Old Fashioned Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:

1 pan of baked yellow cornbread (9”x13” size)

2 T. butter

1 c. celery (diced)

1 c. onion (diced)

1/8 tsp. garlic powder or minced garlic

1 to 2 T. sage (or to taste)

3 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. parsley flakes

Turkey or chicken broth*

1/2 to 1 c. drippings from baked turkey

Directions:

Cool and crumble cornbread and set aside. Heat oven at 375 degrees.

In saucepan melt butter over medium heat, add celery, onion and garlic powder, sauté until vegetables are partially cooked. Remove from heat. If using Homemade Turkey or Chicken Broth, heat to boiling.

In large mixing bowl or deep pan, add cornbread, sautéed vegetables, sage, poultry seasoning, black pepper and parsley. Stir thoroughly; then pour in some of the broth a little at a time, lightly tossing the dressing. Add drippings from the baked turkey and toss the dressing until very moist. If needed add more broth.

Lightly spoon into 9” x 13” prepared (cooking spray) baking pan. Do not pack dressing in pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly brown. While baking if dressing seems too dry, drizzle more broth over the top of the dressing. Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes

Suggestion: To save time purchase a large bag of Pepperidge Farms Cornbread Stuffing mix, then follow directions in recipe.

Tip: Never “whip” or “beat” the dressing as you can end up with cake batter texture. Never pack down the dressing while putting it in the baking pan. If you do, your results will be a hard clump of dressing. Not good.

*Homemade Turkey or Chicken Broth:

2 T. butter

1/2 c. celery (diced)

1/2 c. onion (diced)

1/4 c. carrots (chopped)

2 tsp. parsley

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

Turkey legs, thighs or whole chicken

Water

In large stock pan place melt butter, add celery, onion, carrots, parsley, salt and black pepper. Saute over medium heat until onion is translucent, but not brown. Add meat and fill with water leaving room at the top. Simmer over low heat for 3 or 4 hours, making sure there is plenty of water. When meat is falling off the bone, remove from heat. Remove meat, then using a strainer pour broth through strainer into a deep pan or bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use in dressing.

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