RECIPE: Pop Culture Mom's "Famous" Cornbread Dressing

As I mentioned in my pre-Halloween blog, we resumed our annual Samhain/Halloween dinner party this year [menu appears at the bottom of this post]. The second most requested recipe was my recipe for cornbread dressing. My pumpkin bread wins first prize for most requested. Since the holidays are coming up, I figured it's a perfect time to share the cornbread dressing recipe. Maybe with enough prodding, I'll share the pumpkin bread recipe, too.

Now, I'm not very proprietary about this recipe. For one, I co-opted it from one of my aunts quite some time ago and have only made a few minor adjustments, so it's not like it's this huge secret or even mine to own [not to mention, it's very close to a recipe I just found online]. For another, I'm not trying to publish a cookbook or otherwise make money off this recipe, so sharing it for free doesn't hurt me in any way [though, if you really like it, feel free to send me $10. J/K. Maybe....]. In any event, I'm so conceited about my cooking that I'm sure no one will make it as well as I do.  All that being said, I'm not going to say what kind of seasoning I use. Anyone who knows me can figure it out in a millisecond, because, well, I put it in everything. Create your own style. I'm also not going to say how much seasoning I use because, well, I don't know. I just keep mixing and tasting until it seems right.

I'm also totally guessing on the cream of chicken and chicken broth, because, again, I never measure. I do know, however, how much I buy at the store. So that's what I'm giving you.

Now with all of that, on to the recipe!

Pop Culture Mom's "Famous Cornbread Dressing and Giblet Gravy


(in action at the party, half gone)

Serving Size: I dunno. Usually the party has 20 or so people and sometimes we have some left over, sometimes we don't. This year I had maybe a spoonfull left over. Feel free to cut the recipe by 1/3 for smaller groups.

Ingredients

 
4 cans cream of chicken soup (personally, I think you can't go wrong here)
1 32 oz. box chicken broth (I like this one)
6 large eggs (or, alternatively 3/4 cup of Egg Beaters and 3 large eggs)
1 cup milk (I use organic skim, but that's because that's what I drink)
1 cup each of onion, celery, and green bell pepper, all diced [yes, I'm Créole; therefore, you need the "holy trinity"]
chicken seasoning, to taste
other seasonings, to taste
(optional) one chicken giblet or neck bone

Instructions

1. Set three eggs to hard-boil. Set aside when done.

2. While the eggs are boiling, use the cornbread mix, three eggs/Egg Beaters and milk to make the cornbread according to the instructions on the Jiffy box.

3. Once the cornbread is done, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and crumble it.

4. Chop up two of the hard boiled eggs and add them to the mixing bowl.  Then add the onion, celery, green pepper, 3 cans of cream of chicken and 2-1/2 cups of chicken broth. Stir everything until well mixed.  Add the chicken seasoning and other seasonings to taste.

5. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350ºF until the top is golden brown (usually 45 minutes for this size; around 20-25 minutes if only making a third of this recipe).

6. FOR THE GRAVY: Slice the remaining hard-boiled egg (including yolk) into slivers. Put the egg slices with the remaining chicken broth and cream of chicken [and chicken giblet/neck bone, if desired] into a medium-sized sauce pan.  Add black pepper and any other desired seasonings to taste. Simmer for five to ten minutes, stirring repeatedly (don't let it boil over). If you added the chicken parts, remove them before serving.

***

Note: None of the brands I recommend are paying me for these endorsements [though, if anyone's looking, CALL ME. Wink]. These are just the brands I always use; and as a creature of habit, I stick with what I know. I know exactly what the taste is using my brands of choice. I make no guarantees for the taste using other brands. Feel free to experiment, and if you find something that works well, let me know!

BTW, here's the menu for this year's party. Minus one major omission in the description of the salad [how the heck could I forget to mention the star of the salad -- bacon!?], this is exactly what we had. I'm getting hungry all over again, just thinking about it.


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