Chicken and Cornbread Dressing and Pumpkin Pie
Thanksgiving was one of my favorite times of the year when I was a young girl, and it still is as an adult. My family didn't have much when I was growing up, and some would say we were poor, but we always had a lot of love to pass around. Mama made sure that we girls had enough food to eat, and if someone knocked on the door - family or stranger - she would give them her own plate of food. At an early age, we girls were taught to share, no matter how hungry we were. So, if there was only one piece of chicken left, we would ask if anyone else wanted it before our chubby little hands reached to snatch it away.
I know you may be reading this recipe in the middle of a hot summer's day, thinking to yourself that this recipe is for Thanksgiving or for a Christmas meal. Still, I want to encourage you to do something out of the norm, like preparing this delicious holiday meal any time of the year to bring comfort to your loved ones, no matter what season you are experiencing. Remember, love is the main ingredient in making any meal delicious. Pumpkin Pie Recipe
I know you may be reading this recipe in the middle of a hot summer's day, thinking to yourself that this recipe is for Thanksgiving or for a Christmas meal. Still, I want to encourage you to do something out of the norm, like preparing this delicious holiday meal any time of the year to bring comfort to your loved ones, no matter what season you are experiencing. Remember, love is the main ingredient in making any meal delicious. Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Chicken:
Ingredients:
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 large whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
Directions:
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Rub melted butter over the outside and under the skin of the chicken breast and thigh. Then sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Put in a deep baking pan and cover loosely with foil.
Roast in a 375 degrees F oven for 75 -90 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees. Be sure to insert thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone to get a correct reading.
Place the chicken on a platter when done and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Carve chicken into serving pieces. Keep chicken warm until ready to eat, and be sure to save the drippings for the giblet gravy!
Roast in a 375 degrees F oven for 75 -90 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees. Be sure to insert thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone to get a correct reading.
Place the chicken on a platter when done and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Carve chicken into serving pieces. Keep chicken warm until ready to eat, and be sure to save the drippings for the giblet gravy!
Cornbread Dressing:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Ingredients:
I use 4-6 packages of yellow cornbread mix for my dressing. I always cook it the day before so that it will crumble better (as well as freeing up the oven for other baking needs!)
- 3-4 pieces of day-old white bread or rolls
- 4-6 packages of yellow cornbread mix
- 3-4 cups of chicken broth
- 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2-3 teaspoons of sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 6 boiled eggs, peeled
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
Crumble with your fingers your cornbread and rolls into a baking pan. Then, sauté the celery and onions in butter using a skillet until they are translucent. Crumble the hard boiled eggs with your hands and add them to the cornbread mixture. Sprinkle sage, salt and pepper to taste, and then add the broth until the mixture is moist, not soaked. Cook the dressing in a 400-degree oven for 1 hour or until done. Cover the baking pan with foil for the first 30 minutes, and then uncover for the remaining time. Make sure that you don’t let the dressing dry out by overcooking it!
Giblet Gravy:
Ingredients:
- Chicken Giblets
- Drippings from baked chicken
- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups of water
- 1 can of cream of chicken soup
Directions:
Cook the neck and giblets (liver and gizzards) in 2 cups of water. Season them with salt and pepper to taste, and cook until done.
Chop giblets up into small pieces and put aside in a small bowl. In a saucepan, heat up the drippings from the baked chicken, and then stir in the flour with a fork or whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste. While cooking on low heat, whisk the mixture, dissolving all lumps until the gravy is smooth. If gravy becomes too thick for your taste, add more water, but not too much or the gravy will become too thin. Stir in the cream of chicken soup and chopped giblets into the gravy mixture. Cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Taste the gravy as you are cooking to adjust the seasoning if needed.