Macaroni and Cheese

4 C. elbow macaroni, drained (approximately 2 C. uncooked)

2 C. grated cheddar cheese

3 eggs, beaten (see note)

1/2 C. sour cream

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces

1 t. salt

1 C. milk, or equivalent in evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350° F. After macaroni has been boiled and drained, add cheddar cheese while macaroni is still hot. Combine remaining ingredients and add to macaroni mixture. Pour into casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese, if desired.

Note: To keep eggs from curdling, let macaroni cool before adding eggs.

Southern Fried Fish

Clean the fish and season with salt and lots of black pepper, use garlic powder if you must. Allow to sit for at least 1/2 hour before frying.

Always use fresh corn or peanut oil in a cast iron skillet, heated to at least 350° F. There should be at least 1 inch of hot oil.

Coat fish with a combination of yellow cornmeal and flour, 3 parts corn meal to 1 part flour. Shake off any excess coating.

Lay fish into hot oil and don't move it until ready to turn... Add other pieces to the pan but don't crowd.

When fish is brown around the edges, it is ready to turn, usually about 5 minutes in hot oil over medium high heat. Turn fish with a slotted spatula to avoid breaking. Fish should be golden brown on both sides crusty on the outside and moist and flaky on the inside.

Burgoo

Put in a heavy lidded kettle with:
3 qts. water or stock
3/4 lb. lean inch-diced stewing beef
3/4 lb inch-diced pork shoulder

Bring slowly to a boil. Reduce heat at once and slowly simmer about 2 1/2 hours.

In another heavy kettle put:

1 disjointed 3 1/2 lb. chicken with just enough water to cover.
Bring these ingredients to a boil.

Reduce the heat at once and simmer about 1 hour or until the meat can easily be removed from the bones.

Put the chicken meat and the water in which it was cooked into the first kettle with the other meat after it has simmered the 2 1/2 hours as directed.

At this time also add:

2 1/2 cups quartered ripe, peeled and seeded tomatoes
1 cup fresh lima beans
1/2 red diced pepper
4 diced green peppers
3/4 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups diced potatoes
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Simmer this whole mixture 1/2 hour or more before adding

2 cups corn (freshly cut from cob)

Cook about 15 minutes more or until all the vegetables are soft. Correct the seasoning

Kentucky Swiss Steak

 8 Minute Steaks
1/4 cup Flour
1 Green Pepper
6 Carrots, sliced
1 small Onion, chopped
1 can Tomatoes, 15 oz.
1 teaspoon Pepper
1 1/2 cups Water
2 teaspoons Oil

Roll the steaks in the flour and fry until brown on both sides. Place the browned steaks into a large roaster.

Top with green pepper, carrots and onions. Pour the tomatoes over all sprinkle with pepper. Add water and cover.

Bake at 350° F. for about 1 hour.

Yield 6 servings

From: Kentuckies Favorites Cookbook

Three Bean Casserole

1 lb. hamburger

1 medium onion

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cups catsup

1 tbs. worchestershire sauce

#2 can (2 1/2 cups) lima beans (drain)

#2 can (2 1/2 cups) light kidney beans (drain)

#2 (2 1/2 cups) can of pork and beans - do not drain.

Cook hamburger and onions in a skillet until browned.

Drain off excess fat.

Mix brown sugar, catsup, and worchestershire sauce and add to meat mixture.

Combine with all three types of beans (make sure you have drained the lima and kidney beans).

Put in a casserole dish and bake for 1 hour at 350° F.

Mom’s Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
4-5 slices of white bread toasted and finely crumbled, to make 1 cup
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg
4-5 canned plum tomatoes drained and diced or 3/4 cup diced canned tomatoes, drained
3 tbs. finely chopped sweet onion
3 tbs. finely chopped green pepper
3 tbs. finely chopped celery
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Topping
1 cup ketchup

Sauce
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Heinz 57 sauce
1 tbsp. A-1 sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

Meatloaf Sandwich

16 slices of white, rye or whole wheat bread
8 tbs. sweet butter, softened
1 sweet onion sliced thin
3 ripe tomatoes sliced
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a large mixing bowl combine the toasted bread crumbs, the milk and the egg. Mix together with a fork. Let stand 10 minutes.

Add the meat, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery,1/4 cup ketchup, and the salt and pepper. Mix together with your hands.

Put into a 9x5x3 inch glass loaf pan pressing lightly. Shape it into a loaf.

Pour the cup of ketchup over the whole top.

Place the loaf into the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160° F. (check with an instant read thermometer).

