Cornbread and Andouille Dressing

Since Thanksgiving is around the corner ... and my assignment is typically stuffing ... thought I'd share with you the recipe for just about the best stuffing ever ... in my opinion.

2 tsp butter

½ lb andouille or other sausage, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

1 tbsp minced garlic

Basic Cornbread

3 slices white bread, torn into ½ inch pieces

½ cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

pinch of cayenne

2 eggs, beaten

1 – 2 cups chicken stock as needed

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook sausage until brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to large bowl to cool.

With fingers, crumble corn bread into the bowl, add bread, green onions, parsley, and thyme. Mix well. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and eggs, mix well. Add enough broth, ½ cup at a time, to moisten the dressing, being careful not to make it mushy.

Transfer to casserole dish and cover. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Basic Cornbread

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

Preheat oven to 400, grease 9-inch pan.

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl and sir with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk and egg to mixture, stir well to blend. Pour cornmeal batter into dish and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from over and let cool before serving.

adapted from Emeril