How do you improve upon your family’s stuffing side dish? Add bacon, Deschutes Gourmet mushrooms and The Sparrow Bakery’s bread of course!
As featured on Central Oregon Daily’s Taste This
Bacon, Mushroom, and Cornbread Dressing
8-10 servings – Total time 1 hr 40 min
Ingredients:
4 cups cornbread, cut into 1” cubes (about 4 cups)
1 small loaf ciabatta bread or rolls, cut into 1” cubes (about 4 cups)
1 loaf French bread or baguette, cut into 1” cubes (about 8 cups)
1 pound bacon, chopped
1 stick of butter
1 pound gourmet mushrooms, coarsely chopped (any mixture of blue and/or white oyster, king trumpet, chanterelle, morel or shiitake – button and baby portobellos will also work)
1 large sweet onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp ground dried thyme
2 tsp sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the bread between 2 baking sheets. Toast in the oven, tossing once, until crispy and just turning golden brown, 15–20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Increase the oven temp to 375 degrees.
- Cook the bacon in a large cast-iron skillet or fry pan over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, 7-10 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel and reserve 3 tbsp fat from the skillet and discard the rest. Add the butter to the skillet and melt. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add the onion and celery, cook until softened, 4-7 minutes. Add the chicken broth, parsley, rosemary, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper, and stir gently.
- Slowly add the mushroom-broth mixture into the bowl of bread cubes, toss until the dressing has the moisture level you want. Add the bacon, toss well, and add more seasoning to taste.
- Pour the dressing into a large buttered casserole dish. Bake until golden and crisp on top, 20-30 minutes. Serve piping hot.
