Reply To: THANKFUL THREAD DAY 1!

[Alys Earley]

My go-to Thanksgiving recipe is an adapted version of a Joy of Cooking recipe:

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients:

· 8 cups cubed fresh cornbread, OR 6-7 cups dried premade cornbread or boxed cornbread stuffing mix (Will need extra liquid)

· 1 pound bulk sausage (Hot or mild, pork or turkey, to your taste)

· 1/4-1/2 cup unsalted butter

· 2 cups chopped onions (I prefer yellow sweet)

· 1 cup finely chopped celery (Ribs removed if you have the time)

· 2 cloves of garlic, minced

· (Optional: Red and/or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced)

· 1/4-1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

· 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh minced sage

· Salt and pepper to taste

· 1/3 to 1 cup chicken broth, to your desired consistency. Remember to use more if you use dried cornbread.

Directions:

· Preheat oven to 400℉.

· Toast the cubed cornbread on a baking sheet in the oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring several times to prevent browning. You may need to do this in batches, don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. (If using dried cornbread, skip this step).

· Place the cornbread in a large mixing bowl. If you prefer a crumblier texture, break the cubes up with your fingers.

· In a large skillet, brown the sausage in small bite-sized chunks. Remove from the pan and rest on a paper towel-lined plate.

· Using either the remaining grease from the sausage or the butter (or both), sauté the vegetables and the garlic together over medium-high heat, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes.

· Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the herbs and seasonings.

· Add the vegetables and drained sausage to the cornbread and mix until well combined.

· Slowly add the chicken broth until the mix is moist but not wet. If using dried cornbread, add a little extra and let it sit to absorb for a few minutes before transferring to a baking dish or stuffing the bird.

· If you are baking this in a separate dish, add a bit more broth. If you also prefer a firmer dressing, mix in 2 well-beaten eggs. (If you plan to stuff a turkey or chicken with this recipe, don’t add the eggs. It won’t cook correctly.)

· Spoon the stuffing into the bird or separate dish.

· Bake in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.

This recipe can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the sausage, or even vegan if you use a vegan cornbread recipe and plant-based butter or oil.

Adapted from: Rombauer, I. S., Becker, M. R., & Becker, E. (2006). Joy of cooking. New York, Scribner.