A Savory Side Dish For All Seasons
Recipe Submitted by: Kari Burkhardt, Whitley Place Resident
Great Grandma Carrie's Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients:
8 cups cornbread
2 Ibs Breakfast Sausage (I use Jimmy Dean's)
2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
2-3 cups of yellow onions, chopped
1 TBSP Sage
2 ½ TBSP Poultry Seasoning
1 TBSP Creole Seasoning
1 tsp Salt
½ cup melted butter
Approx 20oz Chicken Broth
3 eggs slightly beaten
Preparation:
Lightly saute the vegetables in butter.
Cook sausage and drain.
Crumble cornbread, vegetables and sausage together, mix together with approximately 2 cups of broth.
Add seasonings gradually and adjust to taste.
Add eggs and mix well.
Bake at 350 for 50 minutes, in 9x13 baking dish, covered with foil.
Remove and bake another 30 minutes or more if desired.
Tips:
- The sweet cornbread at our local Kroger bakery works perfectly in this recipe!
- Add tabasco for a kick
- For large group, you can add Pepperidge Farm (1pkg) of cornbread dressing.
• Add chicken broth to moisten.
Our family loves a good tradition and this is no exception. Outside of being incredibly delicious, it's a labor of love that gets the whole family involved.
It originates back to my Great Grandma Carrie who I'm named after. My moms earliest memory of this recipe was in 2nd grade. "We would all sit around the table prepping. Everyone had a job-chopping, mixing, sautéing, adding spices, taste
testing. It was fun and brought us all together."
We even have a special large bowl that we mix it in, and 8 years back, my mom passed it onto me.
Nowadays, my own family comes together to make it and my mom will come over and help us taste test it to perfection.
As with any good recipe, it's evolved over the years. In the original version, my Great Grandma Carrie added livers and gizzards, and since most of us would pass on that today, my mom substitutes sausage. It still maintains its integrity in what I would argue is a much more delicious version.
Food brings us together. Some of the best memories are made in the kitchen. Time slows down and we reconnect with the people we love. This recipe will always hold a special place in our hearts because it's delicious, comforting and gives off all the cozy feels.
Sending the warmest wishes to you and your family this year!
*Pictured: My mom and my daughters mixing the cornbread and sausage.