Southern Cornbread Dressing

Well now, this is a southern staple at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners.  My family loves it and always wants leftovers.  If it suits your fancy - give it a try.  It's delish!  :-o

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SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSING

11 x 14 pan
solid crisco or lard or vegetable oil
self rising cornmeal (white) - package mix - 1 1/2 - 2 recipes
6 eggs - added to cornmeal recipe
6 cooked biscuits - added to cooked cornbread
poultry seasoning - add sparingly and then taste before adding more if needed
milk - amount as cornbread recipe directs
yellow onions - I use at least 2 large onions
celery - 4 to 5 stalks diced
Swanson Chicken Broth - Large
salt and pepper to taste....I add just a tad of garlic

Bake cornbread first
Grease pan with solid crisco
Prepare cornbread as recipe directed except add the extra eggs; melted butter; a small amount of bacon grease
Set cornbread aside to cool
Cover cornbread when cool

Put turkey on to bake. Seasoning inside and out. I add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and the tiniest bit of garlic. Place a large brown paper bag, that has been cut to fit over the turkey,  and reaches the top of the baking pan.  Bake as directed.  I usually bake the turkey 30 minutes more than directed.

Now, the dressing:

Crumble turkey and biscuits, add broth from turkey, let cool a bit. Then mix with fingers, adding drained onions, and celery. Taste, add seasoning - small amounts at a time, add swanson chicken broth, if needed. When desired consitency is reached, should be fairly firm "feeling" and and wet, (although not soupy), or dressing will be dry.

Bake at 400 and watch carefully. 30 - 45 minutes..if your oven does not cook quickly you may want to up the degree to 425.

Let cool and....Enjoy!

Sandi Hagan, 12/12,2009 (recipe adapted from my Mom and Aunt Martha Jane's recipe)