This is my very favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving!! I love it raw best of all. You will find NO EGGS in this dressing. I grow fresh sage and I think it makes a world of difference in the dressing. If you don't have fresh sage, dried is fine. Just be careful to not get too carried away, sage is a very strong herb. You don't want Grinch colored dressing do you??? Here is the recipe for our dressing.
2 pans of homemade cornbread (recipe will follow the dressing recipe)
2 loaves of homemade white bread (the only time we eat white bread)
1 bunch of celery-chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
4 yellow onions-diced
1 pound of butter
2 quarts of broth (can be chicken or turkey)
Salt and pepper to taste
Sage to taste
1 large bowl for mixing
Break cooled cornbread and white bread into chunks. Sauté celery and onions in the pound of butter. I know sounds like a lot of butter but you are making a lot of dressing. Yes, a lot.... Makes me feel better anyway. Once fork tender add to breads. Heat broth to a slow boil. Add broth a ladle at a time, being sure to stir each ladle full. Make sense??? Once dressing is the consistency of moist bread add salt, pepper, and sage. Stir very well. Now comes my FAVORITE part... The tasting. I cannot wait to taste... Okay back to the recipe. Season to your taste. Some people like it really peppery; I am one of those and others like a lot of sage. It is up to you. Place in baking pans, of course I use 9x13 baking pans. Bake at 425' until crusty. Should have a crust on top and be moist inside. I also like to bake some in the turkey. Just be careful. Remember cold dressing into a cold bird. I let my dressing sit in the fridge overnight and then stuff the bird. Always use a thermometer . Now on to the cornbread recipe.
Cornbread
6 cups of WHITE CORNMEAL (not yellow or a mix)
2 T baking powder (I use Rumford brand)
1 cup of powder milk
3-4 cups of warm water
Mix all of the ingredients together until well mixed. Bake in 2 well-greased cast iron skillets. You can use a heavy bottom-baking pan. You just crusty cornbread.
Bake at 425' until golden brown and crust. This usually takes 30-45 minutes.
Hope you try it!
