13X9 pan prepared
cornbread
1/2 loaf white bread
2 onions, chopped finely
1 bunch celery, chopped finely
1 stick butter
2 TBSP poultry seasoning, or to taste
2 TBSP sage, or to taste
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp pepper, or to taste
Drippings from the turkey, as much as possible
Chicken stock, if necessary
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
One of the best things about a holiday dinner is the dressing. Everyone has their own favorites, and ours is a pretty simple version of the classic Southern style - with cornbread.
Methods/steps
Starting a day or two ahead, dry out the cornbread and white bread. The drier it is, the more it will absorb the flavors we will put in it. You can do this by putting it on a pan in the oven at 175 degrees F, for about 6 hours, stirring it every so often, and crumbling it up. It’s done when it’s dry.
Crumble into small pieces.
Cook the onions and celery in the butter. Set aside. (Can be done ahead of time and refrigerated.)
About an hour before the turkey is due to be ready, combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Beat the eggs and milk in a separate bowl, and add them. Add onion and celery mixture, then your turkey drippings. Supplement these with chicken stock if necessary. You should have enough fluid that the bread is soaking it all up and you can form a ball with the mixture. Place in a large baking pan.
Bake at 375 degrees about 45 minutes to an hour. The top should brown a bit.