Thanksgiving Favorites... Cornbread Dressing

I am in disbelief that Thanksgiving week is upon us. Truly one of my favorite weeks of the year. Sure, I love Christmas, but something about Thanksgiving makes me feel so warm and loved and happy. And boy, do I ever love a parade. My family knows this about me on Thanksgiving morning... I will cook whatever I need to contribute, but I will NOT cook during the parade. There is something about it being once a year and being somewhat the same since I was a kid... I just love it. But man oh man, do I love dressing. And mashed potatoes. And cranberry sauce. Everything else is just a formality for me, really. When I found out I was gluten intolerant, I mourned the loss of dressing. But then I did a few simple things to tweak my sister's wonderful recipe (from Southern Living), and I swear you can tell no difference. The guest at last year's table even said so. I just made it again tonight for my "Friendsgiving" tomorrow night with my close friends and my house smells GREAT!!

Now listen, I am an Arkansan raised by two practical Mid-Westerners. We don't get fancy with nuts and dried fruit and chopped eggs and junk like that. I just like my dressing straight up with no crazy surprises. So there.

Martin Family Thanksgiving Dressing

‎1 cup butter, divided
3 cups white cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used Jules GF Flour Blend)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1& 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
7 large eggs, divided
3 cups buttermilk (or soy with a little vinegar)
3 cups soft breadcrumbs (see below)
2 medium onions, diced (2 cups)
1 large bunch celery, diced (3 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
6 (10 1/2- ounce) cans condensed chicken broth, undiluted
1 tablespoon pepper

Directions:

Place 1/2 cup butter in a 13 x 9 inch pan, heat in oven at 425 for 4 minutes. Combine cornmeal and next 5 ingredients; whisk in 3 eggs and buttermilk. Pour hot butter into batter, stirring until blended. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Crumble cornbread into a large bowl; stir in bread crumbs, and set aside.

Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions and celery, and saute until tender. Stir in sage and saute 1 more minute. Stir vegetables, remaining 4 eggs, chicken broth, and pepper into cornbread mixture; pour evenly into 1 lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish AND 1 lightly greased 8 inch square baking dish. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown & bubbly.

Tips from my sister, the pro...

■Pay attention to the ounces size of the chicken broth cans you buy because most are sold in 14 ounce cans. This can be a very soupy problem, like ladling cups of extra liquid off the top!
■ If you don't like the taste of sage, you could substitute poultry seasoning in the same amount; I've tried it both ways, and I can't taste a difference.
■You gotta use buttermilk, not regular milk. If you are dairy free, add a little vinegar to soy milk and you'll be fine. Earth Balance also works fine for Dairy Free people.
■You gotta chill it for 8 hours or overnight like it says, it lets everything mix together and taste yummy.
■ Use real eggs, not Egg Beaters.

My allergy friendly tips...

-For GFers, since it is a special occasion, I make the bread from scratch. Delish! This recipe works great and makes good toast the morning of... It is lighter and less dense than most store bought gf bread. http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/archives/finally-really-good-sandwich-bread/
-I grate the breadcrumbs in my food processor to make them very fine. I don't like chunks of bread in my dressing, but that's me.
-If you are dairy free, add 1 Tbsp of vinegar to soy milk and let set for about 5 minutes. Earth Balance also works fine if you need a butter substitute.