Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread Dressing 

This recipe is adapted from the New Joy of Cooking's "Basic Corn Bread Stuffing". If your turkey is bigger than 12 lbs., or you're serving more than 8 people, you need to double it.

8 c. cornbread (or a mix of good white bread or whole grain bread - I do 10 c. cornbread cubes and 5 or so cups of other bread for a double recipe)
4 Tablespoons butter or olive oil (half and half for double recipe)
2 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped mushrooms
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped 
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon sage or preferably 1 Tablespoon fresh sage
1/2 t. thyme or 1/2 T. fresh 
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1-2 cups chicken stock
1-2 eggs, well beaten

Heat the oil and butter in a large pot and add the chopped onion, mushrooms, celery, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 15 minutes or more. Cut the heat to as low as possible. Stir in the parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Add the bread crumbs and toss until well combined. Stir in 1-2 cups broth, or until the stuffing is very moist. (I think I end up doing almost 4 cups for a double recipe, not sure.) Stir in the beaten eggs.  (3 is good for doubling)

Spoon the stuffing loosely into the bird. (Do not stuff the bird with hot dressing if you are not going to immediately cook the turkey!)

If you are baking the stuffing in a dish: 
Spread it in a layer 2-3 inches deep in a buttered baking dish. Ladle a little stock or gravy (or turkey juices if you're still baking the turkey) over the stuffing. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 45 minutes to one hour or until lightly browned and crisp on top. 
Bon Appétit!