Southern Comfort Recipes

From Our Table to Yours...

Cooking is about nourishing bodies and bringing people together around a table. But for anyone who has experienced a proper Southern spread, you know: Southern cooking is about so much more than feeding one another. It’s about making the most with the least and transforming humble ingredients into something that feeds the spirit. Think about your favorite Southern dishes. Your mind is probably dredging up a hearty bowl of chicken and dumplings, a spread of beer cheese and crackers, honey-drizzled cornbread with soup beans or collard greens, bourbondrenched bread pudding, fried catfi sh with crunchy hushpuppies, boiling hot burgoo, steamin’ hot biscuits and a gallon of sweet tea. The thought of each dish is like a balm for the soul, soothing you with the memory of a full belly and the glow of love. But when you think about it, each dish is the end product of generations of hard work, perserverance and innovation. It’s an unbroken line of love between our ancestors and our own families. As we head into the New Year, let’s honor that connection by making dishes that are as much a part of our shared identity as bluegrass and horses. Let’s celebrate all of the unique ingredients that make up our favorite southern spreads. And let’s raise a glass (of bourbon, naturally) to the southern cooks who came before us in the kitchen!

Biscuits for Breakfast (or whenever!)

2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon (11g) granulated sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, cold 1/4 cup (46g) vegetable shortening, cold 1 large egg 1/2 cup (113g) milk, cream, or half-and-half

Mix together the dry ingredients. With two knives, a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a stand mixer, cut or rub the butter and shortening in until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg and milk together. Add them to the dry ingredients all at once, mixing quickly and gently for about 20 seconds until you have a soft dough. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead it a couple of times to bring it together. With the help of a dough scraper, shape the dough into a 6” x 6” square, about 3/4” thick. Run a rolling pin over the top once to even it out. Wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the dough from the freezer, unwrap it, and set it on a work surface. It’ll be very stiff, but still soft enough to cut with a sharp knife, sharpened dough scraper or rolling cutter (pizza cutter). Cut the dough into nine 2” squares, and place the squares on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the biscuits for 16 minutes, or until they’re a light, golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Store, well-wrapped, on the counter for 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Courtesy kingarthurbaking.com

Sausage Gravy

1 pound bulk pork sausage 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups milk (2% or whole) Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage, breaking into chunks until crumbled and browned through. Add the flour and cook until dissolved, stirring with a spatula. Stir in the milk. Cook while whisking until the gravy thickens and starts to bubble. Note: your gravy will thicken as it starts to cool. If you find that your gravy is too thick, simply return it to the heat and add a splash of milk. Season liberally with salt and black pepper.

Oven-Baked “Fried” Green Tomatoes

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25-30 minutes Yield: 4 servings Serving size: 3 slices

1 1/2 pounds green tomatoes (about 3 large green tomatoes) 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 1/4 cup ground fl ax meal 1/4 cup reduced-fat Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon paprika salt, to taste black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Slice the tomatoes into twelve ¼-inch to ½-inch slices. Set up two shallow bowls. Fill one bowl with the buttermilk and hot sauce. In the other bowl, combine panko, fl ax, Parmesan, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, and mix together. Dip each tomato slice in the buttermilk mixture, allow the excess to drip off and then transfer to the Panko mixture and lightly press breadcrumbs on the tomato on both sides. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, fl ipping halfway through.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: (3 slices) Calories: 122 Calories from fat: 38 Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 207mg Carbohydrates: 18g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 8g Protein: 6g

Slice the tomatoes into twelve ¼-inch to ½-inch slices. Set up two shallow bowls. Fill one bowl with the buttermilk and hot sauce. In the other bowl, combine panko, fl ax, Parmesan, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, and mix together. Dip each tomato slice in the buttermilk mixture, allow the excess to drip off and then transfer to the Panko mixture and lightly press breadcrumbs on the tomato on both sides. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, fl ipping halfway through. Nutrition Information Per Serving: (3 slices) Calories: 122 Calories from fat: 38 Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 207mg Carbohydrates: 18g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 8g Protein: 6g

Recipe Courtesy of Recipe Courtesy of Popculture.com is the nation’s go-to source for all things pop culture and speaks for all things pop culture and speaks to fans that eat, sleep and play amidst to fans that eat, sleep and play amidst today’s prevailing trends and provides today’s prevailing trends and provides an authentic, one-of-a-kind view of the an authentic, one-of-a-kind view of the contemporary landscape. contemporary landscape.

