Tantalizing Thursday-Kentucky

Welcome to Tantalizing Thursday on Chief 187™Chatter.

NASCAR roars into Kentucky for the running of the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

If you would like to take the easy path to dinner and the fixins there is nothing wrong (and I even strongly encourage) with heading to your local KFC (Kentucky Fried

Chicken if you are my age) and get yourself a bucket of chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac-n-cheese, cole slaw, and a whole mess of biscuits.

But, if you would like to play in the kitchen and come up with some tasty dishes to serve yourself, your family, and/or some friends, try these I found.

Being that I am from New Jersey and my state accurately boasts the best tomatoes on the planet, this recipe seemed wonderful to utilize the bountiful harvest that will be collected.

Kentucky Tomato Soup
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kentucky-tomato-soup/detail.aspx
Provided by: LAGIRL
"This creamy tomato soup is delicious and has a twist - the addition of strong, black coffee. This is the perfect summer dish for using freshly picked tomatoes from the garden. Remember - the better the quality of the tomatoes, the better the taste of the soup."

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream


Directions:

Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and parsley; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, coffee, water, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
Pour the hot soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Stir in the cream and heat until warm. Do not boil.


Now on to a Southern delicacy, fried green tomatoes prepared the traditional way.

Kentucky Style Fried Green Tomatoes
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kentucky-style-fried-green-tomatoes/detail.aspx
Provided by: BONO1
"If you're not frying your green tomatoes in bacon grease then you have lost half of the great flavor! No self-respecting Southerner fries their green tomatoes in anything but bacon grease!"

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bacon grease
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 green tomato, cut into 1/4 inch slices

Directions:

Heat the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium heat. In one small bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal and pepper. In another small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk using a fork.
Dip the tomato slices into the egg and milk, then coat with the dry mixture. Place the breaded tomato slices in the hot bacon grease. Cook until browned on each side, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Bacon grease burns easily, so adjust your heat if you need to.


The next recipe is one you may want to try now, but file away to have when planning your Thanksgiving feast and counting on leftovers.


Kentucky Hot Brown
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kentucky-hot-brown/detail.aspx
Provided By: KLVAUGHN
"If you're a southern belle or gentleman at heart you have to try this one! Hot turkey over hot toast and smothered in a buttery sauce. There are two things Kentucky does right--horse racing and the hot brown. This is also great for Thanksgiving leftovers!"

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 pound thinly sliced cooked turkey
8 slices bread, toasted
8 slices bacon, cooked


Directions:

In a large skillet, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to absorb all of the butter. Slowly whisk in the milk, and 6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Stir in the egg to thicken the sauce, but do not allow boiling. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat remaining tablespoon of butter in a small skillet. Sauté mushrooms in the butter until soft. Set aside.
Preheat your oven's broiler. For each Hot Brown, place two slices of toast onto a heatproof plate or dish. Cover the toast with about 1/4 cup sautéed mushrooms and a couple of tomato slices. Place a liberal amount of turkey onto each Hot Brown, and pour an even more liberal amount of sauce over. Smother that baby. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over the top. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Place the entire dish under the broiler until the sauce is speckled brown and bubbly. Remove from broiler, crisscross two slices of bacon on top, and serve!


And lastly, for a rich, sinful dessert, this pie ties things in nicely that are purely Kentucky… like bourbon!

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
Recipe found on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-bourbon-pecan-pie/
Provided By: ANITAL
"Kentucky bourbon gives a kick to this southern classic."

Ingredients:

1 (9 inch) pie shell
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans


Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees F).
In a small saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter or margarine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter or margarine melts and sugar dissolves. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl combine eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Slowly pour sugar mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until set and golden. May be served warm or chilled.


Hopefully the mishaps that occurred at Kentucky Speedway will not be repeated at its second NASCAR Sprint Cup date for the running of the Quaker State 400. But, even if it is, you know you'll be eating well!

Please tune in tomorrow for the week ending and always popular Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.