3 cups self-rising cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of baking soda
3 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons bacon drippings
1 3/4 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3 cups turkey or chicken broth
Combine first 5 ingredients. Stir lightly. Add buttermilk and eggs. Mix well. Stir in celery and onion.
Heat bacon drippings in 10-inch iron skillet until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon drippings to batter. Mix well. Pour batter into hot skillet. Bake at 450 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until bread is lightly browned. Crumble into large mixing bowl. Add stuffing mix and sage. Set aside.
Place soup in medium saucepan. Gradually stir broth into soup. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thoroughly heated. Pour over crumb mixture. Stir well. Spoon into well-greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes.
Yields 12 to 15 servings.
Country Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 medium-size celery stalks, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 medium-size red bell pepper, diced
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce) package cornbread stuffing mix
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Heat 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage meat and cook until browned, stirring frequently to break up sausage. With slotted spoon, remove sausage from skillet to large bowl. Discard all but 2 tablespoons sausage drippings from skillet. Add margarine or butter, celery, onion, and red pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned. Stir in broth, black pepper, and 3/4 cup water; heat to boiling, stirring to loosen any brown bits from bottom of skillet. Add vegetable mixture, cornbread stuffing mix, pecans, and parsley to sausage; mix well.
Use to stuff a 12- to 16-pound turkey. Or spoon stuffing into a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the stuffing is heated through.