My favorite part of holiday meals is the dressing. I use my variation of my mom's dressing, which is, of course, her variation of my grandmother's. That's the way it works down South, folks.
Cornbread Dressing
1-2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 package celery, washed and finely chopped
1 stick butter
Saute in a large skillet on low heat until soft and clear, but not browned.
In a large bowl, break up the following:
1 pan of cornbread plus several pieces of stale light bread (any kind of bread will work)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 handful of fresh sage, chopped finely
Add the onion mixture along with the following:
1 to 1-1/2 quarts boxed chicken stock
At this point, taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings. It's not a good idea to do this after you've added the eggs.
Add
3 - 4 eggs
Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Place in a large buttered casserole dish (at least 9 x 13) and bake at 350 degrees until set. Usually, this takes 45 minutes - 1 hour. Using muffin pans cuts the baking time, but not by much. The dressing should be lightly browned. Avoid over-cooking: dry dressing is one of life's great disappointments.
By the way, the best way to cook a turkey is the way my friend Cheryl taught me. Take one thawed breast, put it in a crock pot, add 1 stick of melted butter and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4. I'll be hard-pressed to ever roast another full bird. Or better yet, buy Honey Baked brand ham and smoked turkey. That way you can concentrate your culinary efforts on the dressing!
