My Granny O was a spitfire up until the day we lost her a few summers ago. She was full of life and was more liable to chase you around the house with a broom or the cloth she’d been cleaning with if you’d done anything remotely naughty. She was a fighter. Granny O fought to care for her children during the depression era – and won. And she beat cancer three times (back when treatments were still rudimentary at best), which she credited mostly to her faith.  She never really got old, at least in spirit any way. And though we remember her in spirit many times a year, we get to celebrate her legacy with this cornbread dressing recipe.

We have several photos of her in the floor, shoes off, playing cars or trains or whatever the grand child she was with wanted to do. I have so many memories of hollering “yoo-hoo” as we entered their home to let both she and Granddad know that we were there. She oftentimes would tell you that she loved you big before you would go. But before you left, she would try to feed you. Granny O almost always had a fridge stocked with dumplings and would always encourage you to have an extra pair of underwear handy. Because you would never know what life held. She was so very loved by many, and incredibly spunky.

I think one of my favorite memories of spending time with Granny O was the Fourth of July. Her house was on the golf course in Carlsbad, which means it was right next to the river. This is where they would set fireworks off in the evening to celebrate Independence Day. The air was always hot and sticky with humidity, even in the night. It was pretty easy to get eaten up by mosquitoes when you weren’t being scared by the fluttering of giant June bugs. But even though there were so many bugs, the grass was like a soft carpet.

Better yet, the company was perfect. Lots of cousins and other relatives. Each year until after the summer my Granny O passed we spent this holiday there. Your neck would be stiff from the constant craning as the fireworks were right overhead. Everything smelled of powder and smoke, but the brilliant sparks and effervescent streams of life were brilliant. My favorite will always be the golden ones that shimmer and crackle on the way down to the earth.

All of these memories come flooding back whenever I think of her cornbread dressing recipe.

To make Granny O’s Cornbread Dressing recipe you’ll need to begin by making cornbread. Her recipe for this involves mixing butter milk, salt, oil, eggs, sugar, flour, cornmeal and clabber girl baking powder together. Once you’ve mixed everything you’ll bake it.

Once you’ve made the cornbread and it is cool (mom made this the night before so I didn’t get to grab any pictures of the first part) you’ll want to crumble it leave it to dry out for a few hours.

Once it’s starting to be a little dryer you’ll crumble it into a large mixing bowl. Chop your onions and celery.

Combine your chopped onions, chopped celery stalks, sage or poultry seasoning, beaten eggs together.

Next, you’ll add some turkey broth until it becomes the consistency of cornbread batter.

Don’t be too judgmental of my pictures – I was just trying not to thwart mom in the kitchen. Sometimes there’s not enough time to white balance and grab the artificial light.

Then spread into a pan.

Bake at 350 degrees until done. (You should be able to test it with a knife or toothpick. If the end of either comes out clean it is done.)

Some people choose to add apples, pecans, or even hard boiled eggs. But we just stuck to the bare bones of this recipe.

Do you like cornbread dressing as part of your Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner fare? Do you have a recipe that you use passed down from family members?

Thanks for reading!

Lauren

Granny O’s Cornbread Dressing Recipe

As mentioned above before you must make cornbread before you can make this cornbread dressing recipe.

Granny O’s Cornbread Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Cup buttermilk
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 Cup oil
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 3/4 Cup flour
• 1 Cup cornmeal
• 3 teaspoons Clabber Girl Baking Powder

Instructions to Make Granny O’s Cornbread

1. Beat all ingredients in mixer until smooth.
2. Spread in a 8×8 or 9×9 pan.
3. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Now you can make dressing out of the cornbread!

Granny O’s Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3-4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sage or poultry seasoning
• 3 raw eggs beaten
• turkey broth
• optional variations: apples, pecans, hard boiled eggs

Instructions

1. After Granny O’s cornbread is baked, let it cool.  Crumble it into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add 1 medium onion (chopped), 3-4 stalks of celery (chopped), 1/2 teaspoon of sage or poultry seasoning and 3 raw eggs beaten.
3. Add enough turkey broth to make the cornbread into the consistency of batter.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until done (can test with a toothpick or knife).
5. Enjoy with turkey!