Tasty Tuesdays - Cornbread, Wild Mushroom, and Pecan Stuffing (With Sausage)

For most New Orleanians, we grow up unfamiliar with the concept of boxed stuffing. Actually, we really don't even use the term stuffing. Instead, on almost any NOLA holiday table you will find "dressing" of some kind - most typically oyster dressing. It can be done inside or outside of the turkey, and it always moist and delicious (or at least most people think so).

I have never been the biggest fan of oyster dressing, so when I started looking at recipes, I wanted to find a recipe similar to a cornbread dressing my dad makes. I set out to find a recipe that would produce a richly flavored, deliciously moist dressing. And find it I did. This recipe will turn even the most ardent hater of stuffing/dressing into its biggest fan.

I have made a few adjustments to this stuffing, because I love how the flavor of pork sausage with sage adds a saltiness and heartiness to this dish. I'll give you the traditional recipe and post a note below with the steps I take to incorporate the sausage. I do not stuff the bird, so I add a little extra wine for extra flavor. Also, I know some people do not like mushrooms, but I highly recommend them. They soak up so much liquid and are really the key in making this dressing so moist.

Makes 8 cups
1 1/2 cups pecans
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 cups crumbled Cornbread - I use Jiff and bake it the night before
5 shallots, finely chopped
1 rib celery, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
10 ounces wild mushrooms (chanterelles, oyster, and shiitake)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Homemade Chicken Stock (Oh Martha - how ambitious you are, I use canned stock)

**1 tube Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage with Sage

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread pecans on a baking sheet. Place in oven to toast until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Set aside.


2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet. Cut cornbread into 2-inch-thick slices. Place, cut side down, on a 17-by-12-inch baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter. Toast cornbread until golden brown, 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.


3. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet on medium high. Add shallots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper; cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add white wine; continue cooking until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add cream. Cook 30 seconds; remove pan from heat.


4. Crumble cornbread into a large bowl. Add mushroom mixture and toasted pecans; toss.


5. If you bake this stuffing outside the turkey, add chicken stock, and bake in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish until the stuffing is crusty and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Note 1- at step four, skip the butter and brown the sausage in a skillet. Drain until you have a few tablespoons of drippings from the sausage. Continue with the recipe as stated above.

Note 2 - when you add the 1/3 cup chicken stock, I add a little wine at a time as well until the stuffing reaches the texture I desire.

A Fall Photo Update (In reverse order)

With all the traveling we've been doing this fall, our camera was overloaded with pictures. It was so fun going through all of them and reliving all the fun we've had. I have to say, it was quite exhausting too! These early morning flight on Mondays have made me so sleepy. It will be so nice to spend the next few weekends here in Beaufort with our wonderful friends. I hope you enjoy catching up with us!

If you hadn't heard, our Saints are 8-0!!! Our section was going crazy yesterday after the big win. What a way to wrap up a perfect weekend.

Mark, me, Barnaby (my brother-in-law), and Alissa getting ready to dance all night at the Gold Mine. Is there a better bar anywhere in the world? I don't think there is!

My sister-in-law Alissa, my friend Jen, and me at the Gold Mine

Me and the beautiful bride, my sweet Delta Gamma little sister.

Mark and me at Jenny and Jeff's wedding.

It wouldn't be a wedding weekend in NOLA without a trip to

Tropical Isle for a Hand Grenade.
Me and Mark in the best section in the dome - Section 631!

Enjoying every minute of the MNF tailgating with the best Saints fans I know!

Birthday lunch at Maximo's with the family!

What a wonderful birthday brunch!

Me with my Hibiscus martini at Commanders. My sweet friends Lauren, Christie, and Margaret surprised my with a bday card and a bday drink all the way from Beaufort to NOLA!!

Devil with The Blue Dress On...

Opening my bday gifts!!

My friend Jenny, me, and my sis celebrating the win versus the Giants at Lucy's!

Me, my sister, and my friend Beth at her engagement party

Me and Mark at the Blues and BBQ Festival.

Stay Tuned!

I'm hoping to get our pictures from these last two weekends uploaded and posted. I'm so bad about doing this, and since we have a night at home without meetings or other plans, I have no excuse - so hold me to it!!!

I'm leaving on a jet plane

Well, we're headed to New Orleans again. Crazy, right. I feel like we just got back. My suitcase was still packed from our trip last weekend. We'll be heading there for a wedding, and I can't wait to see everyone. My Delta Gamma little sis is getting married to one of Mark's fraternity brothers so it should be quite a reunion. The ceremony itself will take place near the gazebo on Fulton Street next to Harrah's Hotel, which is where the reception is. I can't wait to see how beautiful the outdoor ceremony is. Fulton Street is so unique and feels very New Olreansy - just perfect for a local girl!

My brother and sister-in-law will be there too!!! Yay! We have missed them, so it'll be nice catching up. Plus, my goal is to woo Alissa with all NOLA has to offer so that they come to visit us very often when we move home. It shouldn't be too hard!!