Let stand in juices until cool and firmer.

To Make Sandwiches

In a medium bowl, mix the sauce ingredients together with a spoon. Set aside.

Cut the meatloaf into 8 thick slices.

Spread softened butter on both sides of each slice of bread.

In a large frying pan "grill" each slice of bread on both sides until golden brown.

Then "grill' each meatloaf slice on both sides, in the same frying pan until browned nicely. (you may have to do this a few slices at a time).

Top one side of grilled slice of bread with some of the sauce.

Place one slice of meatloaf on top of the sauce.

Place sliced tomato, onion and lettuce on top.

Top with more sauce, then another slice of grilled bread, and serve. Repeat 7 more times.

Makes 8 sandwiches

Diane Sawyer broadcast journalist, Glasgow, KY

Country Fried Steak

1 pound round steak

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons bacon grease or Canola oil

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

Trim fat from meat and cut into 4 equal serving pieces. Pound steak with a mallet to tenderize it. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow, wide bowl and dredge each piece of meat in it, coating well on both sides. Heat grease or oil until hot but not smoking in a large, heavy skillet with a lid.

Brown the meat pieces on both sides, turn heat down a bit, cover and let steak fry like chicken for 15 minutes, until done. Remove cover and let steak crisp for about 5 minutes. Take steak from the pan and drain.

Leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings and all the browned flecks of crust in the pan. Turn the heat a bit lower, sprinkle flour into the drippings and stir to keep from lumping until it browns slightly. Slowly add milk, stirring. Let it cook over low heat until thick, about 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add seasoning, if needed.

Serve gravy on the side.

Makes 4 servings

Bourbon Pork Roast

3 lbs. pork roast
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup cooking sherry
chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup bourbon

Place the pork roast fat side up in a roaster.
Rub the roast with lemon juice.
Mix together the brown sugar, flour, paprika and salt.
Rub this mixture all over the roast.
Generously sprinkle with ground black pepper.
Combine water, 1/8 cup sherry, and 1/8 cup bourbon, and pour over the roast.
Place a bay leaf in the pan and sprinkle the roast with parsley.
Baste heavily and often.
After 1 1/4 hours, pour the remaining bourbon over the roast, and continue to baste until you are ready to serve roast.
Bake approximately 2 1/2 hours or 45 minutes per pound.

Smothered Pork Chops

4 pork loin chops
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, divided
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and
coarsely chopped
1 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 cups water

Trim excess fat from the edges of the pork chops. Sprinkle each with some of the 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Season 2 cups flour with the remaining 1 tablespoon salt and pepper. Dredge chops in the flour until coated on all sides, shaking off excess flour.

Pour the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy skillet, such as cast iron, over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shake slightly, add as many pork chops as will fit without crowding. Fry, turning once, until well-browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chops to a plate and repeat with remaining chops.

Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and add onions, green peppers and celery. Cook until brown and soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the vegetables and bottom of the skillet. Cook, stirring, until flour is golden brown. Slowly pour in 2 cups water. Stir, then cook until thickened.

Place pork chops in a Dutch oven or divide between two skillets. Top with the gravy and vegetables. Cover tightly and cook over low heat until pork chops are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Country Ribs

3 to 3 1/2 pounds pork country ribs, cut into single-rib sections
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup bourbon whisky (or apple juice)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce-regular or low salt
1/4 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

Place ribs in single layer in baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees about 1 hour, until ribs are partially done but not browned. Remove from oven and pour off accumulated fat. Discard fat and let ribs cool.

In small saucepan, combine water, bourbon or apple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, onion, garlic and ginger. Cook 10 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Cool. Place cooled ribs in a utility dish or heavy plastic bag. Cover with marinade, shaking or stirring until ribs are coated. Store in refrigerator at least 6 hours or overnight, stirring or shaking occasionally.

Remove ribs from marinade and cook on a grill, about 5-7 inches above the coals, continuously turning and basting with marinade. The ribs also could be cooked under the oven broiler, with the meat 6-7 inches below the broiler unit.

Makes 4 servings.

Fried Pork Chops

4 pork chops

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt

1/8 teaspoon thyme (optional for heat)

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cups shortening for frying

In large skillet, heat shortening until shimmering but not smoking, about 350° F. Wash pork chops and pat dry.

Mix flour, salt and pepper together. Coat chops in flour mixture until completely covered.

Place chops in skillet and fry until golden brown for 20 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with mashed taters and turnip greens or lima beans and biscuits dripping with honey and butter.