The Southern Lady Cooks

1. Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with aluminum foil. Butter generously.

2. In a heavy saucepan with tall sides add milk, sugar, sorghum, and pumpkin puree.

3. Over medium heat bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Be careful, the mixture tends to bubble up and gets very hot!

4. Once mix reaches a rolling boil, reduce to simmer bringing to softball stage…about 235-245 degrees. (Softball refers to dropping a few drips into a cold cup of water. If the mix holds together and you can form a ball with your fingers it is ready) Visually, there is a change in the mix as the sugar breaks down…it becomes more smooth less grainy. This will take upwards of 20 minutes.

5. Remove from heat. Beat in butter, spices, and bourbon. Mom sets the pan in a shallow dish of water to help cool.

6. Keep beating until the fudge is dulls, loosing its shiny gloss.

7. Transfer fudge to buttered dish and allow cooling.

Use aluminum foil to carefully lift from pan. Place on cutting board. Cut into pieces. I cut these fairly small, as they pack a flavor wallop. (Expect about 36 – 40 pieces you will loose a few to crumbles….cooks’ sweet nibbles)

Store in an airtight refrigerated container for several days.

The Legendary Hot Brown Recipe from The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky. submitted by Cindy Smith Hale

Ingredients (Makes Two Hot Browns):

2 oz. Whole Butter

2 oz. All Purpose Flour

1 Qt. Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, Plus 1 Tablespoon for Garnish

Salt & Pepper to Taste

14 oz. Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast

2 Slices of Texas Toast (Crust Trimmed)

4 slices of Crispy Bacon

2 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced in Half

Paprika, Parsley

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk whipping cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For each Hot Brown, place one slice of toast in an oven safe dish and cover with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Directions:

In a large Dutch Oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with tongs and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Season the chicken with the Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.

Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Add the corn, diced tomatoes, and reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.

Remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the gumbo and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pull apart the chicken meat and return to the gumbo. Stir in the thawed shrimp, green onions, parsley, and file powder (optional).

Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. Serve, passing hot sauce on the side.

Prairie Bacon Corn Chowder submitted by Brownings Country Ham

This hearty, creamy soup makes a party-size batch…just add a basket of hot rolls, a crisp green salad and a pan of brownies

and you’re set for chilly-weather entertaining!

1 lb. Browning’s Country Thick Sliced Bacon, chopped

4 c. potatoes, peeled and diced

2 c. onion, chopped

1/2 c. water

2 – 10-3/4 oz. cans cream of chicken soup

2 – 15-1/4 oz. cans corn, drained

16-oz. container sour cream

2-1/2 c. milk

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon for 5 minutes; drain. Add potatoes, onion and water to skillet.

Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain; transfer mixture to a slow cooker.

Combine remaining ingredients; add to slow cooker and stir to blend.

Cover and cook on low setting for 2 hours. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Kentucky Bourbon Butter Bundt Cake submitted by Tom Miller

The cake has a wonderful crumb, rich butter and egg taste. The butter bourbon sauce for soaking and drizzling when serving is just devine! This cake is wonderful all year around. It is great with strawberries and whip cream or vanilla ice cream with extra butter bourbon sauce drizzled on top. I just love it.

It can be made with different variations rum and amaretto. When you are doing rum you can add lime rind, lemon rind or orange rind. I actually infuse bottles of rum and vodka with as many rinds of each fruit I can get in the bottle. I infuse them for months and even years. I use it for baking and cocktails. Take the infused rum and make the butter rum sauce. Honestly, the variations are endless and is up to your imagination. You can add flavor liquours, they work nicely, as well.

Source of recipe: Unknown

Ingredients

1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups cake flour

2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup butter (room temperature)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or almond

4 eggs (room temperature)

2 T. Kentucky bourbon

Butter Bourbon Sauce

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons almond extract (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup Kentucky bourbon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.

In a large bowl cream butter with sugar. When creamy and white in color add eggs and continue beating for 3 mintues, until light and fluffy. In a large bowl, mix the flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend in buttermilk, 2 teaspoons of vanilla in a cup. Alternate buttermilk mixture with flour mixture. Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed, until well incorporated. Pour batter into buttered and flour bundt pan. Be generous with butter and flour, for easy release.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 – 70 minutes, depending on your oven, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Prick holes in the still warm cake. Slowly pour warm sauce over cake. Let cake cool before removing from pan.