Keeneland’s Bourbon Bread Pudding Yes, it's their actual recipe!

BREAD PUDDING 8 cups whole milk 2 cups sugar 8 eggs, beaten 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 12 cups Sister Shubert rolls, cut into 1 in. cubes 1 cup golden raisins 1 tablespoon cinnamon

MAKER’S MARK BOURBON SAUCE 1/2 cup butter 2 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup Maker’s Mark Bourbon In large bowl, whisk together the milk and sugar, add eggs, vanilla and mix well. Mix in diced bread and soak for several hours. Preheat oven to 275°, spray a 13 x 9 x 2 in. baking pan. Pour break mixture into prepared pan, garnish top with raisins and cinnamon, make sure to press in the raisins. Bake until firm in center, about 1.5 hours.

For the Maker’s Mark Bourbon Sauce, allow butter to soften to room temperature. Place in mixing bowl and add the powdered sugar, whip until well blended, slowly trickle the bourbon in. Spread the thick sauce over the warm bread pudding. Keeneland | keeneland.com

J. Render’s Sweet Jalapeño Cornbread

1 c. butter, melted (2 sticks) 1 1/3 c. sugar 4 large eggs 2 c. buttermilk 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 2 c. all-purpose fl our 2 c. yellow cornmeal 1/2 c. diced jalapeño pepper (2 large peppers)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until combined. Add the buttermilk and baking soda and whisk to combine. Add the fl our, cornmeal, peppers, and salt. Using a spatula stir until just blended. Do not over mix. Pour batter into a greased 13x9 pan. Bake for 38 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before trying to cut. J. Render’s Southern Table & Bar 3191 Beaumont Centre Cir. | Lexington, Ky 8 large eggs 2 c. + 6 T heavy cream 5 oz. + 2 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese 4 c. fresh corn kernels (or 5 c. frozen corn) 1 small poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced (small like a corn kernel) 4 tsp. fl our 1/2 tsp. baking powder 5 T sugar 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 oz. melted butter

Mix 5 oz. cheese with corn and poblano peppers. In a separate bowl, mix the fl our, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a food processor, pulse 1/4 of the corn/cheddar/ pepper mixture with 2/3 cup of the heavy cream. Then add it back to the original corn mixture. Whisk the remaining heavy cream with the cracked eggs. Add the dry ingredients to the corn mix. Whisk in the wet ingredients. Finish with melted butter. Pour the mixture into a sprayed 9x13 inch casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, on 275 degrees for approximately 1 hour, until the eggs are set and it is lightly golden on top. Cover loosely with sprayed aluminum foil if the top browns before the center is set. Top with remaining shredded sharp cheddar before serving. Enjoy! *Casserole can be baked a day ahead and reheated, covered, on 350 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes, then add the sharp cheddar topping and enjoy! Dupree Catering + Events | dupreecatering.com

Quick Homemade Hot Honey

1 cup honey 2 tsp. red pepper fl akes 1 T apple cider vinegar

Combine honey and pepper fl akes in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar. Cool to room temperature and transfer to a glass jar. Great over cornbread or biscuits!

Dupree’s Poblano & Cheddar Corn Pudding

Carson’s Bread Pudding

12 oz. raisins 4 oz. brandy 3 oz. unsalted butter 4 lbs. Sister Schubert Rolls 2 qts. + 3 c. heavy cream 3 c. liquid egg 32 oz. granulated sugar 2 1/2 T vanilla extract 1 T cinnamon

