38. Cornbread Dressing

I didn't learn until this year, the difference between stuffing and dressing. But now I know.

And though this was good, I think I'm more of a stuffing girl. But I do promise, this was good.

I went to work, my husband made lots and lots of cornbread. When I got home that nice I diced up mushrooms, onions and celery.

Early Thanksgiving morning I got up to begin prep. Popped oil & salt coated mushrooms in to the oven.

Browned up some breakfast sausage.

Cooked up the onions, celery and brown sugar.

Popped open a bottle of wine for the dressing, and to enjoy a little later.

I added all three types of bread to my giant bowl. Cubed french bread, sour dough bread and corn bread. Added the sausage and vegetables, then mixed with the chicken broth.

Fresh chopped parsley. Yum. Mix and you're ready to cook.

We love stuffing the bird and that's exactly what we did. Doesn't he look cute?

The rest was put in to a pan and cooked for 30 minutes until browned.

Oh that turkey turned out so handsome! We really need to cook another for no reason.

Cornbread Dressing

adapted from The Pioneer Woman

16 ounces, weight White Button Or Crimini Mushrooms

4 Tablespoons Canola Oil

½ teaspoons Kosher Salt

3 dozen cornbread muffins, Cut Into 1-inch Cubes

1 loaf French Bread, Cut Into 1-inch Cubes

1 loaf Sourdough Bread, Cut Into 1-inch Cubes

½ pounds Italian Sausage

1 medium Onion, diced

1 bunch Celery, diced

5 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1 cup White Wine

½ teaspoons Kosher Salt

32 ounces, fluid Low (very Low) Sodium Chicken Broth

1 teaspoon Ground Thyme

½ teaspoons Turmeric (more To Taste)

2 teaspoons Rosemary, Leaves Minced

½ teaspoons (additional) Kosher Salt

Black Pepper To Taste

Fresh Parsley, Minced

Allow diced bread to sit out on cookie sheets for several hours or overnight, until dried out.


Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Wash mushrooms thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Chop, toss in a bowl with canola oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread mushrooms over baking sheet and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven when mushrooms are deep brown. Set aside.

In a large skillet, crumble and brown sausage over medium high heat. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside. Without cleaning the skillet, add in diced onions and celery, brown for five minutes. Increase heat to high and add brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until deep golden brown.

Decrease heat to medium and pour in wine (be careful if you’re using an open flame). Stir and cook to reduce liquid by half, about two to three minutes. Pour onion mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Return skillet to medium heat (again, without washing) and add thyme, turmeric, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Heat for a few minutes, then set aside.

Add bread to a large bowl, then add browned sausage, mushrooms, and onion mixture (and juice that might have accumulated.) Next, add broth mixture gradually as you toss the ingredients, being prepared not to use all of the liquid according to your taste.

Check seasonings at the end and add in minced parsley. Pour into a large baking dish (I used an iron skillet) and bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.