State Staples (Well-known Meals from States

State Staples

Boston Brown Bread

Directions:

You can either make the bread on the stovetop with a coffee can, or you can make it in the oven with a coffee can or loaf pan. Stovetop: If you are using the stovetop method, set the steamer rack inside a tall stockpot and fill the pot with enough water to come 1/3 of the way up the sides of your coffee can. Turn the burner on to medium as you work.

Oven: If you are using the oven method, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Grease a coffee can or small loaf pan with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rye flour, corn meal, baking powder, soda, salt, and allspice. Add the raisins if using. In another bowl, mix together the buttermilk and vanilla extract if using. Whisk in the molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir well with a spoon. Pour the batter into the coffee can or loaf pan taking care that the batter not reach higher than 2/3 up the sides of the container. Cover the loaf pan or coffee can tightly with foil.

Prepare steam environment on stovetop or oven:

Stovetop: If you are using the stovetop method, set the can in the pot on the steamer rack. Make sure there is enough water in the pot to come up 1/3 of the way up the sides of your coffee can or loaf pan. Cover the pot and turn the heat to high.

Oven: If you are using the oven method, find a high-sided roasting pan that can hold the coffee can or loaf pan. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches one third up the side of the coffee can or loaf pan. Put the roasting pan into the 325 degree oven. Steam the bread on the stovetop or in the oven for at least 2 hours and 15 minutes. Check to see if the bread is done by inserting a toothpick into it. If the toothpick comes out clean, you’re ready. If not, re-cover the pan and cook for up to another 45 minutes. Remove from the stovetop or oven and let cool for 10 minutes before putting on a rack. Let the bread cool for 1 hour before turning out of the container. Slice and eat plain, or toast in a little butter in a frying pan.

State Staples

Cowboy Cocktail Pie

Sandra Carlton

Texas favorite from a Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboy /friend.

Prep/Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

4-5 jalapeños peppers, seeded and chopped 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 6 eggs, beaten well

Directions:

Sprinkle jalapeño peppers into well-greased 9-inch square pan. Cover this with cheese. Pour eggs over cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until firm. Cool and cut into squares. You may substitute chopped green chiles for the jalapeños if you prefer “less fire!”

Granny’s English Fruitcake

Debbie Adkins Pikeville, Kentucky

Doris Buddle Williams (Granny) was a British war bride who came to the United States in 1946. She brought many English recipes with her that became family favorites. One of our family’s favorite Christmas memories is of Amy helping her Granny make fruitcake.

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes to prep, 1 to 1 1/2 hours to bake

Ingredients:

3 cups flour 1 cup shortening 2 cups brown sugar 4 eggs 1 box white raisins 1/2 cup milk 1 cup glazed cherries (small pieces) 1/2 cup dark Karo syrup 1 box raisins 1 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons allspice 1 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup orange juice

Directions:

Mix all fruit and nuts with 1 cup of the flour. Sift remainder of flour with baking powder and allspice. Cream shortening and brown sugar. Beat in eggs. Blend in flour mixture, alternating with syrup and milk. Add fruit, mixing well. Grease and flour tube pan; pour in batter; decorate the top of cake with pecan halves and cherry halves. Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Check cake to make sure it is done as this cake dries out quickly if baked too long. You may have to bake up to 2 hours depending on oven.

Note: Granny’s secret to having a moist cake is to be sure to wrap the completely cooled cake in cheesecloth and pour 1/2 cup of orange juice over cake. Wrap the cake in foil and seal, checking after 2-3 days for moistness. Pour more orange juice over the cake if needed. Granny always stored her fruitcake wrapped in foil and stored in a large tin container to insure a moister fruitcake.

State Staples

Grits and Greens

Keri Hyde

Prep / Cook Time: 50 minutes Baltimore, Maryland

Ingredients: Grits

¾ cup grits 3 cups water 1 tablespoon butter ½ teaspoon salt 2 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese

Collard greens

2 bundles of collard greens 1 ½ tablespoon of olive oil 2 cloves of garlic Pinch of red pepper flakes Salt and pepper for taste Parmesan cheese for the top of the grits

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use an 8-inch square baking dish spray, with cooking spray.

