THANKS FOR SHARING!
(AND KEEP 'EM COMING!)
While I have been out and about autographing my book Flavors of Kentucky, readers have been sharing some of their favorite recipes. Here are tasty ones for beef brisket, glazed pecans, and cheese soup.
If you would like to share a recipe or two, e-mail them to me.
The secrets of beef brisket
Mary Jane Davis of Winchester often trades recipes with her friends and she passed these along. Davis’ recipe for beef brisket was given to her by the late Rachel Williams.
“Rachel always brought the beef brisket to our church dinners and other outings,” Davis said. “She, very patiently, walked me through the brisket preparation.”
Williams also was noted for her glazed pecans, which she gave as gifts at Christmastime, said Davis, who loves to cook and is a collector of recipes.
“I didn't pay much attention to cooking as a young girl, though my mother, and grandmother (who lived with us), were good cooks. My father’s sisters, my aunts, were wonderful cooks, and I remember many a delicious meal at their home in Paris. I have my Aunt Myrtle’s banana cake recipe. My sister, Helen, was a superb candy maker and baker, and I have a few of her recipes. I collect recipes, especially pound cake recipes,” she said.
Davis also shares recipes with a friend from high school, Jean Mackey Cheuvront. “She is an exceptional cook and hosts many family dinners and friends dinners at their home in Somerset. She has shared several of her recipes with me, and I cherish each,” Davis said.
Here’s how to make Williams’ Texas-style beef brisket using Allegro marinade and Moonlite Barbeque sauce:
Wash meat, pat dry and place in an extra-large zipper bag (or a turkey-size cooking bag). Place bag in a large pan and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning, preheat oven to 250 degrees. Remove meat from bag and discard marinade. Place meat, fat side up, on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Season meat with tenderizer and garlic salt. Cover top with thinly-sliced onions.
Wrap meat and then wrap again with another large sheet of foil. Place meat in a large pan and cook in preheated oven for 7 hours. “Yes, 7 hours. That’s the secret to the delicious taste and tenderness,” Davis said.
Remove from oven, discard onion, and let rest about 30 minutes. Using an electric knife, cut into thin slices. Serve on buns with barbecue sauce.
Here’s the recipe for Williams’ glazed pecans.
Rachel’s pecans
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon white syrup
• 1 carton (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pound pecan halves
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients, except vanilla and pecans. Over medium heat, cook to soft ball stage, stirring constantly, for about 6 minutes.
Remove from stove and let cool. Add vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add pecans. Stir until well-mixed. Pour mixture onto a sheet of freezer paper. Cool. Separate into pieces.
Davis’ friend Jean Mackey Cheuvront gave her this recipe for cheese soup.
Cheese soup
• 5 cups water
• 6 cups diced potatoes
• 1 cup each chopped carrots, celery and onions
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 pound cubed Velveeta cheese
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
Place 5 cups of water in a large stockpot. Add diced potatoes, carrots, celery and onions, and bouillon cubes. Cook until vegetables are tender, but not mushy; depending on size of vegetables, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add cheese and cream of chicken soup. Simmer on low heat until well-blended. Remove the pot from heat and stir gently with a large wooden spoon. Return to burner and heat thoroughly.
