November 25, 2010 - 6:34am
Stuffing
Is everybody making stuffing from their home made bread this Thanksgiving? I wish I could, my wifes gluten allergy prevents that, and she makes a wonderful oatmeal meat stuffing anyway.
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Is everybody making stuffing from their home made bread this Thanksgiving? I wish I could, my wifes gluten allergy prevents that, and she makes a wonderful oatmeal meat stuffing anyway.
Cornbread stuffing here. I try others every now and then, but cornbread's the favorite.
I always make mine with homemade dry cornbread. Not the sweet, cakey kind. The dry kind that you bake in a cast iron skillet. The recipe without much AP flour or sugar.
Oh yes, and my wife can eat home made cornbread (without any wheat flour added) so sometimes we do have cornbread and cranberry stuffing too. Yummy
Being in the south, when I think of real cornbread, the sweet cakey stuff is not even considered. Not that the sweet stuff is never made in the south, it most certainly is. I even make the sweet cakey stuff from time to time, and like it. I just don't think of it as true cornbread.
Hi MrFrost
I'm curious to learn more about your type of cornbread. After Thanksgiving, if you have a moment, would you mind posting a link to one of the cornbreads on TFL (or elsewhere) which would be considered true cornbread in your area. I've visited the USA many times but I've never had cornbread there. Not surprised to hear there are different versions, but I have no knowledge basis to assess what is the 'real deal'.
I like to make the Jalapeno Corn Bread in Lee Bailey's Country Weekends, it contains oil, eggs, sour cream, creamed corn, onion, bellpeppers, jalapeno, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and cheese. It's delicious, and while not sweet, it is kind of cakey. I make it in a lodge cast iron skillet, pouring in half the batter, adding the grated cheese and topping that with the rest of the batter. With so many ingredients, I can't imagine it is the traditional version, although did I mention, it is delicious.:-))
I'd be really interested to try whatever you recommend.
Hope you enjoy a happy time sharing the Thanksgiving festival.
Cheers, Robyn
Here is a link to a thread all about cornbread. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19191/corn-bread
There are many different recipes and many of them sound good. The difference between the southern and the northern cornbread is that the southern kind generally doesn't have any wheat flour in it and less (or no) sugar. This will make it less cakey and sweet but that is the way we have always made it. Also a few of the posters recommend scalding the cornmeal, this step is important because it par cooks the cormeal a bit resulting in a moister cornbread. If you like it more gritty then skip this step or go with a recipe that uses wheat flour. The recipe posted by kesserdina for southern cornbread looks the closest to what I grew up with but try the others too and see what you like best. Also, it is never a bad thing to add cheese, sour cream, jalapeno etc to cornbread. Even though it is not "traditional" historically speaking, if you served that kind of cornbread around here you would only get rave reviews. We love adding cheese and spicy stuff to cornbread (or anything for that matter!) The only thing I would change in your recipe would be to substitute butter or bacon fat for the oil.
Jennifer
Hello Jennifer,
I'm sorry I missed seeing your comment. I don't make cornbread often but was curious to know in more detail about something which appears to be understood amongst TFLers from the USA, to see which type the cornbread I make is and if it isn't southern, then to try a traditional recipe. Thank you for your explanation.
Robyn
Having only 2 people who eat bread, I frequently have leftover ends of loaves that I throw in the freezer. I started gathering them last week and cutting into cubes and drying for stuffing. I actually use a bag of brownberry sage and onion and then my bread cubes.
How does your wife use oatmeal for stuffing? Recipe or description available? I know I don't really have a "recipe" for my stuffing whether I use the brownberry or make my own but I'm curious how the oatmeal stuffing consistency is.
Happy Holidays and many thanks to all for the delightfully delicious support!
Actually we started looking for alternative stuffing recipes a few years ago when she was diagnosed with allergies, cornbread stuffing works, but we have settled on our own version of something that is probably very similar to Scottish Oatmeal Stuffing, or skirlie, as a favorite and that can be googled for examples. She found a simple skirlie recipe and modified it to incorporate most of all the ingredients in her mother's traditional meat and white bread stuffing. I can probably pry her present recipe out of her after the holiday, though I think she is still tweeking it evrey year. The consistancy is not much different from traditional bread stuffing. Some guests have tried it and were unaware it was even oatmeal.
It sounds delicious! I love uppuma (Spelling?) which is an Indian savory hot wheat cereal. And polenta is also good so why not oatmeal?
Thank you and Happy thanksgiving!
We had our Thanksgiving yesterday. My husband and son are leaving to go hunting today so we moved the meal up a day.
I'll be home alone until Sunday night so I have plenty of leftovers to keep me happy. :)
This year I made my own stuffing bread, using KAF's Turkey Stuffing Bread recipe. It was easy and delicious and would, I think, make a great base for a turkey sandwich.
For the past few Thanksgivings, my wife has made the "Three Onion Stuffing" from an old Gourmet Magazine. This year she made it with the Country Rye from "Tartine Bread." I had never had stuffing made with sourdough bread before. It was really delicious!
