KY Derby | country ham balls

Kentucky has a great country ham scene, and why not highlight it with this delicious recipe?  Not only is it easy and delicious, the meatballs can be made ahead of time then baked when you need them!

 {country ham balls}

 {these are so delicious!  I have made them several times over the last 6 months, and they are always a favorite!}

country ham balls
adapted from Sterling Bits

makes 24-36 balls (depending on how you roll them)

2 pounds local country ham, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
2 pounds local pork sausage
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 local eggs, beaten
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon mustard
1 cup white wine vinegar

1. Mix country ham, sausage, bread crumbs, and eggs together until well combined.
2. Roll out meat mixture to golf-ball sized meat balls.  At this point, the meatballs can be cooked or frozen for future use.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.
4. Meanwhile, combine brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar in a pot.  Boil until rolling and allow to boil for 2 minutes.
5. Place meatballs in a 9x13 casserole dish and pour hot sauce over meatballs.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, turning balls at least once, or until done.
7. Serve.

I hope that these and the other recipes that I shared this week will inspire your Derby party!

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KY Derby | Kentucky champagne

I'd never heard of Kentucky champagne until we did a wedding at my job that asked for it.  It's a cocktail made from bourbon and Ale-8 (Ale-8 is a soda made in Kentucky).  I thought I'd give it a try one day, and it's one of my favorite cocktails because it is so easy and delicious!  If you don't have access to Ale-8, then ginger-ale would be a good substitute.

 {Kentucky champagne}

 {getting everything ready to make the drinks}

 {just bourbon and Ale-8}

 {pretty it up with cute straws and mint}

Kentucky champagne**

makes 6 drinks

4 1/2 oz bourbon, your favorite
6 pack of Ale-8
ice
pretty straws
mint (optional for garnish)

1. Place ice and 3/4 oz bourbon in the bottom of a glass.
2. Open 1 Ale-8 and pour over ice and bourbon.
3. Stir with straw a few times.
4. Serve garnished with mint.

This is a good option for those non-bourbon drinkers (like me) although you want to get into the spirit of the Derby and drink bourbon.  How do you like to drink your bourbon?

 **Please drink responsibly because this recipe does contain alcohol!

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KY Derby | bread pudding with bourbon vanilla sauce

Every Southern woman needs to have a delicious bread pudding recipe under her belt (or so I've heard) especially any woman who throws a KY Derby party!  This dessert can be made ahead of time which is one less thing you have to worry about!

 

 

 

 {bread pudding with sauce (top) and without sauce (bottom) but much better with sauce}

 {realized after I ate the bread pudding that I forgot to take a picture with the Maker's Mark bottle--oops!}

 {just wanted to share that the bread pudding should look like this before going in the oven or it won't work!}

bread pudding

makes 12 servings

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 cups milk

4 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 teaspoons vanilla, divided

20 oz white bread (bakery kind not store kind), cut into 1 inch cubes and toasted until dry

1/4 cup bourbon (I used a small 50 mL bottle of Maker’s Mark)

3/4 cup cream

1 cup brown sugar

1. Melt 1 stick butter and sugar together just until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add milk.  If butter hardens, gently heat until it melts again. 
3. Allow mixture to cool so eggs don’t cook!  Beat eggs and whisk into milk mixture. 
4. Add cinnamon and 2 teaspoons vanilla. 
5. Pour custard over bread cubes in a large bowl. 
6. Preheat oven to 350. 
7. Allow bread to sit and absorb custard for 8-10 minutes or until most bread cubes are soggy.  There should still be a good amount of custard not absorbed. 
8. Pour everything into a greased 9x13 casserole dish. 
9. Bake until golden brown on top about 50-55 minutes. 
10. Make bourbon sauce: add bourbon, 1 stick butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, cream, and brown sugar to a saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute then remove from heat.  Cool and store in a pint jar. 
11. Serve bread pudding with bourbon sauce and try not to die from the deliciousness! 
12. Store bread pudding in the fridge and heat before serving.

