Nov 27, 2019

How About Dressing or Stuffing Balls?


I've found that if you live in the South it is called Dressing, from the North it is called Stuffing, and a few still call it Filling. Some I'm just finding out make Dressing or Stuffing Balls!  How cool is that?  No matter what we call it, isn't it delicious?  Yes it is!  We love it here.

Let's talk dressing or stuffing in the bird, in the pan, or shaped into balls......

Thinking hard on this Thanksgiving Eve about what to make and finding out now there are more options!  Who knew?  Did you?  What do you make?  You know here we bake our Dressing in a pan.  Do you stuff your turkey with your bread stuffing?  Do you make these wonderful sounding Dressing or Stuffing Balls?  What do you add to yours in the region you live in?  Please feel free to comment if you like as to what is tradition for you!

We've made the Southern Dressing in our family households for a lifetime.  We bake ours in a casserole dish or more accurately a huge baking pan, because we love it so much!

It is interesting to hear of other family traditions and share them!  This is fun!

I'd never heard of the Dressing/Stuffing Balls until the other day.  A friend of mine, Sharon, told of her family's tradition of making them.  That sparked my interest for sure.  She agreed to share her recipe with me. It is an add broth as needed recipe: Varies for the amount of stuffing and ingredients you put in. I imagine not too soupy as you will be shaping into balls.






Sharon's Recipe In Her Own Words:

We always use 1/2 Pepperidge Farm Herb and 1/2 Cornbread Stuffing Mix.
Celery and onion cooked til tender.
Poultry Seasoning, Salt & Pepper
Chicken Broth.
Form into balls and bake until browned

She says, "I'm not sure grandmother used the stuffing mix.  I remember her baking bread and cornbread and mixing that in." "I truly wished I'd paid more attention and asked more questions." "The first time I ate Thanksgiving away from home, it was served in a dish, and I didn't know what it was!"

Isn't that adorable?  Sharon I would have been like you had I gone to a house with the Dressing Balls, because you are the first to tell me of these!

I think that is such a sweet story and sentiment behind their family tradition of having Dressing Balls.  Sharon speaks for all of us when she says that about paying more attention.  I too wish I'd paid more attention to my relatives when they were cooking.

She got me to thinking I need to research this thing that has been around for generations the Dressing Ball.  The internet is full of them!  I've listed a few below but you can find others.


DRESSING OR STUFFING BALL RECIPES



CORNBREAD DRESSING BALLS
  • Vintage Southern Recipes:  Cornbread Dressing Balls here


COMBINATION CORNBREAD & BREAD DRESSING BALLS
  • Nancy's Stuffing Balls:  Here Complete with story behind them

STUFFING BALLS MADE FROM BREAD
  • MeeMaw's Baked Stuffing Balls from 12 Tomatoes.  The picture above is their/s. Recipe here
  • Grandma Dot's Stuffing Balls:  here  Recipe from Carabakescupcakes.  She says, "This is a must-have recipe for Thanksgiving, passed down by her grandmother, who used white bread. Cara likes to use whole wheat bread for extra flavor.

Photo credit above:  MeeMaw's Baked Stuffing Balls Twelve Tomatoes 


  • Basic Stuffing Balls with Variations:  here
  • Stuffing Balls New England Today:  here
  • Campbell's Mushroom Stuffing Balls:  here 
  • They say you can make the Mushroom Balls and freeze up to a month!
  • Ralph's Sausage Stuffing Balls with Cranberry Pear Sauce:  here


The link below is very interesting and it sheds some historical light on the subject.

STUFFING, DRESSING & FILLING THANKSGIVING ACROSS AMERICA HISTORY ARTICLE HERE

**All Recipes Shared Here Are For Personal Use Only.  It is Prohibited to Use Any Recipe For Any Publication Without Written Consent From Hibiscus House.





Special thanks to Sharon for sharing her family favorite with us!
You've introduced me to a whole new Thanksgiving Menu Item!






4 comments:

  1. Oh I would love these!! I’m gonna have to try this! Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!!
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lisa,
      I'm going to try these and yours! Y'all are starving me to death!

      Delete
  2. What a fun post. I have never heard of dressing balls. I think I will have to try these! xo Diana

    ReplyDelete