Cornbread Dressing (or Stuffing)

Cornbread Dressing (we call it stuffing, but we don’t actually stuff the turkey at all.  Also there seems to be some ongoing debate about the bread you stuffing should be made from.  In my personal opinion, cornbread is the only answer. 

½ c dark raisins

½ c cognac (more if you want to enjoy a sidecar in the evening)

2 c chopped onion 

2 garlic cloves, minced (We discovered jarred garlic and it works.  If you believe in being authentic you have to get a garlic press)

½ c (I stick) unsalted butter

1 lb bulk pork sausage

½ c chopped shallots (these are smaller than an onion, but bigger than a garlic clove.  More importantly, they are not the part of a green onion that is between the bulb and the top as I was once told by a grocer in the produce section)

1 ½ cups chopped tart apples

1 c chopped celery

Corn Bread cut into cubes and left out overnight (we just use the recipe on the Aunt Jemima box) 

1 15-ounce can chestnuts drained and chopped or 2 pounds freshly roasted and peeled chestnuts (Honestly, we don’t add these, and they aren’t missed at all)

½ c snipped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon dried sage leaves

2 teaspoons dried marjoram leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 

2 eggs, beaten

Soak raisins in Cognac overnight. 

In a large skillet, saute the onions and garlic in butter over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the sausage and shallots.  Cook until the sausage is brown, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the apples and celery; cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Drain.

Combine corn bread cubes, raisin mixture, sausage mixture, and remaining ingredients except eggs.  Toss; stir in eggs. Set aside while you prepare the turkey for stuffing.   (We don’t stuff the turkey with the stuffing.  We cook it in a casserole dish at 375℉ to 400℉ depending on what else needs to be in the oven.