So much better than stovetop…. Cornbread dressing (from scratch) is something that has been served at every Brookes’ Christmas and Thanksgiving feast that I can remember since I was a little girl. I decided that, like pretty much every recipe I inherited from my mom, that I could make it better. I guess it’s a pride thing. So this is similar to Mom’s recipe, only BETTER. She probably won’t agree. Again, it’s a pride thing. Kinda runs in the family.
For corn bread dressing from scratch you need to prepare ahead of time just a bit. For my family, I make a small batch, so if you are hosting a big party, double it.
First, I make a 9’”x9” pan of corn bread. I crumble it up after it’s cooled and let it go a little stale which could be anywhere from 1-3 days. If you live in a dry climate it’ll take less time.
Here is my recipe for dressing cornbread, which is different than my usual sweet cornbread that I make if we are going to smother it in butter and just eat it plain.
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, beaten
Mix all the dry ingredients thoroughly, then make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Mix just until blended. Like any bread mixture, do not over-stir this. It should be a little lumpy. Place in a greased 9”x9”, bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes.
If you can’t let it dry for a day or two beforehand, break it up after cooling and then toss it back in the oven heated up to 250 F for another 20-30 minutes or until the crumbs are dry and toasted.
This should make just about 5 cups of corn bread crumbs for the dressing.
Then you need:
1 medium-large onion, chopped
4-6 of the innermost celery stalks *with leaves, finely chopped, leaves minced
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper, or more if you prefer
1tbsp baking powder
1 can of Cream of Chicken (celery will also go nicely if you prefer)
2 cups chicken or turkey broth
In a frying pan, take the stick of butter, melt it down and lightly sautee’ the celery and the onion. Cook them until they begin to turn translucent.
Mix the seasonings, broth, baking powder and soup in a bowl. Add the sauteed vegetables *with* all of the butter. Stir these ingredients WELL! Then, quickly mix it up with the corn bread, don’t over stir this part. The corn bread should be just barely mixed with the wet ingredients. Place in greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, until the top is a beautiful golden brown.
3sisters1cookbook 