Dressing or stuffing? That is only a question in non-Southern states. Few Southerners use white bread in their dressing and few stuff it into their turkey. Most of us prefer dressing made with cornbread, and we like it baked on the side. Once Thanksgiving is over and we begin to plan our Christmas meal there isn’t always just a turkey on the table, and sometimes we don’t have one at all on Christmas. Many homes will have turkey, ham, a beef roast, tenderloin or perhaps ducks the family hunter brought home. One thing that will be on the menu is some type of dressing.

This is a basic cornbread dressing that has been dressed up with toasted pecans. They give it a wonderful flavor and it is especially good with a game entrée.

Cornbread-pecan dressing

The Cornbread

2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups buttermilk

3 eggs lightly beaten

4 tablespoons butter

The Dressing

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons bacon fat

3 medium onions, chopped

4 to 5 celery stalks chopped

2 large shallots, finely chopped

2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried sage

3 cups pecan halves, toasted

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup chicken broth

4 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and ground pepper to taste

To make your cornbread: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the cornmeal, salt and baking soda into a mixing bowl and stir with a whisk or fork until blended. Add the buttermilk and eggs, whisk until well blended. Put the butter into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9 by 9-inch baking pan and heat in the oven until the butter is melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven and swirl the butter to coat the skillet or pan and then pour the hot butter into your cornbread mixture and stir in. Pour the batter into the skillet or pan and bake about 20 minutes or until the cornbread is golden brown and crusty. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely. Then tear the cornbread in to large pieces and allow to sit, uncovered, overnight to dry out.

To make your dressing: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the butter and bacon fat in a heavy skillet and then add the onion, celery and shallots and cook slowly for about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and sage and continue cooking, stirring often until the vegetables are tender but not browned, about 15 minutes. In a large bowl mix your cornbread pieces with the toasted pecan halves, use your hands to break up the cornbread.Add the cooked vegetables and mix well. Pour in the 4 tablespoons of melted butter, the chicken broth and the eggs. Mix well and season generously with salt and pepper. Pour into a buttered 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until lightly golden brown.

Adapted from Edna Lewis

Many Southerners celebrate the holiday with an oyster dressing, however it is usually one that is cornbread based. This dish combines the oysters with savory grits and it delicious. You can leave out the grits if you like and have a savory grits side dish to surprise your guests.

Grits and oyster dressing

3 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/2 cup butter

1 cup regular grits, uncooked

1 pound smoked or fresh oysters drained, optional

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 bunch green onion, chopped

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

In a large sauce pan bring the water, salt, butter and red pepper to a boil and add the grits. Return to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes or until grits are cooked and liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in the oysters, if you are using. Mix together the cheese, bell pepper, onion, eggs and breadcrumbs and then stir into the grits. Pour into a 3 quart casserole dish and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

Adapted from Southern Living

For many in the Miss-Lou the holiday table would not be complete without this dish. Dirty Rice, named after its color at the end of cooking, is the dressing of choice. Dirty Rice compliments turkey, chicken or game.

Dirty Rice

1/2 pound ground pork sausage

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 pound chicken livers, coarsely chopped (they break apart when cooking)

1 / 2 pound chicken gizzards, finely chopped

1 / 2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 / 2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 1 / 2 cups chicken broth

1 1 / 2 cups long-grain rice

Before chopping the gizzards and livers, rinse them with cool water and clean off any membrane on them. When I chop my gizzards I take out the gristle piece that holds the two halves together. In a large skillet, break up the sausage and fry over moderate heat till thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes, drain on paper towels. Drain all but about 3 tablespoons of grease from the skillet, and over medium heat cook the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add the butter, livers, gizzards, thyme, oregano and slat and pepper, stir well, and cook, stirring until the meats are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage and rice, stir, reduce the heat to low and cover and cook till the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender. About 20 minutes.

No holiday table is completely ready until the bread tucked into its napkin lined basket. The holidays are family time and what better way to show them you pulled out all the stops then with homemade bread.

Farmhouse Honey-Wheat Bread

1 / 2 cup water

1 cup small-curd cottage cheese

1 / 2 cup honey

1 / 4 cup butter

5 1 / 2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 packages active dry yeast

1 egg

In a saucepan heat the water, cottage cheese, honey and butter until very warm, 120 degrees. Combine the warm liquid with 2 cups of the all-purpose flour, the whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, yeast and egg and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Then by hand add enough of the remaining all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough. Then knead on a well-floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in a bowl you have lightly greased with vegetable oil, cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about one hour. Punch down and then shape into two loaves and place them in oiled 9 by 5 loaf pans. Cover them and let rise for about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when you tap them on the bottom.

Adapted from The Gooseberry Patch

Spoon Rolls

1 envelope active dry yeast

2 tablespoons warm water, (100 to 110 degrees)

1 / 2 cup vegetable oil

1 / 4 cup sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 cups self-rising flour

2 cups warm milk, (100 to 110 degrees)

Combine yeast and the warm water in bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Combine the yeast mixture, oil, sugar, egg, flour and milk in a large bowl and stir until smooth. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir the batter and spoon into greased muffin pans, filling them about three-fourths full. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.