Smooshy cornbread dressing

[Audeo]

LOL!

You'll love this, Goodweed: I really don't have a recipe, per se!

Okay, you start by either making a half gallon or so of chicken stock...or do it ahead of time, like I do, and freeze the stuff. When you're ready to make the dressing, reheat in a saucepan to a simmer.

Make a skillet of the Saharan Sands version of Cornbread, allow it to cool a wee bit, then crumble it into a very, very large bowl. Add to that a full loaf of country white bread (homemade, of course...or a loaf of good french bread from the store) that has been torn into wee one-inch pieces, including the crust. Add about a cup each of chopped cellery, red onion, and bell pepper. Then spend a good minute cranking in some freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine.

Now start adding the hot chicken broth, about two cups worth at first, and tossing to allow the bread to soak it up. Continue adding a cup or so at a time, then stirring, until the mixture is wet enough that you know the bread has soaked up as much stock as it can, and when you push the back of your spoon again the bread, you see a pool of stock. Now you taste and add salt, more pepper if you want, and any other seasoning you find attractive...like sage, etc. Once you have the seasonings "right" on your tongue, you can add the evil binder -- eggs.

Next, beat 2-3 eggs (I use jumbo). And melt about 1/4 cup of butter. Stir both of these well into the mixture. If you're adding oysters or another seafood (I do love chopped scallops in this!), drain them, rinse them and add them now and stir to distribute.

Pour the mix into a well-oiled baking dish and cook at about 350-375 degrees (F) until the top is well browned and a knife stuck into the center returns clean. I'm guessing that this will take a couple of hours. Could be wrong.

Mushrooms are very good in this, and clams would also be wonderful. But I very much like that "green stuff", so it's oysters for me!

The resulting texture is very akin a pudding. It's light, though, and very moist and just melts in your mouth. Love the stuff!

I probably left something out, so fire away if I've opened the floor for questions here... 8)

[Goodweed of the North]

You're right. I'm gonna love this. I'm just going to have to think of some brilliant recipe to give you back :D . Let me know what you want to make that you don't already know, and I'll figure it out. As I've said so many times, the only recipe that I haven't solved yet, that I've tried, is that bread dressing like my parents and grandparents made.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[Audeo]

Well I hope you do love it, but I was meaning that you would (irony) love the fact that I didn't have a recipe!! LOL!!!

Hmmm....Thank you for the offer of mentorship! I'll put my thinking cap on later and give you a ring with requests!

How wonderful!

[Goodweed of the North]

I'm ready. :D

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North