Cornbread Stuffing with Ham, Chestnuts, and Sage

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter divided ()
• 1.8 cups celery stalks chopped
• 7.3 ounce honey crumbled steamed peeled
• 2 large eggs 
• 0.3 cup parsley fresh chopped
• 2 tablespoons sage fresh chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black
• 8 ounces ham steak cut into 1/2-inch dice ( 2 cups)
• 1.5 cups chicken broth ()
• 2 cups onion chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 8 servings cornbread stone-ground

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• baking pan
• aluminum foil
• glass baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coarsely crumble cornbread onto large rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until slightly dried, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from oven. Maintain oven temperature.
3. Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add diced ham and sauté until browned, about 6 minutes.
5. Transfer ham to large bowl. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add onions, celery, and sage; cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
7. Transfer vegetable mixture to bowl with ham. Stir in chestnuts, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. (Toasted cornbread and ham mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and store cornbread at room temperature. Cool ham mixture slightly, then cover and refrigerate.)
8. Stir crumbled cornbread into ham mixture.
9. Whisk 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and eggs in medium bowl to blend.
10. Mix into stuffing, adding more chicken broth by tablespoonfuls if dry.
11. Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Spray sheet of foil on 1 side with nonstick spray. Cover cornbread stuffing with foil, sprayed side down.
12. Bake stuffing 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until top begins to brown, about 20 minutes longer.