David
Maybe the best stuffing ever. Chad Robertson would be so proud!
A fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. And this morning, cinnamon pecan rolls!!!
Carbotarian Heaven!!
Glenn
Is there an online source for that?
Three-Onion Stuffing
Enjoy!
David
Bread stuffing is one of "Fine Cooking"s great master recipe formulas, where you can add those ingredients you like. My version contains bread, celery, leek, apple, cranberries, pecans and is seasoned with sage, thyme and lemon zest.
Karin
I always make bread stuffing from James Beard's "American Cookery." In addition to the bread, this recipe includes butter, shallots, pinenuts, tarragon, salt and pepper. This year I baked a batch of Hamelman's Vermont Sourdough: turned out really well, I must admit.
Oyster stuffing and dressing.
Sorry I'm late to the party on this thread. I recently learned my 27 YO daughter is allergic to all grains except corn and rice. She has been avoiding breads for some time due to the discomfort it puts her in.
So my daughter is hosting Christmas dinner this year and I offered to bring the Turkey and dressing, all done. Reading this thread suddenly became more interesting to me. My question is, I like the sound of the 3 onion stuffing and I'm wondering how it would work out with using corn bread? Is the corn bread crumbled or baked dry enough it stays in cubes? I've never made cornbread stuffing so I'm looking for help here.
Eric
for years. This year I made my usual savory cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing made with added fruit, both are always delicious. I'm baking bread at moment buy will get back to you Eric. My mom said she never say bread stuffing until we moved out west...I quess it's a southern thing..cornbread stuffing.
Sylvia
Just bake your cornbread. Crumble it into a very large bowl and add your, broth and the rest of your ingredients...you don't want it to dry or wet...I also add eggs. If you like I can give you my MIL buttermilk cornbread recipe..I've used for years..there is no flour or sugar in it, cooked the old fashioned way in a hot iron skillet in the oven. I used the sweeter version cornbread with honey and flour for my fruit cornbread dressing with, dried, apricots, cherries, fresh apples!
Sylvia
Hi, Eric.
I've never made cornbread stuffing and can't say I've ever eaten it. It does sound great, though. You would have to look to others for advice on how to sub it for bread in a recipe.
David
@ Eric
Eric I wonder if a version of scrapple might work as a stuffing. The recipe in the link below uses only cornmeal and buckwheat flour, but you might be able to substitute rice flour for buckwheat if your daughters' allergic to buckwheat as well. If you lightly sauteed some scrapple , then used it in your 3 onion stuffing it might be a way to have a flavorful stuffing for the whole family. Just throwing out an idea to consider.
http://lynnescountrykitchen.net/amish/scrapple.html
Franko
Sylvia: So the dressing IS crumbled. I wondered if it would hold any shape once it got wet with broth.
David: I am a big fan of onions and the three in that recipe are all very flavorful. I'd love to try that recipe, if not this time, the next.
Franko: I was just looking at some scrapple recipes. The sausage would make a nice combination I think, if it wasn't to spicy. My mother used to make scrapple and fry it up in butter. She added braunswieger (sorry if I hacked the spelling of that) to the corn mush and fried onions. I called my 86 YO father yesterday and we were remembering how she did that. Very tasty! Thanks for the thought.
Eric
Depending upon how moist you like your dressing, you can have it chunky or loose cornbread..both are very good..just don't overmix or wet for chunky..I don't care for a dry dressing at all..if baked separate, it can be nice and crunchy on top..just remove the foil last few minutes of baking and or even place under the broiler.
I think I like the savory idea for a turkey side dish, don't you? Load it up with roasted onions and maybe some mild sausage. I use buttermilk in biscuits and breads quite often. I'm not sure about corn meal. The scalding sounds like it would soften the crunch a little. I'm going to try a test batch as a serious scientist should.:>)
Eric
I think we are talking about two entirely different recipes..when you said scalding would soften the crunch.
Cornbread dressing is made with cooked cornbread. I always add ground sage and even poultry seasoning a little thyme, fresh parsley 'italian' and/or dried regular parsley, very easy and delicious..smash the thyme a little, celery and onion, leeks if have them, my SIL adds carrotts to his...sausage is very good, though I never use it...this dressing is great, my MIL made it with white corn meal and served with pork roast, mustard greens, too. Sometimes if doing a lot of cooking and baking for the holidays, I bake my cornbread ahead and freeze it broken up in very large pieces, place it into a zip lock until ready to thaw and use in dressing. I stuff inside the turkey and use the extra for outside. The giblet's are boiled with onion and the broth can be used for the giblet gravy and/or the dressing. Organic chicken stock is excellent moisture base for the stuffing. My veggies are lightly sauted in a whole stick of butter and added to the cornbread. Make it just like you would bread dressing..just use broken up cornbread instead...I do add a couple of eggs to help bind the ingredients. Be sure and make plenty..I double my cornbread recipe and make it in my extra large iron fry pan.
Sylvia
Doesn't that onion stuffing sound good? I'm glad you started this thread. I've made corn bread a few times but didn't appreciate the North-South versions.