Cut the rolls into 1/6 squares and place in large mixing bowl. (Let bread sit out to dry some. It will absorb more of the cream.) Pour heavy cream over bread and soak for 30 minutes. Place raisins and brandy into the skillet and flame off brandy (which means to catch the brandy on fire and remove from heat, continually stir the raisins with a rubber spatula until the flame has gone out) then add the butter and set to the side to allow butter to melt. Put liquid egg, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar into large mixing bowl and blend. Next add the raisins, butter and brandy mixture to mixing bowl and blend with rubber spatula. Once evenly blended, add to the bread mixture and fold it in gently so bread doesn’t break down. Pour mixture into buttered hotel pan. Once you have evenly spread out the mixture, take your rubber spatula and scrape out remaining liquid from the mixing bowl. You want to use this liquid to pour around the sides of the pan or any posts that need additional liquid (this gives a good edge to the pudding). Bake at 250° in oven for 1 hr. 30 min. and rotate every 30 min. Check the internal consistency of the pudding to see if it is done (insert a toothpick in several different areas; if it comes out clean, it is done. If pudding is on the toothpick, then it needs to cook a little longer.) With the pudding being internally done, you now want to turn the oven to 350° and brown the top of the pudding, about 5-10 min. When completely cooled, cut into 15 equal pieces and refrigerate. 1 bread pudding portion ½ T butter oil 1 half banana (into 5 slices) 2 oz. caramel sauce 1 T bourbon/banana liquor mixture

Warm bread pudding portion. Place butter oil in sauté pan and allow to get hot. Place bananas in sauté pan and get a quick saute on bananas without breaking them down. Add caramel sauce to pan and allow sauce to get hot and bubbly. Deglaze the pan with the bourbon/banana liquor mixture. Place banana slices on top of bread pudding and pour sauce over the entire pudding, allowing it to pull within the dish. Top with powdered sugar, whipped cream and a sprig of mint. (Note: these recipes were slightly adapted from Carson’s Food & Drink production recipes.) 362 E Main St. | Lexington, Ky | (859) 309-3039

Carson’s Banana Bourbon Bread Pudding

1 Chuck Roast 2-3 pounds 2-3 large carrots 2-3 red onions 4-5 stalks of celery 4-5 Idaho potatoes 3-4 boxes of low sodium beef broth Two 14 oz. cans tomato paste Two 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes Kosher salt Black pepper Vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place a heavy bottomed pan or iron skillet over high fl ame. While skillet is getting hot, season the chuck roast liberally with salt and pepper. Add ¼ cup vegetable to skillet. When oil reaches the smoking point, add chuck roast. Brown on both sides 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until meat is evenly caramelized. Add seared chuck roast to a roasting pan. Smear both cans of tomato paste on the roast. Add enough beef stock to slightly cover the meat and both cans of diced tomatoes. Cover and place in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. While roast is cooking peel and chop carrots into 1-inch circles and reserve. Chop celery into 2-to-3-inch pieces and reserve. Peel onions and slice into 1 inch circles and reserve. Wash potatoes and set aside to chop later. After 1 1/2 hours, pull the roast out of the oven, uncover and check the seasoning of the broth. You will want it to be slightly salty. Slice potatoes in half long ways and cut again into 1 to 2 inch half moons. Add remaining ingredients to the roasting pans. Cover pan and place back in oven for another 2 hours or until vegetables and meat are fork tender. Enjoy! Coles 735 Main | 735 E Main St. Lexington, Ky | (859) 266-9000

Chef Cole’s Pot Roast

Hush Puppies

3/4 c. fl our 3/4 c. cornmeal 1 T sugar 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. onion powder 1/2 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 large egg 1 c. buttermilk 4 T. butter (cold)

Preheat 2 inches of oil to 365 degrees in a skillet. Whisk together fl our, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and spices. Stir in egg and buttermilk. Cube butter into small pieces, and add to mix. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter into the oil, allowing to fry until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Remove to a paper towel lined plate. (adapted from therecipecritic.com)

Slow-Cooker Chicken Pot Pie

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 small onion, diced 3 1/2 celery stalks, diced 2 (10.5-ounce) cans Campbell’s Healthy Request condensed cream of chicken soup 1 cup fat-free milk 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 (12-ounce) can Pillsbury Grands! Jr. Golden Layers Flaky Biscuits

Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Top the chicken with the onion and celery. In a small bowl, combine the chicken soup, milk, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper and whisk until mixed well. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours or on low heat for 8 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the chicken from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir spoon and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the vegetables and parsley. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the biscuits according to the package directions. To serve, place a heaping 1 cup of the chicken mixture in each bowl and top with a biscuit.