Collard greens: Start by cleaning and slicing the collards into small pieces. Cut up cloves of garlic. Put olive oil in the pan and add the collard greens; cook down and add the seasonings. Stir until all the leaves have cooked down; this should take around 10 minutes to cook down.

Grits: Bring water, salt, butter, and grits to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until grits are thick and creamy. You may have to adjust water according to your preference. Once the grits are cooked add one cup of the shredded cheese.

Put the cooked collard greens in the bottom of the baking dish then spread the cooked grits over top of the greens. Add left over cheese and some parmesan cheese to the top of the grits. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and cook the for 20 mins. Then take off the aluminum foil and let the cheese get browned and bubbly. Then serve.

Maryland Crab Cakes

Kristine Brown

We are true Marylanders and this is how we make our crabcakes!

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound lump crab meat 1/4 cup italian-style bread crumbs 1 egg 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 1 teaspoon parsley 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or fat-free mayonnaise 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

Directions:

Beat egg and add Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, bay seasoning, parsley, dry mustard, mayonnaise, and yellow mustard. Mix well. Then add bread crumbs and crab meat. Mix well. Form into about 6 balls. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

State Staples

Maryland Oyster Stew

Keri Hyde Baltimore, Maryland

Prep / Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) butter 1 quart half and half 2 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper Old Bay seasoning, to taste 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1-quart shucked Maryland standard oysters, with liquor Oyster crackers

Directions:

Melt butter in 3-quart double boiler or heavy saucepan. Add oyster, with liquor and bring just to the boiling point, but DO NOT BOIL. Slowly stir in the half and half, milk, salt, pepper, and Old Bay. Heat, stirring until the edges of oysters curl. Stir parsley. Serve immediately with oyster crackers.

Polish Wedding Chicken

Sean Walton South Bend, Indiana

South Bend has a large Polish population. The recipes I submitted were traditional dishes served at Polish weddings. I found and tweaked these recipes so we could enjoy the wedding feast without having to marry off children. Traditionally, we cook up these recipes on the day after Easter, known here at Dyngus Day.

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 pound of chicken Paprika (to taste) Salt and pepper (to taste) Canola oil 1 large onion per 4 servings, slicked thinly

Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. The seasoning is really unspecific and should be to your family’s particular taste. Cut up chicken fryer parts, washed and patted dry. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Rub all over with oil. Place in an uncovered roasting pan and bake 15 minutes, turning once. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, scatter sliced onions over chicken, cover and bake 60-80 minutes, basting frequently with stock and/or drippings until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 180 degrees. If chicken isn’t browning, remove cover. Serve with pan drippings and caramelized onions. Serve this with Polish Wedding Noodles and Polish Sweet and Sour Cabbage. Polka music is optional.

The history of South Bend says that a large number of Polish (along with Hungarians) came to the city to work at Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company (think Studebaker Commander). With the Polish came the tradition of the Polish Wedding Dinner, which was served family style in a hall attached to the church, with plenty of food, drink and dancing the Polka. Dinner usually consisted of Polish Wedding Chicken, Polish Wedding Noodle, Dyngus Day Sausage, Sweet & Sour Cabbage, Green Beans with Onion and Bacon, Mashed Potatoes with Chicken

State Staples

Polish-style Sweet & Sour Cabbage

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons bacon drippings or butter 1 large chopped onion 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon dijon or regular mustard 1 teaspoons caraway seeds 1 1/2 cups applesauce 2 red apples, cored but unpeeled and coarsely chopped 1 pound sauerkraut, drained and rinsed or unrinsed as you prefer, but not squeezed dry Salt and pepper

Directions:

Place bacon drippings or butter in Dutch oven. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add apples and caramelize slightly. Add sauerkraut, water, brown sugar, mustard, and caraway seeds and mix well. If baking, heat oven to 325 degrees. Cover and bake (or simmer on the stovetop) for 50 minutes. Stir occasionally, adding water if necessary. Mix applesauce with sauerkraut, cover, and return to oven (or simmer) for 10 minutes.

Polish Wedding Noodles

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour and 6 minutes.

