There are lots of different kinds of stuffings out there… sausage stuffing, stuffings with bacon or apples… stuffings with southern or southwestern flare. The problem we have with stuffings that call for meat is that there is already usually so much meat going on at Thanksgiving without getting even more of it via your stuffing. We like this recipe for a few reasons: 1) it doesn’t call for (or need meat to make it great) 2) you don’t have to remember to leave bread out to dry the day before 3) It is the perfect balance between dry and moist, because some people prefer a drier stuffing than others. This recipe only involves 35 minutes of prep time – pretty great for a stuffing. The cornbread makes it sweet and all of the fresh herbs make it really flavorful. You just can’t go wrong here.
Tip (unsponsored): You can make this cheaper by making your own cornbread using a box mix. The cornbread at our local grocery store (Fry’s/Kroger) ran us about $4 per container, and we used almost 2 full containers. A box of Jiffy cornbread mix is around fifty cents, not including the egg or whatever it calls for.
Also, the herb butter recipe here makes twice as much as needed for the stuffing. If you don’t want extra herb butter for your turkey or another purpose, only make half of the herb butter.
Have your kids help you remove the herb leaves from their stems, taking note of how wonderful they smell, thus creating a memory with you in the kitchen. As you prepare and enjoy this stuffing with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:
- Sage has lots of vitamin K, which helps you stop bleeding when you get a cut.
- Thyme provides your body with manganese, which helps you have healthy bones.
- Because of its vitamin A, rosemary helps you to have healthy eyes and vision.
Here are a few facts about Thanksgiving:
- Turkey wasn’t served at the first Thanksgiving in 1621. They probably ate deer, geese, or seafood.
- Forks weren’t invented in time for the first Thanksgiving, so they used knives and spoons.
- The President of the United States pardons 1 turkey from being eaten each year. Lucky!
Adapted slightly from: Katie Lee’s Cornbread Stuffing
- NOTE: this recipe makes twice as much herb butter than needed for stuffing. If you don't want extra herb butter for your turkey or for another purpose, only make half of the herb butter.
- For the herb butter:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- For the stuffing:
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced
- 9 cups cubed cornbread (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken STOCK
- ¾ cup whole milk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Make the herb butter: Mix the butter with the sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, tablespoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
- Make the stuffing: Melt ½ cup of the herb butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Combine the cooked onions and celery with the cornbread, egg, chicken STOCK, milk and ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix well. Place in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes; remove the foil and bake until golden brown, about 20 more minutes.
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