Cornbread Dressing

I can't believe it's the week of Thanksgiving! I don't know where this year has gone. My grandmother used to make this dressing every year when I was growing up in California. The smell of the sweet cornbread and savory vegetables on the stove brings me back to my elementary school years when I would "help" her make this. (aka I would crumble the cornbread while she did everything else). When I was in high school, she had me help more and more until I was making the dressing and she was just sitting back to supervise my effort. My Nana has been gone for many years, but I still make this every year, just so I can remember the times when I would be in her pastel pink kitchen, on my too-tall step stool, asking if it was time to crumble yet.

If you are short on time, this is a great dressing for your Thanksgiving feast!

Cornbread Dressing

2 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought prepared cornbread, crumbled
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
5 stocks of celery, chopped
1/2 Tbsp - 1Tbsp poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 chicken bullion cubes (or 2 cups of chicken broth)
2 cups of water (omit if using chicken broth)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Bake cornbread, and let cool. Crumble and let sit for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add onions and celery. Saute until onions are clear and celery is soft.

Meanwhile, boil two cups of water. Add chicken bullion cubes and let dissolve. Remove from heat.

Add 1/2 Tbsp poultry seasoning to the onions and celery, and mix well. Stir in cornbread. Add salt and pepper, and more poultry seasoning to your tastes. Add one cup chicken bullion to cornbread mix, and stir well. Continue softening cornbread with chicken bullion until it is moist (but not mushy). Remove from heat and stir in pecans, if using.

Transfer to a 9x9 baking dish and cover with foil Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Source: My Nana