CORNBREAD DRESSING

CORNBREAD:  This is not an original recipe, it’s the classic recipe from my Auntie.  1 1/2 cups yellow self-rising cornmeal, 1/2 cup self-rising flour, 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup butter flavored shortening. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Get out a 9-inch cast iron skillet, add the shortening to the skillet. put the skillet in the oven, melt the skillet, remove from the oven and set aside.  Get out a bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, effs and buttermilk, mix well.  Pour the melted shortening into the cornbread batter, mix well.  Pour the batter into the skillet put in the oven for 30-minutes or until brown.

STOCK:  4 chicken thighs, 1 pound chicken or turkey gizzards, 1 celery stalk, chopped, 1/2 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon, 1/2 tablespoons black pepper, 3 bay leaves.  Add all the ingredients to a large heavy pot, add enough water to cover everything.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer cook for at least 30 minutes.

DRESSING:  1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted, 1 medium white onions, chopped, 3 stalks celery, 3 tablespoon green bell pepper, chopped, 2 teaspoons rubbed sage, 1 teaspoon salt,2 teaspoons black pepper, 3 pieces of sliced bread, toasted, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 4 1/2 cups stock, the chopped chicken thighs and gizzards.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Get out a skillet, add approximately 2 tablespoons of butter, melt the butter,  Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, saute until the onions are translucent. Get out a bowl, add the cornbread, with your hands crumble the cornbread and the toasted bread into the bowl, add the chopped gizzards and thighs, eggs, salt, pepper, celery, butter, onions, bell pepper, sage, milk, and stock, mix well. The mixture should to moist, not wet.  A good rule of thumb is 1/2 cup of broth for every 2 cups of dry mix.  Get out 9 x 13 foil pan.  Pour the mixture into the pan, with the back of a spoon make sure the cornbread mixture is evenly distributed.  Bake covered for approximately  30 minutes, remove from the oven remove the cover and bake another 10 minutes.  To test if the dressing is done, remove the casserole from the oven, shake the pan if the center moves the dressing is not done.  Return to the oven until done.