve warm. 
• If making them in advance, allow them to cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature before refrigerating. This helps excess moisture to escape. Once cooled, you can refrigerate them for a few days.

Note on Bread Cubes:The Chef used fresh Italian bread, sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces. He dried them in a 200°F Oven for about 30 minutes and then cut them into small cubes. Alternatively, you can use crumbled muffins, cornbread or even brioche bread.