When we were first married my mother assigned me the awesome responsibility of making the dressing for Thanksgiving.  Thus started my journey for the perfect dressing recipe.  For several years I experimented.  Each year at Thanksgiving was a different surprise.  Sometimes the dressing would be a hit, but mostly it would be a bomb.  I never could get it just right - too much sage, not enough sage, too dry, too wet.  It never turned out the same, and it never was exactly what I was looking for.

Then one year I discovered what I considered the perfect dressing.  I was looking through a Southern Living magazine, and there it was.  It was so simple!  I'll never go back to any other recipe.  And my family would kill me if I tried to experiment again.

So for those of you who are young brides and this is your first Thanksgiving.  Or for more experienced moms who just want to try something different.  Here is the recipe.

Cornbread Dressing

2 c. cornmeal

1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 t. sugar (optional)

6 large eggs, divided

2 c. buttermilk

2 T. melted butter

1/2 c. butter or margarine

3 bunches green onions, chopped

4 celery ribs, chopped

1 (16 oz) package herb-seasoned stuffing mix

5 cans chicken broth

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir together 2 eggs and buttermilk; add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.  Heat 2 T. butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in a 425 degree oven 5 minutes.  Stir hot butter into batter.  Pour batter into hot skillet.  Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden.  Cool and crumble.

Melt 1/2 c. butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add green onions and celery, and saute until tender.

Stir together remaining 4 eggs in a large bowl; stir in cornbread, onion mixture, stuffing mix, and broth until blended.

Spoon dressing into 1 lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish and 1 lightly greased 9-inch square baking dish.  (Cover and freeze up to 3 months, if desired; thaw in refrigerator 8 hours.)

Bake 13 x 9 inch dish, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until lightly browned.  Bake 9-inch square baking dish, uncovered, 50 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield:  12 servings.

I normally take the 9-in square dish and freeze it for a later time.  It's great to pull out in the middle of January and serve it with a roasted chicken.