Ingredients:

5 cups water 1 cup chicken stock 1 stick butter 1 pound package wide egg noodles 1 jar Heinz chicken gravy 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions:

Combine water, butter, and chicken stock in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 6 minutes. Cover pot, remove from heat, and let stand for one hour. The noodles should absorb the liquid; heat the chicken gravy and add to noodles. Top with chopped parsley and stir. Additional note: Start making this after you have your Polish Wedding Chicken in the oven.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

8 ounces. sour cream 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 1/2 cups. chicken broth 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chili 2 pounds cooked and shredded chicken 8 ounces. Monterey Jack cheese 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese 12 flour tortillas

Directions:

Combine sour cream, soup, broth, and green chili. Heat and stir until smooth and blended. Heat small amount of chicken broth in skillet and place tortillas one at a time in this to soften for a few seconds. Place tortillas, one at a time, into soup mixture and remove. Place 3 tablespoons each of chicken and cheeses into center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Sandra Carlton

State Staples

Yorkshire Pudding with Roast Beef

Debbie Adkins

This meal was one of my family’s favorite “English dinners.” Our mother was one of the roughly 70,000 war brides who came from England in the 1940s. This was one of her many English dishes she prepared for us since we were children. It is a dish with a story of our heritage to pass down to our children and grandchildren.

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour to prep and approximately 3 1/2 hours to cook.

Ingredients:

1 (6-8 pound) roast.

For Yorkshire Pudding:

1 cup milk 2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

Roast meat in 325 degree oven to desired degree of doneness. 30 minutes before roast is done, prepare Yorkshire pudding: mix flour, salt, milk and eggs with hand beater just until smooth. Remove roast from oven and spoon off drippings. If needed, add melted shortening to make 1/2 cup. Increase oven to 425 degrees. Return roast to oven. Place hot drippings in heated square pan. Pour in Yorkshire Pudding batter. Bake 10 minutes, remove roast. Continue baking pudding 25-30 minutes. Cut pudding into squares and serve with roast. You may also serve gravy made from the meat drippings with the roast and Yorkshire Pudding.

Additional note: The pudding puffs high during baking, then collapses in the center, leaving high crispy edges. When this happens, you know you have made the perfect Yorkshire Pudding!

Sweet treats, Baked goods, & Desserts

Apple Crisp

Shelly Charlier Louisville, Kentucky

This is an annual fall dessert that we had growing up in northern New York that fit perfectly with the cool weather and the bright fall leaves! This is best when warm and topped with vanilla ice cream!

Prep/Cook Time: 10-15 minutes to prep, 30-40 minutes to bake.

Ingredients:

6-7 tart apples such as Granny Smith 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup flour 1 cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons melted butter 3/4 cup oatmeal

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel apples then slice thin into a 8x8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon; mix together until apples are completely coated. Combine flour, brown sugar, melted butter, and oatmeal, then spread evenly over apple mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until apples are tender.

Baked Banana Pudding

This is a favorite at family holiday functions!

Prep/Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar 4 large eggs, separated 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 1/2 cups vanilla wafers 4 ripe bananas 2 1/4 cups milk (whole milk works best)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together sugar mixture, milk, and 4 egg yolks in a medium-size heavy saucepan until well blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6-8 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Layer half of vanilla wafers in an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with half of banana slices and half of pudding. Repeat procedure with remaining wafers, banana slices, and pudding. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar, beating until sugar dissolves and stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pudding, sealing to edge of dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until golden. Let cool 30 minutes and serve warm, or chill an additional hour and serve cold.

Nicki Jenkins

Butterscotch Pie, Pie Crust, and Meringue

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes total Karen Million

Ingredients: Cynthiana, Kentucky For Crust:

1/3 cup Crisco 1 cup flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoon water

For Pie Filling:

1 cup sugar (1/2 brown, 1/2 white) 5 tablespoon flour 1 stick butter Pinch of salt 1 cup milk 3 egg yolks, seperated (save whites for meringue)

For Meringue:

3 egg whites 6 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:

Pie Crust: Mix ingredients thoroughly and put on floured board and roll out thin. Place in greased pie pan. Trim and flute edges. Bake 8-10 minutes at 475 degrees. Pie Filling: Mix sugar, flour, and salt, add milk, small amount at a time. Add butter. Cook, stir until it gets thick. Beat egg yolk and gradually add to mixture. Put in baked pie shell. Meringue: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time until stiff and glossy. Pile on pie filling out to crust. Pull up meringue with a table knife here and there to make peaks. Bake 20-25 minutes at 300 degrees until light tan color. Remove from oven.

