Stuff
A friend just texted me that she needed an emergency recipe for stuffing. I’m figuring she just got her pot luck assignment, having not had the foresight to do a pre-emptive ask to be assigned the cranberry sauce, which is much easier.
This recipe is for her and for others who find themselves in such a predicament, with a hostess too lazy to make her own damn stuffing, asking you to bring it, while you, clueless as to how to fulfill her request are kicking yourself for not thinking of the cranberry sauce thing earlier in the week , or even better, offering to bring wine (or even better yet, the diet ginger ale for Uncle Boo).
Cornbread Stuffing
1 package corn bread mix
4 Tbls. Unsalted butter (plus extra for the baking dish)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 ribs celery, cut into small dice
1 apple, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. crumbled dried sage
½ tsp. marjoram
½ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecan halves
1 egg, lightly beaten
½-1 cup chicken broth
1. Make the cornbread two or three days in advance. The night before, cut it into cubes so it can dry out some.
2. When you are ready to make the stuffing, preheat the oven to 375º F. Butter a 3-quart casserole of other baking dish.
3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the celery and apple and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. In the last couple minutes of cooking mix in the parsley and salt and the other spices and herbs.
5. In a large bowl combine the corn bread, cranberries and pecans. Crush some of the cubes as you stir. Add the onion mixture and mix well, then beat and add the egg and ½ cup broth, or more if you like more moisture.
6. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake until lightly crisped on top and heated through, about 35 minutes.
