Perfect Dressing: A Spur Ridge Herb Farm Classic

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the French bread lightly until partially dried. Crumble the cornbread; add it to the French bread in a very large mixing bowl. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute the green onions, parsley and celery. Add the herbs gradually. Cook until just wilted, then add to the bread mixture and toss gently. Mix in the eggs. Season with salt and pepper, and moisten with hot stock until the mixture is softened. Pour the dressing into a buttered baking dish. Using an ice pick, or some such tool, remove all air pockets. Dot the top with butter. Moisten with more stock until rather wet to ensure a moist dressing.

Bake about 1 hour, checking often to be sure that the middle is cooking and the bottom is not burning. “If you do not have an herb garden,” Gem writes, “consider buying the herbs weeks ahead of your busy holiday season, prepare the dressing and freeze. If you are careful with the cutting of potted herbs, they will make nice decorations.”