This special recipe came from my husband’s grandmother, Thelma Million, who grew up on a farm in Cynthiana, KY. I did not know how to make pie at all when I first got married and she wrote down all the parts - not just for the filling but for the crust and the meringue. I use the crust and meringue recipes for other types of pies as well. Thelma and her husband, Harry, did not go to college, but they both worked at UK until retirement. She saved money for her grandchildren to go to college and the first college graduate (from UK) in the family was my husband, Jay Million. I also graduated from UK in ‘89 and our 2 sons are Wildcats as well!

Carol’s Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Carol Matheson Atlanta, Georgia

People love this cake and are constantly asking us to bring it to dinner!

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 package instant chocolate pudding Yellow box cake mix 4 eggs 8 ounces sour cream 1 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon vanilla 4 eggs 8 ounces chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine all ingredients. Mix with mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased bundt pan. Cook at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve with strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

Chess Bars

Melanie Turner

This recipe was made for my son’s 16th birthday party, and all the kids loved it.

Prep/Cook Time: 1-2 hours

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix 1 stick of butter, melted 3 eggs 4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring Dash of salt 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch cake pan or baking dish with cooking spray. Mix cake mix, melted butter, and 1 egg to form a soft dough. Press dough into bottom of pan. Beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, dash of salt, and remaining 2 eggs until smooth (1-2 minutes). Pour mixture on top of dough in pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until top is golden brown. When cool, cut into squares or bars.

Chocolate Mint Wildcat Dessert

Amy Benton Knoxville, Tennessee

A family member made this for us and our kids loved it. The original recipe called for green food coloring, but since we love UK and all bleed blue we changed it to blue food coloring.

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes to prep and 2 hours to cook.

Ingredients: Cake Layer:

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar ½ butter or margarine, softened 4 eggs 1 ½ cups (16 ounce can) Hershey’s Syrup

Mint Cream Center:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar ½ cup butter or margarine, softened 1 tablespoon water ½ to ¾ teaspoon mint extract 3 - 5 drops blue food coloring

Chocolate Topping:

6 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: Cake Layer:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. In large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and syrup; beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched and toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.

Spread Mint Cream Center on cake: cover and chill. Pour Chocolate Topping over chilled dessert. Cover: chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Mint Cream Center: In small bowl combine all ingredients, beat until smooth

Chocolate Topping: In small saucepan over very low heat melt butter and chocolate chips. Remove from heat: stir until smooth. Cool slightly

Dirt and Worms Sonya Buerger Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

All of our four children have been swimmers. It is a tradition during the high school swim season to have pasta parties before big swim meets. Each family contributes a dish to the pasta parties. We have been making “Dirt and Worms” for these parties for well over 10 years. Although we are no longer part of the high school swim community, this recipe remains a favorite among my children and it is still made for big family functions. We hope the Kentucky Family enjoys it as much.

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 packages Oreos 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 package (8-ounces) cream cheese 3 1/2 cup milk 12 ounces Cool Whip 1 package gummi Worms 2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding 1/2 cup butter or margarine (room temperature)

Directions:

Place Oreos in food processor and grind until resembling soil/dirt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together butter or margarine, cream cheese, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add pudding mix and milk. Beat until smooth and mixture thickens. Fold in Cool Whip. In a large bowl or container, alternate between crushed Oreos and pudding mixture, starting and ending with an Oreo layer. Place in refrigerator to set. Prior to serving, place gummi Worms on top layer of Oreos.

Easy Banana Nut Muffins

Carol Sullivan

Prep/Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed 1/3 cup butter, melted 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine melted butter and mashed bananas and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir in sugar, egg, and vanilla, then sprinkle baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt over the banana batter. Stir to combine. Add flour and nuts and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Scoop into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 24 minutes.

