Has there ever been a better comfort food than stuffing? Whether you use a mix or a tried and true family recipe or you want to bake it from scratch, it’s a high point of every holiday dinner. So with that in mind, Mama Sailene has come up with several simple additions — toasted raw pistachio nuts and pomegranate seeds — that will take your stuffing to a whole other level.
Start with the Basic Cornbread recipe – but don't worry, it’s less complicated than it sounds.
Ingredients:
- 7 slices white bread, on the dried out side.
- 1 package saltine crackers
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups celery, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 7 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 5 eggs, beaten
- several ounces raw pistachio nuts, toasted
Ingredients (For cornbread):
- 1 cup self-rising cornmeal
- ½ cup self-rising flour
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
To prepare the cornbread, combine the cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, beaten eggs, and vegetable oil into a batter. Pour it into a shallow, greased baking dish, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, let cool and crumble.
As the cornbread mixture is baking, toast the nuts in a blazing hot pan until golden brown. Set aside.
Next, combine the cornmeal, dried bread slices, and saltines in a large bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook for five minutes or until they become transparent. Add the stock, nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the beaten eggs and mix well. Pour this into a greased pan and bake in the 350 degree oven for another 45 minutes.
For pop and vigor, garnish with a handful of fresh pomegranate seeds. Pair the stuffing with some hybrid tangerine dream. Its citrus orange flavor contrasts beautifully with the savory taste of the cornbread. Now go ahead. Enjoy.
One last thing. Thanks for being part of the Mama Sailene family. You’re appreciated.
