You Have to Make an Instant Cookie Filling
Dry buttermilk biscuits are generally considered bad biscuits. They act as a desiccant on the tongue, absorbing excess moisture and imparting a crumbly feel. I usually don’t need them, but that’s changed – dry biscuits make an incredible dressing (also known as “stuffing”).
This is good news for several reasons. The desire – no, the demand – dry biscuits for dressing means that it’s actually better if you decide to buy it than make homemade, since I hope your homemade biscuits are not dry. Grabbing a dozen fast food cookies is a move. I recommend Popeyes because while I love this chicken, their cookies are exactly what you are looking for here (dry af).
You will start with 12 cookies. Cut each into six small pieces. (They will look like the figures from the game Trivial Pursuit .) Place them in the oven for a short time to make them even drier and slightly crispy. Then it’s the usual song and dance of mixing them with sausage, flavors, cream and eggs.
The cookie pieces soak up the liquid ingredients like a dream and then bake into custard little pieces with a creamy interior and crispy corners. You can adapt just about any biscuit topping or dressing recipe, but I also have one recipe if you’re looking for a good one.
Instant cookie filling
Ingredients:
- 12 instant biscuits, preferably Popeyes
- 1 pound country sausage
- 2 large onions, diced
- 2 fennel bulbs, diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350℉. Cut each cookie into six pieces. They should look like elements of the Trivial Pursuit game. Spread them out in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake until completely dry and starting to brown around the edges, about 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Cook the sausage in a large saucepan over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula. Once the sausage is browned, add the onion and fennel along with the garlic, sage and thyme, season with salt and pepper, then cook until the vegetables are completely soft and starting to color. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, broth and cream and beat until completely combined. Mix liquid ingredients with sausage and vegetables, then add biscuit pieces. Transfer to a greased 9×11 inch baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for 25 or 30 more until golden brown.