Grandma Kiernan’s Pumpkin Custard Pie

Jackie Byrd

This pumpkin custard pie recipe was my paternal grandmother’s and all of her descendants use it. My grandmother was an immigrant from England (as a baby) and my family was from New Jersey originally (but we hail from South Carolina recently). This recipe has been passed down through generations of our family. It’s a favorite in the fall and during the holidays. It’s not Thanksgiving without it and all of my siblings and my parents serve it at the holiday meal, even when we can’t be together.

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour prep and cook time

Ingredients:

19-inch raw pastry shell (store bought or a favorite home made) 3 cup puréed pumpkin (fresh is best, but canned in a pinch) 1 cup whole milk 3 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Grandma Kiernan’s Pumpkin Custard Pie

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place pastry dough in pie plate or use pre-made raw pie shell. Prick bottom of shell with a fork. Separate one egg, reserve the yolk and brush the shell with the beaten egg white. Place shell in refrigerator while you make the filling. In a saucepan, place the pumpkin and add the milk, the remaining eggs, and yolk, whisking over low heat on the stove. Add the sugar, salt, and spices, whisking over low heat until the mixture is hot to the touch (about 110 degrees on a thermometer). Pour filling into pie shell (if you have extra, you can freeze or make individual custards in small ovenproof cups).

Bake for 20 minutes in the center of oven. Turn down oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Remove pie from oven and cool completely.

We like this cold, so you can refrigerate before service with fresh whipped cream (although canned and Cool Whip are ok, too).

Additional note: Grandma used a particular pumpkin which she called a “cheese pumpkin” because of its light colored shell (like a butternut squash) and its resemblance to a wheel of cheese. A regular pie pumpkin will do or even canned, but it’s so much better fresh.

Cooking Tips: Bake this early in the day or the day before serving. Cover with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.

Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge

Tonya Bartley

Prep/Cook Time: Less than 1 hour Hager Hill, Kentucky

Ingredients:

3 sticks of butter 6 cups of sugar 2 packs peanut butter chips 1 1/3 cups cream 1 (13-ounce) marshmallow cream 2 teaspoons of vanilla Pam cooking spray 2 (13x9) pans

Directions:

Combine sugar, cream, and butter in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Boil five minutes after it comes to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add your peanut butter chips and stir well. Add the marshmallow cream and vanilla. Mix well. Spray your pans with the cooking spray. Pour your mixture into the pans. This should make 6 pounds of fudge. Enjoy!

Hummingbird Cake

Jenn Brockman

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups white sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 8 ounce can crushed pineapple in water, undrained 1 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans 2 cups diced bananas

Cream Chesse Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 16-ounce packaged powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Cake: Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in large bowl. Add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not beat. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup chopped pecans, and bananas. Spoon batter into 2 greased 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove, and cool completely.

Frosting: Combine cream cheese and butter; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.

Spread frosting between layers, on sides, and top, then sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top.

John’s Monkey Bread

John Caldora

When I was learning to cook 25 years ago, this is one of the first recipes I learned. It’s been a crowd pleaser at Thanksgiving breakfast, church potlucks, and other special occasions since then.

Prep/Cook Time: 2o mintues to prep and approximately 15 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 7.5-ounce package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Directions:

Microwave butter for 45 seconds to 1 minute on high in a small glass measuring cup. Cut each biscuit in half and roll into a ball. Mix sugar and cinnamon together; add additional cinnamon to taste. Roll each biscuit in butter. Remove from butter and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place in a circle around a greased/non-stick 9 in” pie plate, standing biscuit up on it’s side. Bake according to biscuit package directions. Remove from oven and let sit for 3-4 minutes. Flip pan upside down on a plate. Flip plate upside down onto serving plate.

This recipe is easily scalable depending on what you need. You can easily fill a whole pie pan, multiple pie pans; however, be cautious of the cooking time (it’s a balance to cook it all the way through and not burn it) and make sure to use non-stick/well-greased pans so it comes out easily.

Lemon Pound Cake

Prep/Cook Time: 1-2 hours

Jenn Brockman

Ingredients: Cake:

1 box white cake mix 1 box lemon flavored gelatin 2/3 cup vegetable oil 2/3 cup water 4 eggs

Drizzle:

2/3 cup white sugar 1 small can frozen lemonade

Directions:

Beat together cake mix, gelatin, vegetable oil, water, and eggs. Pour into greased pound cake tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

For drizzle, mix sugar with thawed, undiluted lemonade and pour over cake as soon as it comes from oven. Cool in pan.