To Make Butter Sauce: In a saucepan combine the remaining 3/4 cups sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 to 1/2 cup bourbon, and the water. Cook over medium heat, until fully melted and combined, but do not boil. Pour onto warm cake.Butter Sauce Drizzle Make a second batch of butter sauce for serving and drizzling over cake. Slowly simmer and reduce this down until thicker in consistency.

Kentucky Chocolate Chip Bourbon Pie submitted by The Southern Lady Cooks

This pie is made with Kentucky bourbon plus nuts and chocolate. Serve it with a big scoop of ice cream for a real treat.

1 (9 inch) pie crust (I used a Pillsbury frozen crust)

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 eggs

3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

3 tablespoons bourbon

1/2 tablespoon vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup walnuts

Mix sugar, flour, eggs, butter, vanilla and bourbon with a wire whisk in a bowl. Add chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and serve. Enjoy! Note: This pie will rise up while cooking and once it starts to cool it will settle.

The Kentucky Mint Julep by The Southern Lady Cooks

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

Sprigs of fresh mint

Crushed ice

2 ounces of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five
minutes. Place mint leaves in bottom of tall glass, add some of the
syrup and with a wooden spoon handle crush or mash the leaves to extract
flavor into the syrup.  Fill glass with crushed ice, pour in 2 ounces
of bourbon. Garnish with mint and Enjoy!

Kentucky’s Woodford Pudding submitted by The Southern Lady Cooks

This recipe for Woodford Pudding dates back to 1875. The spongy, spiced pudding is named after Woodford County in Kentucky. John Egerton speaks about Woodford Pudding in his book, “Southern Food”. This pudding is “gooder than grits” and “smack yo momma good”. That means you won’t be able to leave this pudding alone! It is just that tasty and the sauce is to die for. I could drink the sauce! If you make this recipe, be sure and let me know how you liked it. I think it will become a favorite.

1 stick butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 cup blackberry jam

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and blackberry jam. Mix well. Add flour, cinnamon, and allspice and continue mixing. Pour in buttermilk and add soda. Mix well and pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes.

Butterscotch Sauce

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup boiling water

1/2 stick butter or margarine

2 tablespoons cream or evaporated milk (I use evaporated milk)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar and flour in saucepan. Add boiling water and salt. Mix well with spoon or whisk. Bring to a boil on stove. Cook to desired thickness, about five or six minutes. If too thick add more boiling water. Remove from heat, add butter, milk and vanilla and stir. Serve pudding warm with sauce on top.

Kentucky Butter Cake with Rum Sauce submitted by The Southern Lady Cooks

This recipe has been around for a long time because it is such a great cake! Butter cake is very moist and the rum just makes it even better. This recipe is a keeper. Great to serve to family, friends and guests.

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 sticks butter, softened

2 teaspoons rum or vanilla flavoring

1 cup buttermilk

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a large bowl cream sugar, eggs, butter, and buttermilk together with mixer. Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla or rum and mix. Pour batter into a well-sprayed bundt pan or pan of your choice. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes until done. Let cool in the pan at least 30 minutes before removing.

Rum Sauce

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter

3 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons rum or vanilla flavoring (can use more rum if you want)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until fully melted. Do not boil! Pour over cake. (Note: I take a skewer and poke holes in the cake, then use a turkey baster to put sauce into holes but you can just pour it over the cake) The cake will soak up the sauce. YUMMY! Enjoy!

Kentucky Derby Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipe by Tom Miller

NOTE: This recipe makes a large amount of batter, so be sure to use a
10-inch deep dish pie pan. A stoneware pie pan with high sides works
well. When shaping and fluting the pie crust, make sure to bring the sides up high enough to hold all the Kentucky Derby Pecan Pie filling.

Recipe for 10-inch Single Crust Pie Crust (Click on the Best Ever Pie
Crust Recipe. This recipe makes enough for 2-4 crusts. You can divide
the recipe in half or freeze the extra crusts.)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup Karo light corn syrup
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup bourbon
3/4 cup gourmet chocolate chips

1 1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, shelled and chopped in half if
desired
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Roll crust
according to my directions in the Best Ever Pie Crust Recipe, or use a
store bought pre-baked pie crust, line a 10-inch deep dish pie pan with
the dough, and flute the edges as desired.
In a large mixing bowl,
on medium speed with whisk attachment, whip butter, sugars, corn syrup,
eggs, vanilla and bourbon together until frothy.
Remove bowl from mixer, and fold in chocolate chips and pecans or walnuts. Blend well.
Pour into prepared pie crust and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until set.
Serve warm, or cool completely before serving with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Yields 8-10 slices