Good Southern Dressings

Insomnia! Why am I awake, having coffee with Mae Mo and

 writing about the dressing for Thanksgiving?

Too much to think about and ponder. You know that feeling of a relocation I talked about earlier? Perhaps it is in the very near future....we shall see what unfolds in our life's journey. Anyway, The Divine Miss M and I were discussing "the dressing" for the holiday meal. Of course, my Mother made the most heavenly dressing there ever was. She also made Oyster Dressing for Daddy...it was simply his favorite! We always bought the oysters from Castigliola's in Jackson. The aroma was scrumptious. We also never referred to "the dressing" as stuffing! I don't even like that term. I have tried over the many years to do Mother justice in making the dressing, but somehow I don't think it compares. However, my children love it and never want me to change it up, so to speak. Miss M is having "loads" of family in for the Holiday, so she thought about trying a new dressing recipe. She wondered about putting cranberries and apples in her recipe,but we both decided we prefer a more savory taste. Miss Judy did make a recipe from Southern Living many years ago, which had sausage and pecans in the dressing and it was actually quite good. We had this new version she had made, in addition to Mother's however! So if you would like to serve a good southern dressing this year, these two recipes will sure to please your sweet family and friends! Blessings! Enjoy the warmth of your family and cooking with your heart!

Andouille Sausage Cornbread Dressing

1 cup butter or margarine, divided

3 cups white cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

7 large eggs, divided

3 cups buttermilk

3 cups soft breadcrumbs

2 medium onions, diced (2 cups)

1 large bunch celery, diced (3 cups)

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage

6 (10-1/2 ounce) cans condensed chicken broth, undiluted

1 tablespoon pepper

3/4 pound diced, Andouille sausage

2 Granny Smith apples, chopped

2 cups chopped, toasted pecans

Place 1/2 cup butter in a 13X9-inch pan; heat in oven at 425° for 4 minutes. Combine cornmeal and next 5 ingredients; whisk in 3 eggs and buttermilk. Pour hot butter into batter, stirring until blended. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Crumble cornbread into a large bowl; stir in breadcrumbs, and set aside.


Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions and celery, and sauté until tender. Stir in sage, and sauté 1 more minute. Brown Andouille sausage in a skillet over medium heat; drain.
Stir vegetables, remaining 4 eggs, chicken broth, and pepper into cornbread mixture. Add sausage, Granny Smith apples, and pecans into cornbread mixture; pour evenly into 1 lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish and 1 lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish. Cover and chill 8 hours. Bake, uncovered at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until done.

Southern Cornbread Sausage Creole Dressing

1 cup butter or margarine, divided

4 cups white cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

4 large eggs, divided

3 cups buttermilk

1 (12-ounce) package andouille sausage, chopped

8 green onions, thinly sliced

3 large celery ribs, diced

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 medium-size green bell pepper, diced

1 (8-ounce) package fresh mushrooms, diced

1 cup dry sherry (optional)

2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons Creole seasoning

2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

Place 1/2 cup butter in a 13- x 9-inch pan, and heat in oven at 425° for 4 minutes.

Combine white cornmeal and sugar in a large bowl; whisk in 2 eggs and buttermilk. Pour hot butter into batter, stirring until blended. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and crumble into a large bowl.


Sauté chopped andouille sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add sliced green onions, diced celery, diced onion, and diced green bell pepper to skillet; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Spoon sausage mixture into bowl with cornbread mixture.
Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in skillet; add diced mushrooms, and sauté 5 minutes. If desired, reduce sauté time to 3 minutes, and add 1 cup dry sherry to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until liquid is reduced by half.
Add mushroom mixture, chopped pecans, chopped parsley, and Creole seasoning to cornbread mixture in bowl.
Whisk together remaining 2 eggs and chicken broth; add to cornbread mixture, and stir gently until moistened. Spoon into 1 lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish and 1 lightly greased 8-inch-square baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.


To make ahead: Chill prepared, unbaked dressing in the refrigerator overnight. Let dressing stand until room temperature, then bake as directed.