Crock-pot Cornbread Dressing

After several attempts at making dressing in my crock-pot, I have finally "tweaked" my recipe enough that I am satisfied with it.  I tried it for Thanksgiving this year and it was a "hit", and after just a few minor changes, I made it again for our family's CHRISTmas dinner.  It is SO nice to have one more dish that can be prepared outside of the oven...freeing up that valuable oven space that we all so desperately need during holiday meal preparation.

It also solved another dilemma in  our household....some of my family requests traditional cornbread "dressing" like all of us Southerners grew up having, but one of my children actually prefers "Stovet@p Stuffing" (what?) over dressing.  Guess what?  They ALL like this dish!!

**  Prior to preparing this dish, cook cornbread according to this recipe  or by using packaged mixes.  
(I have used 2 (16 oz.) packages of Martha White Buttermilk Cornbread Mix prepared with milk and had equally good results.)

1 (14 oz.) pkg. Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoned stuffing mix

5-6 cups of previously prepared cornbread

28-32 oz. chicken broth **

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans of Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

1 (4 oz.) can chopped mushrooms

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 Tablespoon ground sage

2 Tablespoons butter, cut up

Chop onion and celery and set aside.

Crumble previously baked and cooled cornbread.

Combine all ingredients except for the butter in a large mixing bowl.

Mix well until thoroughly combined.

Spoon cornbread mixture into a well-greased 6  quart crock-pot.

Dot the top surface of cornbread mixture with pats of butter.

Cook on Low for 4-6 hours, or until set and thoroughly cooked. 

(I cook mine for right at 5 hours, but adjust time as needed since some crock-pots cook "hotter" than others.)

** Our family likes our dressing very moist, but if you prefer a "drier" dressing, you may lessen the amount of chicken broth added.

Rice With Black Beans

This is one of those quick weeknight dinners that can literally be prepared in minutes.  My family has always liked Rice and Beans and this recipe is so simple you can't help but like it!

Serve this with some Mississippi Cornbread or some Southern Buttermilk Cornbread and you've got an entire meal in minutes!

1 Tablespoon oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2/3 cup water

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 cups Instant brown rice, uncooked

Chop onion.

Mince garlic.

Heat oil in skillet on medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir until tender, but not browned.

Stir in stewed tomatoes.

Rinse and drain black beans.

Add beans to tomato mixture.

Add water and dried oregano and stir thoroughly.

Stir in rice. Return to boil; reduce to low heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until heated through.

Remove from heat. Let stand approximately 5 minutes. Stir and serve.

Mississippi Cornbread

1 cup Self-Rising corn meal

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup cream style corn

1 medium onion, chopped

Put all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Mix well.

Pour into greased 7" x 14" x 2" baking dish or pan. **

Bake in 40o degree oven for approximately 45 minutes to an hour until golden brown.

(** I used a 10" x 15" baking sheet and lowered temp to 375 degrees because we like this cornbread thin.)

We love to crumble this cornbread up in a bowl of homemade vegetable soup or chili. YUM!

Southern Buttermilk Cornbread

My husband is a huge cornbread lover and I, on the other hand, was not a big fan of cornbread growing up. Needless to say, it was necessary for me to learn to make Buttermilk Cornbread if we were to stay married for any length of time.  I am happy to report that I did learn to make it and we are still together -- soon to be 31 years!

After many times of trial and error, this is the recipe that will put a smile on my southern man's face every time!

2 cups Self-Rising Cornmeal

1/4 cup oil  

1 egg

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 1/3 - 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (to desired consistency)

2  Tablespoons oil to grease skillet

*** NOTE:  To be TRULLY southern, replace the oil with bacon drippings -- both to grease the skillet, as well as in the cornbread mix itself!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Put approximately 2 Tablespoons oil in cast iron skillet and place in oven to preheat.

Mix first 4 ingredients together.

Add buttermilk.

Stir until well combined. (Will be about the consistency of pancake batter.)

Remove preheated skillet from oven and tilt skillet to allow oil to coat bottom and sides of iron skillet well.

Pour batter into hot skillet.  (Skillet will sizzle as batter is poured in.)

Bake in 425 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and invert onto serving plate.

 

Rub butter all over top of cornbread until melted.

Slice and serve. 

My family loves it with honey.  (This is one of my taste testers.)