The Dressing

I stirred and stirred. My mom kept telling me I had to keep stirring the dressing until it tasted good. She would come and taste it often. Sometimes she added a little more of this or that. I stirred until she declared it tasted good. The dressing was an all important item for our thanksgiving meal. I loved it then. I love it still.

I was twenty-two years old with a young family of my own when we moved across the country. It became my job to fix the dressing. I was filled with trepidation at this all-important task. I called home crying that I didn't think I could fulfill this great responsibility. Mom assured me that I could do this.” “Just make sure you stir it till it tastes good.” I made the cornbread and prayed for success. That first thanksgiving on my own I had to re-make the cornbread after mice nibbled their way through most of the first pan. I protected the second batch from the mice. The dressing was good, but not as good as Mom's.

Today my daughter is doing the cooking. I am looking forward to eating a big plateful of dressing.

Here is my mother's recipe for dressing. It is wonderful. You just have to be sure to stir it.

Turkey Dressing
By Gramma Byrtle
             Make a big pan of cornbread. Then add about as much stale light bread as you have cornbread. Crumble all into little, tiny pieces.
            Cook neck, gizzard, etc. of turkey till good and done – use plenty of water for stock to pour over the bread. Cut this meat up (some of it) & add to the dressing – save enough giblets back to put in gravy.
            Beat up about 6 (maybe 4) eggs and add to dressing & add salt & pepper to taste – also a small amt. of sage – too much makes it a mess - about a tsp. I think
            I cook quite a lot of celery & a big onion (cut up fairly good) in pan of water separately & dump all this in dressing too. (a chicken bouillon cube may be used too if you want) (or poultry seasoning may be used instead of sage.)
            Taste till it’s good –I like it kinda moist – not too dry. Stuff into bird just before roasting – a danger of spoiling if you put it in ahead. Left over may be baked in pan separately. Big Mama used to stuff a cloth bag of extra dressing & bake it along side of turkey. I hope you good luck, Sue!
 
            (This letter is the recipe sent from Mom to Sue in 1965 - our first Thanksgiving in Maryland. I tried to follow it for several years, but could never get it to taste like my Mom’s dressing. After that I used Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix.)