No Fail Fudge

Prep/Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Ann Cohen

Ingredients:

2 large packages chocolate chips 4 1/2 cups sugar One large can evaporated milk 1 pound butter

Directions:

Mix sugar and milk in large pan, bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil exactly 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Put chips and butter (cut up) in large mixing bowl. Pour hot mixture over chips and butter. Beat on low until melted, then on high until creamy. Poor into 9 x 13 pan and refrigerate overnight. Next day: set at room temperature until soft enough to cut into squares. Enjoy!

Oreo & Fudge Ice Cream Sandwich “Cake”

Becky Clack Alvaton, Kentucky

I came across the ice cream sandwich cake recipe in a magazine. I liked that it was quick and easy but the finished product didn’t look like it was quick and easy. Both our children have summer birthdays, so I tried it for one of their birthdays and it’s been a hit ever since!

Prep/Cook Time: Prep 15 minutes, freeze 4 hours

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fudge topping, warmed 8 ounce tub whipped topping, thawed, divided 1 package (4 serving size) chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling 8 Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped 12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

Directions:

Pour the fudge topping into a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping with a wire whisk until it’s well blended. Add in the dry pudding mix, stir 2 minutes or until well blended. The consistency of fudge topping can vary depending on what brand you purchase. If your fudge topping mixture is too thick to spread easily, stir in 1/4 cup milk. Stir the chopped Oreo cookies into the pudding mixture.

Arrange 4 of the ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on a 24 x 12 piece of aluminum foil; top with half of the pudding mixture. Repeat the layers. Top the pudding mixture with the remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches. The layers create a neat striped effect when sliced. Frost the top and sides with the remaining whipped topping. Bring up the foil sides. Double-fold top and ends to loosely seal the packet. Freeze at least four hours before serving.

Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly before serving. Store leftover dessert in the freezer. Makes 12 servings.

Oreo Delight

Tonya Bartley

Prep/Cook Time: Less than 20 miunutes Hager Hill, Kentucky

Ingredients:

1 party pack of Oreos 1 cream cheese 1 large instant chocolate pudding box 1 stick butter 18-ounce Cool Whip 2 cups of sugar

Directions:

Crush Oreos. Make pudding. Cream together cream cheese, butter, 2 cups sugar with mixer until good and smooth. Add pudding after it has set, mix with mixer. Then, fold in the Cool Whip with a spoon. Layer Oreos, mixture, Oreos, mixture, and so on! Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fudge

Shelly Charlier

This is an annual Christmas treat we make for not only our family, but for friends and co-workers.

Prep/Cook Time: 5 minutes to prep, 10 minutes to cook

Ingredients:

3/4 cup evaporated milk 2 cups sugar 2 tablespoons butter 1 1/8 cups peanut butter 2 cups marshmallow creme 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Grease an 8x8 dish. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, sugar, and butter. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, marshmallow creme, and vanilla until well mixed. Spread into prepared dish. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Serves approximately 16. Don’t rush the cutting or it will be too soft to cut.

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

Shelly Charlier

This came from my high school home economics teacher back in 1987! This is the only recipe for these cookies I have used ever since!

Prep/Cook Time: 5 minutes to prep and 5 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter 1/2 cup milk 2 cups sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup peanut butter 3 cups oatmeal

Directions:

In a large pot, melt butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa together. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 90 seconds while continuously stirring. Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla, peanut butter, and oatmeal; stir until thoroughly mixed. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Allow to completely cool. Enjoy!!!

Toffee Diamonds

Mirissa Dunne

We make these every year for Christmas and they are very well loved.

Prep/Cook Time: About an hour

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg yolk 1/4 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or white whole-wheat flour 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup Heath bar pieces or toasted chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the 3/4 cup butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Beat in egg yolk. Stir in flour and salt. Press into the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan that has been covered with foil and greased. Oil your hand to make it easier. Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven and prepare filling. Do not turn off oven.

