Cornbread Dressing

For me Cornbread Dressing (aka stuffing) is the star dish on our Thanksgiving menu. I can go without the turkey and the pies (please don't make me) but the cornbread dressing has stolen my heart since I was a little girl. This is what I consider to be a true southern style recipe that my grandmother would make for our family every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have only met a handful of people who make it just the way she did ( or as close as it gets).

I know how much my family loves this recipe, not only because it's yummy, but for the tradition that it has become during the holidays and the reminder of our wonderful grandmother, whom we miss very much. Last year I took it upon myself to be in charge of this dish so that we could continue to carry on the tradition of Memaw's cornbread dressing and I look forward to sharing it with our little girl one day.

I spoke with my uncle's girlfriend who helped me to get this recipe as close to my grandmother's as possible. The key to the perfect dressing is to use plenty of chicken stock to keep it moist. I choose to make my own cornbread because that's what my grandmother did but feel free to use a package mix if it works better for you.

Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:
- Approximately 4 cups cornbread, crumbled into small pieces.
- 1- 14oz bag Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing
- 1 Box (32oz.) chicken stock
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 stick melted butter
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 tablespoon sage

Directions:
- Cook cornbread using the recipe below or according to the directions on the package. Cool then crumble into small pieces.

 

 - Saute chopped onion and celery in a skillet with a spoonful of butter

 

-In a large bowl add the cooked onions, celery, Pepperidge Farm stuffing, cornbread pieces, butter, eggs and sage.

-Slowly begin pouring in the chicken stock (about half the container) and mix well. Continue adding the stock, mixing as you pour, until the container is empty. 

-Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 greased baking dish and bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown on top.

 

 

 

 

Basic Cornbread Recipe:

(Recipe from 123 recipes)

 

Ingredients:

- 1 cup all purpose flour

- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

- 1 tablespoon baking powder

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 1 egg

- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a cast iron skillet with cooking spray.

- In a large bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

- In a separate small bowl whisk together the milk, egg and butter. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing only until the batter is just combined.

- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Let the corn bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, invert it onto a rack and let it cool completely.