I really don't know too many people who use a "recipe" for stuffing, they just break up a pan of bread and add onions and celery sauteed in butter, some herbs and broth and call it good.
But the doimant flavor of stuffing in onion. Can you eat leek or shallot? Ore ven chives would be a bit of a substitute.
Do you have a supply of your own home made chicken broth made without onion? If not that would be the place tos tart....and be sure it is very flavorfull, using lots of parsley, celery, perhaps a parsnip.
Than bake a pan of cornbread, about an 8 by 8 panfull. Use a recipe that uses half corn bread and half flour and some sugar.
Then cool and break up the cornbread.
Sautee a couple of chopped stalks of celery in a stick of butter, add 8 ox chopped mushrooms....and when the celery is soft, add the cornbread and toss to mix.
Add parsley, sage, thyme and some marjoram. I would start with 1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley and 1 T crumbled sage leaves 1 tsp thyme leaves and 1 tsp parsley and about 1 tsp fresh ground pepper. Add your chicken broth to moisten and taste. Add salt as needed and more seasoning if you desire. Often the juice of half a lemon will be just what's needed to brighten the flavor.
But...know I didn't taste what you tasted and don't knoww hat she put into it to make it taste that way. Some people use sausage, some oysters. Some people use carrots and some put in dried fruit...it's all a matter of what tastes good to you.
Linda C

My mom's cornbread stuffing is always a hit with our family. Here is her version:

Cornbread Stuffing

2 cups finely chopped celery
(1 cup finely chopped onion)
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup butter
1 8oz. pkg. herb stuffing or 4-6 cups small dried bread cubes
1 recipe (using 2 cups cornmeal mix or cornmeal) cornbread, usually made in a cast iron skillet, cooked and cooled
1 cup warm chicken broth or more
2 eggs beaten
2 1/4 t. salt
2 t. poultry seasoning (and we like extra dried rubbed sage)
1 t. pepper

Saute the vegetables in 1/4 cup butter. Remove from the skillet. In a large bowl, combine the dried stuffing (bread cubes) and the crumbled cornbread with the warm broth. Add the sauteed vegetables, the eggs and the seasonings. Mix well. Add additional broth until you have a moistened but not soggy consistency. You want the dressing to be moist but still loose and not bound together. If you squished a portion in your hand, it would hold together, but fall apart when touched.

Place in a greased, shallow, oblong pyrex baking dish and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes covered with foil. Uncover the last 5 minutes to crisp up the top.

I have in the past added 1 large peeled and chopped apple to the vegetables while mixture to saute and 1 pound lightly browned bulk breakfast sausage, crumbled to the stuffing mix when adding in the sauteed vegetables, eggs, and seasonings.

Sage is a quite assertive herb, but a little extra really shines in stuffing/dressing with the turkey. You have to determine, by taste, just how much extra sage you want to add.

In our region, we swear by Three Rivers Cornbread mix for the best cornbread or Martha White brand if we can't get the Three Rivers.

At our family Thanksgiving we have more stuffing for dessert!

Hope this helps!
Teresa

Here is the cornbread stuffing I make every year. It doesn't have garlic and only a little onion, which could easily be left out.

CORNBREAD STUFFING (oven 350°)

In a skillet, cook 1/2 lb. bacon (8 to 10 slices) till crisp; drain, reserving 1/4 cup drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside. To skillet, add 1 cup chopped celery, 1/4 cup chopped onion, and 1/2 cup water. Cover; cook till barely tender, about 7 minutes.

Combine bacon, reserved drippings, vegetable mixture, 3 cups coarse corn bread crumbs; 6 slices toasted bread, cubed, 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage (or poultry seasoning), and 1 cup chicken or turkey broth; toss well. Bake, covered, in a 1 1/2 qt. casserole at 350° for 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings, or enough stuffing for an 8 lb. turkey.

Thanks so much Lindac,Teresa NC7, and Beachlily,
I will be thinking of you Christmas when I am having my cornbread stuffing. Each recipe sounds good. Can't wait to try them.
Betty

I have a favorite recipe that I have been making for years. You just compelled me to type it up and store it on the computer.

Cornbread Stuffing
Southern Living

2 (8 ½ oz) packages cornbread muffin mix
1 pound ground pork sausage
¼ cup butter or margarine
3 cups finely chopped celery
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green onion
1 (8oz) package herb seasoned stuffing
2 (14 ½ oz) cans ready to serve chicken broth
3 large eggs lightly beaten

Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions. Cool & crumble into a large bowl. Set aside

Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles. Drain well and stir into the cornbread. Melt butter in a large skillet, add celery and onions. Cook over med/high heat stirring constantly until tender. Stir the vegetables into the cornbread mixture. Stir stuffing mix and remaining ingredients into cornbread mixture. Stuff bird and put the remaining mixture into a grease baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden.

Note- I don't stuff my bird and the whole mixture fills a 9 x 13 pan. This is really yummy cold right from the pan.