CHICKEN AND DRESSING...OH, IT'S HOLIDAY WORTHY!

Hello Loves....
today, we are going to be talking about the holidays....yes, you read this right.....
THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS!
It has been the hottest June and July on record here and 
I will honestly say, I do not like triple digit days......
so, I have so enjoyed watching 
Christmas in July on QVC and browsing
my cookbooks for new ideas for the holidays!

Our Thanksgiving table will be full of family
this year and we could not be more excited!
Last year, my cornbread dressing was not as good
as I had hoped for, and I vowed to make this year's
taste out of the world good!
I could tell on the first taste, that
the cornbread did not have the right flavor....a bit on
the sweet side which threw off the savory taste I needed.

After doing some research and reading,
I have learned that the best corn meal to use
is a fine ground white cornmeal and I found
this product from the great state of Alabama.....
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BRAND!
I ordered mine from Amazon!
The recipe is actually an EGG BREAD
which many southern cooks use for their dressing!
I have found there is a definite taste difference
in which brand of cornmeal you use.
I love learning new facts about cooking and baking,
even though I have been preparing food for many years!

1 1/2 cups fine-ground white cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

 Mix the cornmeal, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Stir the milk into the beaten eggs and pour over the dry ingredients in batches, stirring vigorously to make a smooth glossy batter.

Cut the butter into pieces and put in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or baking pan (Put the skillet in the preheated oven and heat until the butter is melted and foaming. Remove from the oven, and swirl the butter all around the skillet to coat the bottom and sides thoroughly. Pour the remaining melted butter into the cornbread batter, and stir well until the butter is absorbed into the batter.
Turn the batter into the heated skillet, and put in the oven to
bake for 30-40 minutes, until cornbread is golden brown and
crusty on top and pulls away from the sides of the skillet.

Now, for the broth.
I cleaned out the freezer in order to use
some chicken thighs and wings I had stored away
for a previous dinner my son had prepared,
which proved perfect for making a rich homemade
chicken broth.....make sure they have the skin and bones for your broth.
Add celery, onions and carrots when boiling the chicken
for a lovely, rich broth.
This will make a huge difference in your dressing!
After you strain the chicken and vegetables, drain the liquid
through a colander and discard the vegetables.
Then pick the chicken from the bones and discard the remaining
bones and skin. 

And, you must have homemade cranberry sauce for a delightful
side dish....again, left over frozen cranberries were used.

I use Paula Deen's recipe for the dressing and it is the best around.

This turned out beautifully.

Our home smelled like Thanksgiving.....
it was a lot of effort, but the results were so worth it!
The darling gave high praises and ate two platefuls!!!

A dinner fit for the Queen, and to think, I was
just attempting to clean out the freezer!
Rather proud of this one!