As excited as I am about our trip, I can't ignore how saddened I am by the Fort Hood shootings. There is no place in the world I feel safer than on a US military base, and it breaks my heart to think of the men and women who were killed or injured at Fort Hood. I imagine that those waiting in the readiness center had come to peace with the dangers that deployment brings, but to experience such a horrific thing on our own soil is just unfathomable to me, especially within the protection of a base. I cannot imagine if this had happened here at Parris Island or the Air Station or Navy Hospital. It is just so sad. I am hoping that the families of the brave men and women who were injured or killed are able to find some comfort as the days pass. I also hope that the family of the officer who committed this horrible act find peace as well. I am sure that they are grieving too. For all of the men and women who serve, we are so grateful of your generosity of spirit, your commitment to service, and your willingness to lay down your life for the cause of freedom.

Trendy Wednesday - The Winter Shift

As I have been getting more and more winter catalogues in the mail, I have been so excited to see the variety of simple shift dresses. From tweeds in wool, to floral in stretch jersey, they have all have a great shape and a number of ways to wear them. For day, pair your shift with a pair of tights, a matching cardigan, and some ballet flats, and you're ready for work. For night, keep the tights, switch out the the cardi for a Pashmina, and trade the flats for a pair of booties. It really is such a versatile look. Many of them are coming very short, so I think the tights are usually a must, but there's no reason you have to stick to the basics. Try a pair of tights in a wild color or a great texture. That's the best part of the winter version of this summertime specialty - you can add so many more layers of accessories to them. You don't have to worry about over-wearing a dress, because it can take on so many different looks. And who doesn't love an outfit that transforms perfectly from day to night!

Banana Republic Wool Shift - LOVE it! And I really love the little knit hat too!

Donna Morgan Floral Shift - Perfect for work or weekend!

Forever 21Prim Wool Dress - Their clothes don't always fit me well, but I have my fingers crossed on this one! And it's a steal at only $36.

French Connection City Sparkle Dress - perfect for a holiday party or NYE!!

Tasty Tuesdays - Green Beans Slow-Cooked with Bacon and Onions

I mentioned that from now until Thanksgiving I will be posting the recipes we use to make our Thanksgiving feast. This recipe for slow cooked green beans is as simple as it is delicious. I think with all of the chaos that goes with preparing a multi-course meal, it is important to have a few dishes that can be made ahead or that take little to no preparation and monitoring. This dish is definitely the latter. I typically buy a large bag of green beans from the farmers market and pre-wash and trim the beans the night before Thanksgiving. I also rough chop the onions the night before as well. I find the easiest and most efficient way to chop bacon is to stack a few slices together and cut the slices in half lengthwise with your kitchen shears. Then cut into cubes with the shears. I prefer this method to chopping the bacon with a knife on the cutting board - less gadgets, shorter time, and fewer dishes!

Turkey Day prep is all about ease and simplicity. You want you guests to feel relaxed and at home, and I think these tips and this dish will help you serve a meal that it delicious but not fussy!

Green Beans Slow-Cooked with Bacon and Onions

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 6 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 pounds fresh green beans
2 quarts chicken stock

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (Chicken Stock is salty so taste before adding more)

Directions
Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, bacon, and onions and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the green beans and chicken stock; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, and cook the green beans until they are soft but not mushy, about 30 to 45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

PS - If you wanted to add a little crispiness to this dish for extra texture, French's fried onion would be a great addition.

Today's the BIG Day

Oh, and it's also my birthday. But that has taken a backseat to the Saints/Falcons game tonight. I cannot begin to describe to you the electricity in the air here. It is like nothing I have ever experienced before as a Saints fan. It is different than the great feelings of three years ago when the Saints re-opened the Dome. That was a feeling of pure joy and relief and redemption. It is different than the feeling on the day of the Saints/Eagles playoff game when the city was buzzing with hope and gratitude that out team was playing better than they actually were. Riding a wave of hope, they were a team of destiny. But today feels different. Today feels like we have finally arrived as the team to beat in the NFL. And as exciting as those other games were, no one expected greatness, we were just grateful to see glimpses of it. The 2009 team we are watching tonight is a team like we have never seen before. They are complete in every aspect of the game. They are exciting and energetic, but more than anything, they are just damn good.

It makes this day so special. Our friend's law firm is having black and gold day where they all get to go to work in their Saints apparel. Our other friend's law firm closed for the day so that everyone could spend the day tailgating with their families. Everywhere you go people are talking about this team and how they really believe that this is our year. And for the first time people feel like this season isn't the product of luck or hope or good karma, it's the product of hard work, determination, talent, and greatness. So here's to tonight. I can only imagine how insane the Dome will be. I feel so lucky to be in the number who will see this game from Section 631.

Can I get a WHO DAT?!?!