Cornbread Stuffing

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday of the year because we always have a big party in North Carolina. One of my favorite sides happens to be stuffing – not the stuff you make from a box like Stove Top, but the kind where you can taste big chunks of freshly made cornbread. I decided to make cornbread this year and let it sit out for a week so it would be really hard (to absorb all of the flavors and still have some texture). Here’s the recipe for the stuffing after you make the cornbread:

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced (for color)
1/3 cup diced liver (chicken or turkey)
6 cups coarsely crumbled cornbread
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried)
3 cups hot reduced-sodium chicken broth
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add liver; cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, cornbread, and sage. Pour broth over mixture; stir just until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a buttered 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Dot with butter. Bake until golden brown on top and crisp around edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Here’s a picture of me mixing together all of the ingredients:

The cornbread stuffing turned out really well and I think everyone enjoyed the new take on a traditional side dish.

Next up: preparing a turkey!