Peachy's Chicken and Dressing

This recipe comes from my dear friend Peachy. Peachy is famous for her chicken and dressing. It is a longtime family favorite of hers, and I wouldn't dare change one damned thing. She'd kill me. According to her, it is labor intensive, but so worth it! It will bring back memories of a simpler time.....a time before foo foo buerre blanc a derra de funglio ala shit on a shingle, was created. You get the picture. So, just in time for Gobble day, here is Peachy's Chicken and Dressing. And if you change one thing, I'm sure she will hear about it. Lard, help you.

Peachy's Famous Chicken & Dressing


4 to 5 pound whole fryer or hen
16 cups cold water
2 bay leaves
2 onions halved
3 stalks celery cut into short pieces


Wash fryer or hen and discard giblets because the broth is better cooked without them.

Place chicken in large stockpot with bay leaves and vegetables. Add the 16 cups of water and bring to a boil. Boil gently for about 1 hour or until the chicken is very tender and begins to fall away from the bone.

Set off the stove to cool. When cooled enough to handle, strain the chicken and vegetables. Discard the vegetables and remove the chicken from the bone. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. Refrigerate the strained both overnight so that the fat will solidify on top. You should have about 12 cups of broth.

Cornbread for dressing (Makes three 9 inch round pans)

6 cups White-Lily self-rising buttermilk cornmeal mix
4 eggs
4 ½ cups buttermilk
1 cup liquid vegetable oil

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well blended. Pour into three 9-inch well greased cake pans to bake. Pour into three because you want a lot of curst. It makes better dressing that way.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 – 40 minutes until well browned. Cool in the pan then crumble into a very large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

When the broth has completely cooled, remove the solid fat from the top and discard. In an effort to trim as much fat as possible from the diet, there are other ways to add flavor to the dressing and to the gravy without sacrificing the rich chicken taste.

Bring the de-fatted broth to the boil and add:

2 cups finely chopped celery
1 cup grated carrots
3 cups finely chopped onions

Boil gently for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and add 3 packets Herb-Ox Chicken Flavor Seasonings. It comes in a 1.5 ounce box of eight packets and is usually sold in the soup section of supermarkets. Also add to the broth two cans (10 ¾ ounces each) cream of chicken soup. 1 tsp each of poultry seasoning and sage, and black pepper to taste.

Add the broth to the crumbled cornbread. Break into small pieces 8 slices fresh white bread and fold together until well mixed. Fold in 2 cups finely minced cooked chicken. At this point it is a good idea to taste for seasonings before adding the eggs. Add 6 extra-large eggs, slightly beaten, to the dressing. When all is mixed well pour into two 3 quart baking dishes which have been greased lightly with vegetable oil. Dishes that are 2 ½ to 3 inches deep work well because they keep the dressing moist. Longer, thinner dishes will give drier results.

Bake dressing in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until it begins to brown. Do not overcook since you will be reheating at serving time. Cool completely. Wrap in aluminum foil for the freezer. When ready to use, remove from the freezer several house before serving time. Leave wrapped in the foil and place in a slow (300 degree oven for about 30 minutes or so. Remove the foil for about the last 10 minutes, just to crisp up the top.

Gravy

12 to 16 ounces fresh chicken livers (boiled in water for about 30 minutes or until tender, drained thoroughly, and then chopped finely)
2 – 3 cups de-fatted chicken broth
2 can cream of chicken soup (10 ¾ ounce cans, not diluted)
2 packages Herb-Ox Chicken Seasonings
Dash salt
Dash black pepper
6 – 8 hard boiled eggs

Stir all except the livers together until a smooth gravy is formed. Add the livers and simmer for 6 minutes. Add, at the last minute 6 to 8 finely chopped boiled eggs. Serve over the hot dressing.