Country Cornbread Dressing - Ma Maw's Recipe

In our house on Thanksgiving day you can guarantee that Ma Maw's Cornbread dressing (not stuffing) will be on the table.  This dressing is moist, delicious and so easy to make. 

I wanted to post a few recipes that I prepared for Christmas Dinner. The first one is my husbands Ma maw's Country Cornbread Dressing. Her dressing is so good, so moist and so addicting. I look so forward to it every year. For me it just wouldn't be the holidays without her cornbread dressing.

I always make Ma maw's dressing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Her dressing is the bomb!! I don't know why we don't make it throughout the year instead of just around the holidays. I really need to fix that.

This recipe makes a full 9 x 13 inch pan, but if it is just us four for dinner, I prepare an 8  x  8 inch pan. I always prepare a full recipe and just make two 8 x 8 inch pans and freeze the second one for another chicken, turkey or pork chop meal.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does and my neighbor, I wont mention her name, you know who you are!!!!! Let's get started on the step-by-step recipe and instructions. 

A day before you prepare the dressing bake the cornbread. 

Let cool and cut into cubes. Cut up the biscuits or toasted bread as well. Spread on a large baking sheet and place on the counter to dry out a bit (about 24 hours). 

On the day of preparation using a large bowl add the dried cornbread and biscuits or bread and set aside. Saute the chopped apple, onions and celery in 1/2 cup of butter until translucent, shiny, and the butter has cooked down some. 

Add the vegetable mixture to the cornbread. Add the cream of chicken soup, beaten eggs and begin adding the chicken broth start with one can and, add more as needed. You want the mixture to resemble the consistency of cornbread batter. 

It usually doesn't take more than 2 - 14 oz cans. If adding a boiled egg to your dressing chop and add that at this point.Add all the spices and make sure to blend everything together really well. Don't break up the cornbread too much you want some cornbread & biscuit chunks.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for about 45 - 55 minutes or until the dressing is cooked through and jiggles just a bit. The dressing will continue to cook as it cools. Insert a knife and it should come out clean.

Make sure not to overcook the dressing or it will be dry. The dressing should be brown around the edges and dry on top and very lightly golden brown. Let cool and serve.

I started cooking my dressing in my new Crock Pot Casserole.. I love it and I love how the dressing turns out. Prepare the dressing according to the directions. Spray your casserole crock pot with non stick spray and the dressing. Cover and cook on high for the first hour then reduce to low and cook for an additional 3 -4 hours. 

Remove the lid and test the dressing with a toothpick or butter knife. Insert and it comes out clean the dressing is done. It should giggle just a bit because it will continue to cook as it cools. This recipe pictured is chicken and dressing, but it's still my country cornbread dressing with just a whole cooked chicken added. 

Yield: 8-10

Author: Tina Butler | Mommy's Kitchen

Ma Maw's Country Cornbread Dressing

In our house on Thanksgiving day you can guarantee that Ma Maw's Cornbread dressing (not stuffing) will be on the table. This dressing is moist, delicious and so easy to make.

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 55 MinInactive time: 24 HourTotal time: 25 H & 40 M

Ingredients

• 1 - skillet cornbread, baked & crumbled (approx 8 cups)
• 1 - cup chopped celery
• 1 - cup chopped onion
• 2 - 14 oz cans low sodium chicken broth or use homemade
• 1 - 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
• 2 - eggs, beaten
• 3 - biscuits, crumbled or any type of bread, toasted and cubed
• 1 - small granny smith apples (finely chopped)
• 1 - 2 teaspoons sage, to your taste
• 1 - 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, to your taste
• salt and pepper, to taste 
• 1/2 - cup (1 stick) butter

Instructions

1. A day before making the dressing prepare and bake the cornbread, let cool and cut into cubes. Cut up the biscuits or toasted bread as well.
2. Place on a large baking sheet and let the cornbread & biscuits or bread sit out to dry on the counter (about 24 hours).
3. Add the cornbread and bread into a large bowl and set aside. Sauté the apple, onions and celery in 1/2 cup of butter until they're translucent, shiny, and the butter has cooked down some.
4. Add the vegetable mixture to the cornbread. Add one can of cream of chicken soup, the beaten eggs and begin adding the chicken broth start with one can and add more as needed. You want the mixture to be the consistency of cornbread batter. It usually doesn't take more than 2 cans of chicken broth.
5. Add all of the spices and mix everything really well. Don't break up the cornbread to much you want some cornbread & biscuit chunks.
6. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for about 45-55 minutes or until the dressing is cooked through and jiggles just a bit. The dressing will continue to cook as it cools. Insert a knife or toothpick until it comes out clean.
7. Make sure not to overcook the dressing or it will be dry. The dressing should be brown around the edges and very light golden brown on top

Notes:

To Freeze Dressing: You want to freeze the cornbread dressing unbaked. After pouring the dressing into a greased pan. Cover with plastic wrap and then double wrap with aluminum foil. Date and place in freezer. To cook remove from freezer and completely thaw and continue to bake according to recipe directions.

Chicken & Dressing:  If you would like to make chicken and dressing just rinse, remove giblets, neck, and liver from inside of the chicken. Rinse and pat dry. Boil the chicken for 2 hours or until done. De-bone and break the chicken into smaller pieces. Add the chicken to the cornbread dressing and mix to combine. Spray your casserole dish and add the dressing mixture. Bake as directed according to the recipe. 

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