Turkey (prep)

1 turkey (see note)
If frozen, it will need to thaw, in the refrigerator, for several days. Follow the directions that come with the turkey.
Note: 12 to 15 lbs is a good size. It will feed 12+ people and you will have leftovers) If you will be having more folks, I find it is best to buy two (or multiples) of this size. You can cook one the day before and refrigerate it and reheat it while the first one is being eaten.

Dressing, for 1 turkey (prep)

Two or three days before you are serving, bake the cornbread and biscuits according to the directions on the pkgs. Let cool, then break up into small pieces. Put in large bown or pan and cover with cuptowel. Do not cover with foil or plastic wrap...air needs to circulate. It will mold. I usually stir frequently and put it in the (unlit) oven. Remember to take it our before you preheat oven for something else.

3 (or more) pkgs of Corn-Kits (Morrison brand) (if you don't have leftover frozen cornbread..., substitute with Cornbread from Scratch if you can't get non-Yankified sweet cornbread)
Do not use stone ground cornmeal for the cornbread...although it makes great cornbread, it makes lousy dressing, it absorbs too much liquid)
1 roll refrigerator biscuits....the cheaper the better.

Additional ingredients for day-of

4 or 5 onions (yellow)
l bunch celery
dried or fresh sage
2 or 3 boxes of chicken broth...the boxed is best. The amount you will need depends on humidity and how dry your bread misture is...generally the drier the better.
5 or 6 eggs
Staples on hand : Flour, salt, pepper, Sugar, Paper towels, Butter or olive oil

Day-of Directions

Turkey

To cook turkey, check baking time and temperature information that comes with the turkey. The turkey should be completely thawed before it goes in the oven. Remove turkey from bag. Check neck cavity and belly cavity and remove the plastic bags of neck, gizzards etc from the cavity...I usually rinse these and put in cold salted water and boil for about 45 minutes or more and add to the stock for gravy, dressing etc. Rinse the turkey, inside and out. Dry thoroughly with paper towels and remove all the gunk inside the turkey that you can.

Put into baking pan (on a lightly greased rack). Put one onion, quartered, and a couple or so celery stalks in the cavity. Salt and pepper the inside. Using melted butter, brush the breast and legs, then salt and pepper. Tuck the wings under the bird and tie the legs together if needed.

Continue to baste the turkey occasionally during baking. If the turkey is browning too much on the breast and legs, tent with foil.

About an hour before the turkey is done, remove from oven and place on top of dressing. Use the pan drippings to season the dressing and the broth you will use for the gravy. (I usually pour the drippings into a measuring cup, and refrigerate. Use some of the congealed fat to make the roux for the gravy) Bake at least 1 hour more, until turkey is done and dressing is brown around the edge of pan.

Dressing

While the turkey is baking, heat the broth to the boiling point and keep warm. Boil 5 eggs, cool and peel.

Chop 3 or 4 onions, 3 or 4 stalks of celery and saute in small amount of butter or olive oil until the onion is no longer opaque.

Mix onions and celery into bread mixture. Add salt and pepper and sage (about 1 tsp. Sage to begin with). When you are almost ready to put the turkey on top, add the hot broth and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in the chopped eggs. The consistency of the dressing will be thick...but not soupy. It should pour out of the bowl....

Gravy

Make gravy using the roux from the turkey fat, flour, broth and salt and pepper. (blend the turkey dripping fat, and flour in pan stirring until it is thick and smooth, add hot broth, slowly, stirring constantly. If it is not thick enough, add some flour to cold water, stir until mixed, and add slowly to hot mixture....stir like mad. Cook on low heat for at least 5 minutes after adding additional flour. Salt and pepper.