For filling: heat condensed milk and the 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbly, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 5 minutes more. It will become thick and smooth. Stir in vanilla and spread over baked layer. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until top is golden.

Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips, bake 1 - 2 minutes more or until chips are shiny and softened. Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack. Spread chocolate evenly over baked layer. Sprinkle with Heath pieces and cool completely in pan, then cover and chill until chocolate is set.

To cut into diamonds: Lift out foil and remove from bottom of cookies. Cut into 1-inch wide strips, then cut strips on the diagonal. Save the crumbs and use them to top ice cream!

White Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Cheri Hughes

We make these cookies every Christmas. They are a family favorite!

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 package white chocolate chips 1 cup coarsely chopped cashews 2 packages (about 2 cups) Mariani Premium Cherries (dried cherries)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, or until well mixed. Combine flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in white chocolate chips, dried cherries, and cashews. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Do not overbake. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 4-5 dozen.

Campus Dietitian and Nutrition Coaching

University Health Service’s registered dietitian (RD) and nutrition coach can help students navigate any nutrition concerns or questions they may have.

Nutrition Coach:

UHS’s nutrition coach is a graduate student in the Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition at the University of Kentucky. They have completed their bachelor’s degree in dietetics as well as their internship in order to sit for the RD exam, and they are supervised by the registered dietitian. Unless they have a known medical condition, such as an eating disorder, or their clinician has specifically referred them to the registered dietitian, your student’s appointment will be with the nutrition coach.

Initial nutrition coach appointments usually last 45 minutes; follow-up visits usually last 30 minutes. Students can make an appointment with a nutrition coach by calling 859-323-2778 (APPT) or scheduleing online through Medicat.

Registered Dietitian:

Our registered dietitian sees students one-on-one for the following:

Eating disorders, disordered eating concerns and body dissatisfaction

Known medical conditions (IBS/digestive concerns, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome)

Referral from clinician (University Health Service, UK Behavioral Health, UK Counseling Center, or outside clinician)

Initial registered dietitian appointments typically last about an hour; follow-up visits usually last 30 minutes. Students can make an appointment with a RD by calling 859-323-2778. Online scheduling for appointments with a RD is not available.

Nutrition services are free for students who have paid the health fee. For students who have not paid the health fee, nutrition services are available on a fee-for-service basis.

If you have any questions, contact Shannon.Winke@uky.edu, RD.

Dietary Accommodations

If your student has a severe food allergy, celiac, or other physiological condition requiring dietary restriction, it is recommended they register with the Disability Resource Center (www.uky.edu/DisabilityResourceCenter) by contacting Susan.Fogg@ uky.edu. Once they have registered with the DRC, they will be referred to UK Dinnings dietians.

Daily Campus Dining Menus

Did you know that UK Dining posts their menus online daily? Your students can access the daily dining menus for each campus dining facility at uky.campusdish.com/LocationsAndMenus. If you ever have questions about managing food allergies on campus, contact Emily Tuggle, UK Dining’s registered dietitian, at diningdietitian@lsv.uky. edu, for assistance.

Big Blue Pantry

www.uky.edu/concern/big-blue-pantry

A recent campus study found that more than 40% of UK students experience some level of food insecurity during their college career. To combat the effects of food insecurity at UK, the Big Blue Pantry was established as UK’s free food pantry, open to any UK student with a valid UK ID experiencing food insecurity or hunger. Located in the basement of White Hall Classroom Building (room 025), next to the post office, students can pick up free food items after filling out a short and confidential intake form. There are no qualifications for access to the pantry other than being a UK student.

The Food Connection @ UK

The heart of The Food Connection is their learning kitchen, a stateof-the-art demonstration kitchen and classroom that they use as a platform for engaging the on and off-campus community as partners in growing our Kentucky food system.

In this space, they host various events with campus and community partners to demonstrate recipes and promote local foods. Students can browse through their series of recurring events at https://foodconnection.ca.uky.edu/learning-kitchen-food-events.

We hope you have enjoyed the Cat Family Cookbook. Thank you to everyone who submitted recipes and contributed content.

A special thanks to our student graphic designer, Josie Hyde’23, for using her incredible talent to create this treasured publication. We could not have done it without her!

75