HOLIDAY CORNBREAD DRESSING

Another Thanksgiving and Christmas mainstay in Mana's homemade Southern Cornbread Dressing.  There never seems to be enough and it's even used in leftover turkey sandwiches. 

INGREDIENTS                                                                                                  

Prepare 2-3 days in advance and let it sit out to dry thoroughly before crumbling together in large mixing bowl on preparation morning
- Two 8" skillets of Mana's Cornbread (recipe in blog post)
- 10 large biscuits (you can make homemade or use the frozen biscuits)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425° and lightly spray Pam in a 13x9x2 pan (Mana often used the broiler pan that comes with an oven).  Cooking time is 45 min., or until edges are brown. Don't overcook.

-  Crumble the dry cornbread and biscuits (Mana: "It's important not to use too many biscuits or dressing will be doughy.")
-  2 c. chopped onions
-  2 c. chopped celery
-  2 raw eggs (lightly beaten)
-  black pepper to taste (NOTE: additional salt not necessary or advised)
-  Dry rubbed sage (start with 2 T.) (Mana:  "Sage should be added slowly and to taste. If it is too much it will make dressing bitter and greenish and ruin it.  Frequent tasting as you add is important...and tasty!)
-  2 c. drippings saved from the cooked turkey (NOTE: The drippings are essential for putting wonderful flavor in the dressing, but too much of it can possibly make the dressing too greasy.  Mana always boils the turkey giblets just covered with water and uses the broth from that as part of the liquid in the dressing. For additional liquid if you don't want to boil giblets, use store-bought chicken stock).

The trick is adding the right amount of liquid so dressing isn't too dry when it's cooked but not so much that it's soupy.  The right consistency to accomplish the desired wetness is about like uncooked cornbread batter.
Add the drippings and stir everything together thoroughly.  Start adding canned stock slowly while stirring until consistency is wet and about the consistency of uncooked cornbread.  Taste to see if it has enough sage and add a little at a time to taste (don't overdo it!).  Mana usually mixes the dressing up a couple of hours before she cooks it so the flavors blend and are enhanced.