Recipe Courtesy of Popculture.com is the nation’s go-to source for all things pop culture and speaks to fans that eat, sleep and play amidst today’s prevailing trends and provides an authentic, one-of-a-kind view of the contemporary landscape.

Oven-Baked Crispy Southern “Fried” Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes

4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3/4 cup fat-free milk 1 tablespoon Frank’s RedHot sauce 1 cup cornflakes 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons black pepper 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Place the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of wax paper and gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until the breasts are about ½ inch thick. Cut each breast into 3 equal pieces. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and hot sauce. Place the chicken pieces in a large resealable bag and pour in the milk mixture. Squeeze out excess air, seal the bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to overnight (depending on how much time you have). When you’re ready to cook, preheat oven to 400° F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a food processor, combine ½ cup of the cornflakes, the paprika, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the cornflakes become crumbs. Pour them into a shallow baking dish and stir in the panko. In a small resealable bag, gently crush the remaining ½ cup cornflakes by hand into small pieces. Transfer the hand-crushed cornflakes to the panko-crumb mixture. Remove the chicken pieces one at a time from the marinade and place in the cornflake mixture. Evenly cover each piece of chicken. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400° F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350° F and bake until the chicken is cooked through and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Nutrition Information: Yield: 4 servings | Serving Size: 3 pieces of chicken Calories 165 | Fat 3g | Carbohydrates 14g | Fiber: 0g Sugar 3g | Protein 25g

Recipe Courtesy of Popculture.com is the nation’s go-to source for all things pop culture and speaks to fans that eat, sleep and play amidst today’s prevailing trends and provides an authentic, one-of-a-kind view of the contemporary landscape.

Tomato-Basil Smoked Chicken

1 smoked or roasted chicken cooked, hot 12 oz. gnocchi, fresh or packaged 2 oz. olive oil 1 T garlic, minced 12 heirloom cherry tomatoes 8 cloves garlic 12 oz. roasted chicken stock 3 T butter, cold 4 T basil leaves, ripped Parsley or spring herbs

Carefully remove the rib, breast and back bones from the hot chicken; separate the breast quarter from the thigh/ leg quarter, cutting each quarter in half. Place each piece skin-side down in a hot oiled cast iron skillet in a 400°F oven to crisp the skin for approximately 3-4 minutes. Add the gnocchi into salted boiling water and cook until they float. In a sauté pan, over medium-high heat, add the oil and garlic to flavor the oil. Add tomatoes to the pan and quickly toss in the garlic oil, then drain. Add the cooked gnocchi and garlic cloves, tossing to coat (all 30 seconds). Ladle the roasted chicken stock into the pan, bring to a quick boil, swirl in the whole butter; add the torn basil leaves. Neatly divide the chicken into large warm bowls, arrange the tomato- gnocchi mix around the chicken in the bowls. Pour the hot stock over and around the chicken; garnish with parsley or herb sprigs. OBC Kitchen | 3373 Tates Creek Rd. Lexington, Ky | (859) 977-2600

Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Puddin’

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 1 1/2 cups ice cold water 1 (3.4 oz.) box vanilla instant pudding mix 3 cups heavy cream 4 cups sliced barely ripe bananas 1 (12 oz.) box Nilla Wafers

In a large bowl, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined - about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well - about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set. It will be watery if you don’t let it set up long enough. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until no streaks of pudding remain. Dessert can either be made in individual portions or in a large glass bowl with 4-5 quart capacity (a 9x13 baking dish also works). To assemble dessert, arrange 1/3 of the Nilla wafers covering the bottom, overlapping if necessary. Next, layer 1/3 of the bananas, and 1/3 of the pudding mixture. Repeat twice more, garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer. Cover tightly and allow to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours - or up to 8 hours, no longer. Source: Magnolia’s Bakery Cookbook

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