stuffing vs. dressing.

The North and the South are different in many ways - I could go on and on about traditions, the people and the way things work in the different areas of our nation, two of which I've lived in for extended periods of my life, but I won't.

This time of year it boils down to one battle, Stuffing vs. Dressing. In the South most people have dressing - usually of the cornbread persuasion - SO tasty! Up North we usually have Stuffing (my personal fave). Which is your favorite - what do you serve at your family's feast?

While stuffing is my first choice, I do love my boyfriend's mother's cornbread dressing - it's heavenly. While delicious it won't ever take the place of my mother's stuffing. I can remember watching my mom rip up all the white bread the day before and placing in inside a paper bag overnight to crust up and making it smell so good with different spices. The thing that skeeves out about stuffing is the fact that you stuff it up inside the bird. After reading so many different food blogs and watching so many Thanksgiving specials on the Food Network - most cooks frown on this practice, mostly due to uneven cooking and turkey drippings. Who wants e coli or poultry funk for Thanksgiving - raise your hand!

I attempted to make a version of my mother's recipe without the bird last year and it turned out great. It was much more crispy than her stuffing was (since it wasn't in the bird) but it had all the flavor, which was awesome. All my Southern pals here raved about it - so I guess that was a good thing since they were all dressing fans.

Bottom line is no matter what you like, nothing will top YOUR families recipe, Mom always made the best, or dad, or grandma etc. So cheers to all the cooks this holiday. Be sure to thank them graciously for preparing the big meal and while your at it I bet a bottle of wine or bundle of flowers would make their days too. (Or some specialty beer of dad's doing the cooking!)

I will be enjoying my Thanksgiving with M's family. Playing with his new nephew, and the families new puppy and becoming a total glutton eating my weight in smoked turkey and all the trimmings! You best do the same!

Again, Happy Thanksgiving to all! ox