We’ve finally settled on the perfect Thanksgiving cornbread dressing. (And please don’t ever call it stuffing!) After years of struggling with my husband’s grandmother’s recipe that was never quite right, I finally figure out how to make it perfect. Even my husband agrees that this version is better than his grandmother’s. That’s about as high a praise as you can get!

Cornbread Dressing

6 cups Cornbread
1 Onion
3 stalks Celery
75g Butter
1 Apple, peeled
3/4 cup Pinenuts
1/2 t Thyme
1/4 t Sage
3 1/2 cups Broth (any type will do, but I prefer using turkey broth)
A lot of black pepper (to your taste. We typically add at least a Tablespoon, if not more)

Directions

Make the Cornbread the day before.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Dice the Onion and make small slice of Celery and Apple. In a pan, melt the butter, then soften the Onion, Celery, and Apple.
In a small pan, toast the Pinenuts carefully. They can burn quickly, so keep a close eye on them, shaking the pan often. Remove from the pan immediately after they are toasted.
Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl, then add the Thyme, Sage, and Pepper. Mix together.
Add the Onion mixture to the Cornbread and mix again.
Pour the Cornbread mixture into a large baking dish. I use a 3 quart size Pyrex. Pour the Broth evenly over the mixture.
Bake for 1 long hour, checking halfway through to see if the top is crunchy without burning. If you see signs of burn, cover with foil for the remaining hour.
At the end of the hour, mix all of the dressing thoroughly, making sure to incorporate the crunchy top layer into the dressing. Bake again for another 20-30 minutes, uncovered, while the turkey is resting. Serve hot.