Holiday Entertaining...Dressings and Stuffings

We love it…whether you call it dressing or stuffing…almost any kind of dressing makes a meal celebratory.  Purists say it's stuffing in the bird, and dressing in a dish baked alongside.
Myrna and I were raised on bread dressing with lots of sage; and we also like wild rice that is popular in Minnesota.  

But first I’m giving the recipe I learned to like when living in Texas and Georgia…good cornbread dressing.  There are as many recipes for this as there are cooks in the South, but this one is easy and good.
You can give yourself a head start by using cornbread mix, but I like to make my own, it takes only a few minutes longer to measure out my dry ingredients.   I baked my 1/2 recipe right in my covered skillet to save on dishes.  I used dried sage from my garden.  We like it with roast pork, turkey, pork chops, whenever.         

      Sage Cornbread Dressing

4 -5	8-10	Servings
1	2	packages  cornbread mix -- (6-oz.)
2 ½	5	tablespoons  butter
½	1	cup  chopped celery
¼	½	cup  chopped onion
½	1	tablespoon  chopped fresh or 1 1/2 tsp. dried sage
¼	½	teaspoon  pepper
1/8	¼	teaspoon  salt
1	2	Cups white bread -- cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 ¼ -1 ½	2 ½ - 3	cups  chicken broth
1	2	large  eggs -- lightly beaten

Prepare cornbread according to package directions. Let cool 30 minutes; crumble into a large bowl. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add chopped celery and onion, and sauté 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Stir in sage, pepper, and salt.

Stir celery mixture and bread cubes into crumbled cornbread in bowl, stirring gently until blended. Add chicken broth and eggs, and gently stir until moistened.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish (use a smaller casserole or an 8" skillet for the half recipe). Cover and bake at 350° for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cover during last 10 minutes of baking if you want a crispy top.
If you are stuffing a bird, use the lesser amount of broth; if you are baking as a side dish, use all of the broth.

Here's a version of the usual bread dressing that Myrna and I grew up on.

Sausage and Bread Dressing

I found I had to cook the dressing in my covered Weller casserole (inherited from our Aunt Janet), for an hour, not 30 minutes.  I uncovered the dish the last 15 minutes.

12        Ounces  Pork Sausage

  2          Cups  Bread Cubes -- dried

  1          Cup  Celery -- sliced, 2 stalks

  1          Medium  Onion -- chopped
  1          Cup  Pecans – Halves

     1/2   Cup  Raisins  (I used golden)

     1/4   Cup  Butter -- melted

     1/3   Cup  Chicken Broth

     1/2   Teaspoon  Salt

     1/4   Teaspoon  Sage -- crushed

Heat oven to 350°.  In 10" skillet, brown sausage over medium heat; drain off fat.  In large bowl, stir together browned sausage and remaining dressing ingredients.  If stuffing your bird, place any remaining dressing in covered casserole, refrigerate.  Bake during last 30 minutes of meat or poultry baking time, until heated through.  (I found it needed an hour).

And another dressing option:

Wild Rice and Mushrooms