I'm a purist--bread pudding should not have nuts or fruit in it!  How do you like your bread pudding?

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pleasing your palate | Kentucky Derby

This Saturday is the Kentucky Derby!  It's a rite of passage meaning that spring is here, no more frosts, and that we can plant our gardens.  Also, it's a good excuse to get dressed up, have a party, and have a great time!

Below are some recipes for your Derby party this weekend, but come back every day this week for new recipes like country ham balls and bread pudding!

bourbon mushroom sauce 

 chickpea and kale salad 

fried apples

 gooey cinnamon squares

 KY Bourbon Barrel Ale beer cheese

 mint julep

 peach raspberry mint julep

 shaved asparagus pizza

 sorghum cake

 steak and beer cheese nachos

Do you have a Derby party?  What kinds of foods do you like to serve?

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Mint Julep

It's that time of year!  Kentucky Derby!  And what else screams "DERBY" than Mint Juleps?!  Nothing!  I've never had one, so of course, I wanted one!  It was on my (rather short) list of cocktails that I wanted to try.  I'm typically a red wine drinker; I don't drink liquor too often.  I've heard it's bad luck to drink liquor alone so I invited my mom over for drinks and dinner; she said 'yes' before I could even finish my sentence...  ;o) 

{Mint julep--ice, bourbon, and mint simple syrup garnished with mint}

So...  Derby is around this time of year, right?  Well, I went to the store to get fresh mint (on Wednesday), and all they had left was a teeny-tiny package of mint which made just enough syrup for two.  Come on people!!!  Order more mint this time of year!  Sheesh!  On the other hand, it might be a good thing they only had that much mint or else I would have been enjoying their sugary goodness all weekend....

{We used Woodford Reserve bourbon because that's the bourbon that we like--feel free to use whichever you prefer!}

{Sugar and water heated together makes simple syrup}

{Bruise the mint with a wooden spoon.  You don't want to pulverize it, just slightly mess it up}

{Do not stir or touch the simple syrup while it is heating up!  This will form crystals at the liquid line and are a PAIN to clean up!  Just stir it right when there are a few undissolved sugar crystals and right before you pour it into the mint jar.  Side note--making simple syrup is a great way to sweeten cold tea!}

{You have to bruise it to get the essential oils flowing from it}

Mint juleps are traditionall served in a chilled silver cup.  I had no such cup, nor was I looking to buy some so I came up with a Kentucky alternative--mason jars!  LOL

{Mint Julep}

There are several methods for making mint juleps, but I wanted my simple syrup to be infused with minty flavor so I made the simply syrup, poured it over bruised mint, and let everything cool in the fridge overnight to extract every last flavor!

Mint Julep**

Makes 2 servings

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 oz mint leaves

3-4 oz bourbon

1-2 oz cold water (if you don't like incredibly sweet cocktails)

1. Make simple syrup:  Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and heat on medium until sugar is dissolved.  Do not stir the pan while this is happening!  When 99% of the sugar is dissolved, give the syrup a quick stir and set off to the side to cool.
2. Place mint in a container and use a wooden spoon to 'muddle' or bruise it.
3. When syrup has cooled about 15 minutes, add it to the bruised mint. 
4. Allow the infusion to cool on the counter for another 20 minutes then refrigerate overnight.
5. Place the glasses you will use for the mint juleps in the fridge overnight too.
6. To assemble:  Get glasses out of the fridge and fill with ice.  Add 1.5 oz bourbon to each glass and top with strained mint simple syrup.  If you don't like really sweet cocktails add more bourbon (yes it will be stout) or 1-2 oz cold water.
7. Garnish with more mint.

**WARNING:  This is a beverage that contains alcohol.  Please drink responsibly!  Always have a designated driver!

So now I've got to pick my 2013 Kentucky Derby winner!  Let's see...  The track is supposed to be wet so I'm going to go with VERRAZANO!  Who do you think will win the Derby? 

Have a safe and wonderful weekend!

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