This Cornbread Dressing Recipe (or Stuffing), is a huge success every Thanksgiving. But because it’s so delicious, every time I make Cornbread, I prepare a little extra just so I have enough to make this dressing which is great even with roast chicken.
The terms “dressing” and “stuffing” are used interchangeably. In fact, it was first called “farce”, in allusion to lighthearted play that was inserted, or “stuffed”, between lengthy tedious productions, as a treat to the audience and to keep them from becoming too bored.
The first record of “stuffing” in print was 1538, but the use of stuffing goes back to the Roman Empire, where they seemed to stuff almost anything, like chicken, rabbit, pork, and even dormouse. In Victorian England, circa 1880, the term “stuffing” did not appeal to the upper crust, so they decided to adopt the term “dressing” instead. This term came to America with the pilgrims and is still preferred in some places, like the Midwest.
There you have it: cornbread dressing recipe! But by whatever name you wish to call it, it still makes a great dish. And now you also have a conversation piece! 🙂
- 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
- 3 finely chopped celery stalks
- 1 large finely chopped onion
- 12 cups cubed corn bread
- 3 cups day old white bread
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley and sage (about 1 Tbsp each)
- 1 Tbsp crushed dry rosemary
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onions and celery until softened. Set aside to cool;
- In a large bowl, add the cornbread and white bread. Season with salt, pepper and the herbs. While tossing everything together, slowly drizzle with enough broth to make the breads moist, but not soggy;
- Use this dressing to loosely stuff the turkey (this recipe is enough to stuff a 17 lb bird);
- Or you may bake it in the 350 degree oven. Just spoon it into a greased baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.
Variation
- You may add 1 cup of coarsely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.) on step 2, to make this stuffing even richer!
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