Eric
That all sounds delicious. Thank you so much for the details.
Eric
Yes the onion stuffing sounds good, but I am more curious about your daughter's allergies, as they are similar to my wifes, only hers are for any grains containing gluten. What exactly is it that she is allergic to in all those other grains? If she can have corn and rice, they are free of gluten, and my wife can have those, but she can also have buckwheat, teff, tapioca, sourghum etc, and also oatmeal. There can be a very small amount of gluten in oatmeal, but she can usually tolerate it, and Bob's Red Mill even sells a gluten free oatmeal (if I understand it right, oatmeal can get some gluten content due to it's ability to cross polinate with wheat and rye).
Food intolerance, generally due to the absence or an enzyme needed to digest one component, is commonly confused with food allergy. Allergies are due to an immune response to a food component and is chemically mediated by IgE, an immunoglobulin made by your body.
Gluten intolerance, also known as "Celiac Disease" and "Gluten-sensitive Enteropathy" is a reaction of the intestines to gluten. The exact cause is not known, and one possibility is that it is an autoimmune response. This is not an "allergy" in the common sense. It is more like your body developing a reaction to one of its own tissues as if it were foreign.
This may seem nit picking, but the difference is important for medical treatment approaches.
David
Celiac may be much more dangerous with a more immediate reaction to gluten, but gluten intolerance is in itself very serious. In the USA it is near impossible to go through life without consuming wheat products. Someone that is geneticly unfortunate enough to have been born with a digestive system unable to break gluten down efficiently will spend theirr entire life with a gastric battle going on in their gut, losing more and more of their stomache and intestine lining with each passing year. If ignored, and most cases are because they are not diagnosed till much of the damage is done, the body's weakened digestive system will gradually become less tolerant of more and more foods. This is what happened to my wife, sleep problems, unexplained weight problems and acid reflux eventually led to the diagnosis, and by then her body was also unable to handle dairy and eggs, and her digetive system will probably never fully recover. Many people have said to us, oh, its just gluten intolerance, not celiac or even an allergy, but these people are just ignorant of what it is really like.
My oldest daughter has had asthma since she was in grade school. At that time she had the scratch test panel done and she showed positive for the trees and pollens but no food that I recall. Now, she is 27 and hasn't been able to eat a wide range of foods including all breads or anything with wheat in it. Even a small amount of wheat gives her great discomfort. Strawberries, pineapples, apples, celery, carrots to name a few. The last test was a starting point. Her doctor said she is allergic to so much that she doubts injections would be effective. You might be right about the other grains, I'm not sure at this point. She said she is positive for oat but she has some oat bran every day and that doesn't bother her.
So, I'm not sure where this is headed yet. The corn meal stuffing sounded interesting for obvious reasons.
Has your wife tried the gluten free AP flour sold in the GF shops? They claim it is an equal swap for the regular wheat flour and it is totally GF.
Eric
We have tried many of the gluten free AP flours available, and read allot of the popular GF cook books and mixed some of the recipes, Unfortunately most of them contain fava bean flour in order to soften up the texture of breads and bake stuffs. We have found bean flour to be the main offender in making everything taste like the gluten free crappo they sell for such high prices in stores. The absolute best we have found at this point is Pamela's white sandwhich bead mix. Also doubles as best for gluten free pizza crust. $$$ saved by buying in quantity from Amazon...
http://www.amazon.com/Pamelas-Products-Wheat-Free-Gluten-Free-19-Ounce/dp/B000DZFMEQ
I would really like to see a gluten free section of this website and share and trade , what do you think?
I would also like to see a gluten free section. My son is on the GFCF diet because of autism. I can make most anything now gluten free and dairy free and nobody can tell the difference. The only thing I have a problem with is the bread. Some times I make it and it is FABULOUS and other times it is dry and crumbly. I am pretty sure I know what I am doing wrong but it would still be nice to get to talk to others in the same situation. I still visit this site because I miss making regular bread and I love to look at all the pictures and recipes and live vicariously through other peoples experiences in baking. I bought the book "Gluten Free Baking Classics" on amazon and have LOVED it. The recipes are great and I can serve them to other people with rave reviews. Everyone is so surprised to find out that it is gluten free because it tastes so good. And the book doesn't use any bean flour BUT some of the flours needed are hard for me to find so I have to mail order them. Luckily I found a place in new york called Lori's Naturals and they have flat rate shipping (making it not so expensive in the long run) Usually the shipping costs more than the flour!
Jennifer
David,
I was hoping you would respond to this. She was tested for Celiac and was negative just recently. The Doc that tested her said she was surprised at how many things she had a reaction to. It was the second scratch test, the first being for outdoor things and the common dust mites and such. This was a list she picked out from things she knows has bothered her in the past. The sensitivity to rye was as high as for wheat. It has been a long while since she has had a meal that didn't tear up her digestive system.
Eric
Hi, Eric.
That's just awful!
It does sound like your daughter really does have allergies, but it may not be to gluten.
My message was actually addressed to the member who seemed to be confusing Celiac Disease with allergies.
David