For the Media
Good Dressing Requires a Skillet of Good Southern Cornbread
NASHVILLE, Tenn., - Forget the bag of dry crumbs. "To make really good cornbread dressing requires a skillet of good crusty cornbread," explained Linda Carman, Martha White® Southern baking expert. "Bake a skillet of cornbread whenever you have a little spare time. Freeze it and it'll be ready when you are." Savory Sausage and Apricot Cornbread Dressing is the latest delicious variation of this popular dish from the Martha White Kitchen. For more great recipes visit the Martha White web site at www.marthawhite.com.
Savory Sausage and Apricot Cornbread Dressing
Cornbread
1 egg
1 1/3 cups milk
1/4 cup oil
2 cups Martha White® Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix
Dressing
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
4 cups crumbled biscuits or dry bread cubes
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped dried apricots
1 cup raisins or sweetened dried cranberries
2 teaspoons dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (14.5-oz.) cans ready-to-serve chicken broth
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease 9-inch cast iron skillet or 9-inch square pan; place in oven to heat. Beat egg in large bowl. Add all remaining cornbread ingredients; mix well. (Batter should be creamy and pourable. If batter is too thick, add more milk.) Pour batter into hot skillet.
Bake at 450 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish or pan. In large skillet, cook sausage, onions and celery over medium-high heat until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Crumble cornbread to make 6 cups; place in large bowl. Add sausage mixture and all remaining dressing ingredients; mix well, stirring gently so cornbread does not crumble completely. Spoon into greased baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. 12 servings.