Often times I feel like the most basic yet vitally important lessons of life can be taught to us in the simplest of ways – sometimes even without us being aware. The most perfect example of this was last week at Jack’s soccer game. It was the last game of the season and they were up against a formidable opponent – as formidable as 7 and 8-year-olds in brightly colored jerseys can be. The game was tied and the pressure was on. Coaches on both sides were yelling. Parents were chanting. Folks were seriously into this game. A ref blew the whistle. The game stopped. Now at this age, this might mean a penalty, an opportunity to correct an action, or someone might be hurt. But it was none of those. Nope, it was for a shoe lace. Yep, one of our players’ cleats had come untied and the ref called a timeout to allow him to tie it – you know, for safety reasons. But in all the chaos, it was realized that this little guy didn’t know how to tie his shoe. Did a coach run over to help? Nope. Did his parents dart onto the field to secure the loose lace? They didn’t. No, before anyone could do anything a player on the opposing team kneeled down to tie his shoe. There was a collective “awwww” from the crowd. In that moment, I was reminded that it’s perfectly acceptable for folks on opposing teams to be kind to one another. Just because our goals are on opposite ends of the spectrum, it doesn’t mean we have to be hateful in the journey toward that end.
It seems rampant these days that folks feel like we have to be cruel to one another just because our ideals are different. What happened to embracing our differences? Today, with the advent of social media, we see someone who doesn’t agree with us and we block them or hide their post. We’re raising a generation kids who don’t understand that it’s okay to disagree and move on – that every statement doesn’t invite an argument. We’re allowing our young folks to foster the idea that we should make opinions that differ from ours disappear.
Those kids reminded us that being on opposing teams doesn’t prevent us from being kind to each other. Be kind. Please.
Y’all, I can’t wait for you to try this kicked up cornbread dressing! The mushrooms, green onions, and bacon really give the dish a punch of flavor. Don’t like mushrooms? Simply leave them out. Don’t like green onion? Just omit them. Don’t like bacon? Well… you should probably leave. Ha! No, I’m just kidding. Kind of. 🙂 No, seriously, the recipe works great to alter it to suit your taste.
It’s a great flavorful alternative to traditional cornbread dressing. Y’all enjoy!
Recipe Card
Bacon Mushroom Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 cups crumbled cornbread
- 8 slices bacon
- 2 ribs celery (thinly sliced)
- 1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms (about 3 cups)
- 6 green onions (chopped)
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 3 cups chicken broth
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Coarsely chop the bacon. Carefully pour away all but about 2 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Return the pan with the reserved drippings to medium heat and add the celery. Cook about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the green onions and cook until they are wilted and soft - about 2 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the crumbled cornbread, cooked vegetables, chopped bacon, and cream of mushroom soup. Mix well. Add the broth one cup at a time until it gets to a soupy consistency - 3 cups seems to be just about right, but you may require a little more or a little less. Baking it will cause most of the moisture to absorb, so make sure that you've got enough liquid in there. You don't want tdry dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour it into the prepared dish and bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and set.
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Jeff
This is a fantastic recipe I have some of the family that are not fans of stuffing
Naturally they are from Chicago and we are from Florida it’s not stuffing it’s dressing lol Corn bread Dressing this will be perfect and add some flare!
Thanks
Sure hope it makes everyone happy
Shelley Chavious
Stacey – thank you for sharing such a great story about kindness and the reminder that diversity is actually a gift since it would be a boring world were we all the same. We need to get to where we can celebrate our differences instead of clashing again one another so often. Thanks for the recipes too!!
You’re so welcome, Shelley!
Sally Sobota
Is jiffy mix ok for the cornbread…or even the breadcrumb in cornbread stuffing mix.
I love Jiffy, but find it a little too sweet for dressing. I’ve not tried it with the stuffing mix. If you used that, I’d imagine you’d need some additional broth. Enjoy!
marsha adamson
how do you make the cornbread?
You can use the cornbread recipe on this post: https://southernbite.com/southern-cornbread-dressing-family-favorite/
Anita
I just cooked onions, celery, mushrooms and garlic and crumbled my cornbread to make dressing. I’m definitely gonna add the bacon and put my personal spin on this recipe! It sounds so good. And who doesn’t like bacon???
Exactly! Hope y’all enjoyed it!
Jan
His parents should have been very proud, what a success story for a parent. They are doing something right, to raise a child with a kind heart. What a fine young man he is growing up to be.
I couldn’t agree more!
Judy M
Thank you Stacey for such a compassionate post – it made my day better.
In college a wise professor taught us that we can disagree without being disagreeable
That is so true. Have a great day, Judy!
Jo Ann
Thank you so very much for posting this. We, as adults can learn a lot from these two beautiful souls. I pray that we as human beings can become a lot more discerning and passionate toward our fellow human beings.Just because we have different skin colors, ethnic backgrounds, religion etc., doesn’t mean that we can’t show compassion to each other. Lets celebrate the differences in one another (life would be boring if we were all the same), lets treat each other with respect. Above all else, lets just be kind to one another. And yes, it begins with the children, but those in power, need to set the example.
Judy M
wisely and wonderfully said by Jo Ann
Wasn’t it!? So true.
Yes, Jo Ann! I couldn’t agree more. I think starting with kindness is the most simple gesture that could have and unbelievable impact. 🙂
Doris
Stacy,beautiful post and photo.Thanks for sharing.I love bacon so I will make this dressing.Have you ever tried using ham instead of chicken in traditional dressing?
Thanks, Doris! No, but that sounds delicious!
Joanne
Such a sweet post to read! I love that photo, too.
Thanks, Joanne!
Nancy
Stacey, this is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever read! And thank you for sharing the photo as well, both brought tears to my eyes! Honestly, I suspect that there is more of this going on than meets the eye, particularly in elementary school age children.
Nancy
Thanks, Nancy! I sure hope that’s right. I imagine it is. Kids don’t get bogged down in stuff we adults do.
Rickey
Your commentary on the reprehensible social behavior on today’s youth hits the nail on the head. The absolution in their endeavor to intentionally pursue a life of inflicting evilness upon the weak, innocent, honest, God fearing person, is valid reason to keep abortion legal. The concept of right and wrong is obvious to most human beings, even the criminals today know the difference;a life of crime is an occupational choice. Despite social media, and all other reasons for cruel criminal behavior among these creatures, the first line of defense will always start from the day they’re born. It starts with good parenting ,and whomever the parents are, let the truth be know, everybody is not cut out to be parents.
Nana
I wish we saw this more often publicized as too often we only hear the “bully” stories. His parents must be proud.
So true! I know they must be.
Aileen
I love this post. So sweet. 🙂
Thanks, Aileen!
Judy
“…And a little child shall lead them.
🙂