Bacon Cornbread Stuffing with Raisins & Nuts

Eat as is, or use to stuff boneless pork chops, chicken breasts, turkey, butternut squash or apples.

Toasting nuts really brings out their flavor. Spread the nuts out on a sheet pan and cook at 350°F for about 5 minutes. Shake the pan halfway through cooking. Keep a close watch: overcook and they’ll be bitter.

To save time, you may bake the cornbread and cut the vegetables up to 3 days ahead of your holiday dinner. Leave the bread loosely covered at room temperature; bag and refrigerate vegetables together.

Servings: 
9
Approx. Prep Time: 
20 min.
Approx. Cook Time: 
30 min.
Yellow Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix
Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tbsp oil
1 cup milk
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into pieces
4 ribs celery, diced
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
1/3 cup raisins, chopped
2 tbsp toasted nuts
2 tsp dried sage
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup (plus more if needed) chicken broth or stock
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Prepare cornbread according to package directions; cool to room temperature. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add celery, onion and sage to skillet with rendered bacon fat and cook until onion turns translucent and celery has softened slightly. Tear cornbread into pieces and add to skillet with vegetables. Stir in the nuts, raisins and cooked bacon. Cook another minute or two to warm everything through. Meanwhile, combine the butter and chicken broth. Microwave on high until butter is completely melted; stir into stuffing, adding more chicken broth if the mixture seems dry. Salt and pepper to taste.