Lunch: Country Cornbread Dressing with Pecans

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 stalks celery with leaves, finely chopped
1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh sage, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
5 cups crumbled day-old cornbread, homemade or store bought
5 cups cubed country loaf bread, toasted
2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 3 1/2-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onions and saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sage, thyme and garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until very fragrant and all the vegetables are very soft and the onions are translucent, another 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped pecans in the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat. Add the cornbread and country bread to a very large bowl. Add the cooked vegetables and toss together. Whisk together the broth and eggs in a medium bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the bread and mix together with a wooden spoon until completely combined. Pour the dressing into the casserole dish and bake until cooked through and golden on top, about 45 minutes.