Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Sage and Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing



Phew, I made it before Thanksgiving. I'm telling you- this decreasing daylight thang is really messing with my game! Since we all know camera flash/artificial light and food photography don't get along, it has been challenging to find a time to photograph my food while I am actually cooking! Thus the reason for the string of breakfast recipes as of late. Hopefully this one will break the trend.



OK, so who doesn't like a good 8 ingredient recipe for the holidays? This one is beyond easy, especially if you have some leftover cornbread, as I did, from a pre-holiday Friendsgiving.


The cornbread I used was nice- I included a link to it in the recipe below. If I made it again to enjoy on its own, I would amp up the sweetness with 2 extra tablespoona of honey, and throw in an additional 1/2 teaspoon or so of salt. But I have to say, for the stuffing, it was pretty near perfect. It is gluten-free as well, which helps when feeding a crowd of diverse eaters.



Thanks to the chickens, these eggs were beyond fresh and so golden they were almost orange. Those chickies are definitely on the list of things I am thankful for this year.


You can use either fresh or dried cranberries here- the dried ones will add a touch more sweetness, and the fresh will give you a burst of tang. I did a combo, and really enjoyed what each had to offer.

This is certainly a more indulgent recipe, given the amount of butter, but with high quality ingredients it can certainly still fit into a healthy meal. Tis the season, right?!? Using fresh cranberries boosts the antioxidant load, particularly in the form of manganese and vitamin C.



Luckily my gorgeous little sister stopped by just in time to do a little last-minute modeling with the cornbread. On Saturday she leaves for a big move out to California, so this week has been a bittersweet goodbye.

Whether this dish graces your Thanksgiving table or makes it's way into the week of leftovers, I'll feel nothing but honored to be part of your holiday celebration.

Sage and Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing
Serves 6
Adapted from Claire Robinson of the Food Network

Ingredients

5 tbs. cultured butter, salted, divided
1 large yellow onion, chopped
12 or so sage leaves, fresh or dried
5 cups cornbread (I used this recipe, with honey instead of sugar)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbs. dried cranberries or 1/4 cup fresh (or both!)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large saute pan, melt 2 tbs. of butter over medium heat. Add chopped onions, and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown. Remove into large bowl.

Heat remaining butter in the same pan over low-medium heat, until beginning to brown and separate. Add sage and let sizzle. Remove from heat.

Cut cornbread into cubes and add to the large bowl with onions, along with beaten eggs, salt, pepper and cranberries. Drizzle with browned sage butter and toss to coat. If more moisture is needed, add 1/2 cup of water to the butter pan to deglaze. Add, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing in between, until stuffing is soft but not wet.

Butter a 8x8 pan, and fill with stuffing. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate and continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Relax. Eat Well.

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