Cornbread Dressing

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease an 8” baking dish or 9” round cake pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, buttermilk, and egg. Add dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until there are no more dry spots. Batter will be thick.  Transfer to prepared baking dish, smooth out top, and bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool, then chop into 2” cubes.  Grease a 9” square baking dish with butter. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.  To the same skillet, add butter, onion, and celery and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and sage, then season with salt and pepper. Add broth to deglaze, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then transfer to bowl with sausage. Add cornbread pieces, then stir in milk and eggs. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until everything is well incorporated and cornbread pieces are a mixture of smaller chunks and crumbs.  Add mixture to prepared baking dish and bake until golden and crispy on top and set in the center, 30 minutes.  Garnish with parsley before serving.