Doris Ackley's Cornbread Stuffing

Doris Ackley is a former customer of Bob’s Quality Meats who was married to Bob’s son James, and worked with him at the market. She was born in Louisiana, and arrived in Seattle in 1990. She says, “Bob’s Quality Meat reminded me of butcher shops back in Louisiana. Bob and Louise had a very warm, hospitable attitude, and the atmosphere was definitely down home. Every month and a half or so I‘d buy their meat. I developed a relationship with Louise, ‘cause Louise likes to talk and rap, and so I would stay here an hour or two just going down the case getting my meat together. So I became very familiar with her family, and of course she was familiar with mine.

“That actually brings me to how I initially met James, but [before I met] him, I knew everything about his personal life. From Louise, [his mom.]. When she sold the business to James, I had already met him then. But we weren’t really going out or anything. Then we did, and I think he and I both realized that we were soulmates, because we immediately hit it off. And it just went on, and we got married.

“I’m a nurse, [but] I decided I would quit doing my work, and come on in here and go for it with the meat market. I’ve gotten my all of my wrappers license and butchers license, and I think I help pretty good.”

What was it about Bob’s that reminded Doris of Louisiana butcher shops? “My mother would always send us to the store to get a chicken, beef, or sausages, and this place was just like it. There were signs all over the place, and junk behind the counter, they would pull out that big cleaver and go WHACK, WHACK, throw it on the scale and, you know -- same thing. We’ve cleaned it up a little bit around here, but it’s still a down home family community atmosphere. People come in and once a couple of people start talking everybody starts to talk. New people come in, they just stand back in awe and watch how things go on.”

RECIPE: CORNBREAD DRESSING

Doris Ackley brought this recipe with her from Natchitoches, Louisiana. It is now a regular part of the Ackley family Thanksgiving meal.

SEASONING MIX:

• 2 tsp. sage

• 2 tsp. salt

• 1 1/2 tsp. white pepper

• 1 tsp. cayenne

• 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves

Mix in a bowl and set aside.

DRESSING:

• 1 1/2 sticks of butter

• 1 cup chopped onions

• 1 cup chopped green bell peppers

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 lbs. chicken giblets, boiled until tender, then cool and chop up.

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

• Tabasco Sauce (optional)

• 5 cups (approx) of cornbread, cooked

• 1 2/3 can milk

• 3 eggs

Melt butter in a pot; add vegetable ingredients and garlic, sauté for a couple minutes.

Add the seasoning mix and continue cooking until vegetables are wilted.

Put in chicken giblets, about a cup of chicken broth, and Tabasco sauce. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Turn off heat.

Add the cooked cornbread, milk, and eggs and stir well.

Spoon mixture into a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until browned on top, 35-40 minutes.