Gilbert’s Mint Juleps (Paula Deen)
3 cups sugar
Leaves from
15 to 20 mint sprigs
Kentucky
bourbon
Fresh mint
sprigs, for garnish
1 – Place 4 cups water and the sugar in a heavy saucepan and
stir. Add the mint leaves and bring the
mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to
medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Let
cool. Remove mint leaves. Put the sugar syrup into a jar and
refrigerate for at least a week and up to 30 days to let the flavor fully develop.
2 – When ready to serve, pour 1 ½ oz. of the cold syrup and
3 oz. of bourbon over crushed ice in a julep cup. Stir.
Add a sprig of fresh mint and serve with short straws.
Makes enough syrup for 25 drinks.
Bourbon Beef Tenderloin -
serves 8 to 10 (Paula
Deen)
1 cup
bourbon 2
cups water
1 cup brown
sugar 3
to 4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
2/3 cup soy
sauce 1
beef tenderloin, silver connective tissue removed
1 bunch
cilantro, chopped Oil
for grill
½ cup lemon
juice
1 TBS.
Worcestershire sauce
Prepare
marinade by combining bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, cilantro, lemon juice,
Worcestershire sauce, water, and thyme.
Be sure tenderloin is completely trimmed of any fat and connective
tissue. Fold the tail end of the beef
back underneath itself so that it is of uniform thickness. Secure with butcher’s string. Pour marinade over meat, cover, and
refrigerate 8 to 12 hours. Turn meat
over several times during that time.
Prepare grill for cooking (or preheat oven to 350 degrees). When fire is ready, place meat on oiled grill,
reserving marinade. Cook over high heat
with lid closed, turning often; occasionally baste. Cooks rare in about 30-45 minutes in the
oven. Serve with Horseradish Cream on
the side.
Horseradish Cream
1 cup sour
cream
¼ cup
horseradish
A few spray
dollops of whipped cream
Hot sauce to
taste
Best made
the night before. Makes a lot.
South Georgia “Caviar” - serves 15 (Paula
Deen)
2 – 15oz.
cans black-eyes peas, drained ½
cup chopped fresh jalapeno peppers
1 – 15oz can
whole kernel corn, drained ½
cup chopped onion
1 – 10oz.
can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes & green chilies 1
– 8oz. bottle Italian salad dressing
2 cups
chopped red bell pepper 1
– 4oz. jar chopped pimentos, drained
Combine all
the ingredients in a large bowl, stir gently to combine, and refrigerate
overnight. Serve with corn chips. This recipe will keep in the refrigerator for
up to 2 weeks.
Tomato Grits - serves 8 to 10 (Paula
Deen)
2 cups water 1
– 6 oz. Kraft Garlic Cheese Roll ***
1 ¼ cups
milk 2
½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt 1
– 10oz. can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes & green chilies
1 cup
quick-cooking grits 2
eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (1
stick), plus 1 TBS. butter 1/3
cup diced green onions
Preheat the
oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan,
bring the water and milk to a boil. Add
the salt. Slowly add the grits and
return to a boil; stir for 1 full minute.
(The secret to preparing good grits is the initial stirring of the
pot.) Reduce the heat, cover, and cook
for 3 minutes. Stir the grits and add 1
stick of butter, stirring until it has melted.
Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the grits are thick and
creamy. Remove for the heat and set
aside. Saute’ the onions in the remaining
1 TBS. of butter for 1 minute. Add the
garlic cheese, 1 ½ cups Cheddar, and onions to the grits, and stir until the
cheese is melted. Add the tomatoes and
mix well; stir in the beaten eggs. Pour
the grits mixture into a greased 8x11x2 inch casserole. Bake the casserole for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the
casserole for the last 5 minutes of cookie time.
*** I was unable to find the Kraft Garlic Cheese
Roll. I substituted Boursin Gournay
Cheese Garlic & Fine Herbs. Very good.
Bananas Foster – serves 4
1/3 cup
butter 3
ripe bananas, bias-sliced (2 cups)
1/3 cup
brown sugar ¼
tsp. ground cinnamon
2 TBS. crème
de cocoa or banana liqueur ¼
cup rum
Rich vanilla
ice cream (about 2 cups)
In a
skillet, melt butter; stir in the brown sugar till melted. J Add bananas; cook
and gently stir over medium heat about 2 minutes or till heated through. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Stir in crème de cocoa.
In a small
saucepan, heat rum till it almost simmers.
Carefully ignite rum and pour over bananas, coating evenly. Serve immediately with ice cream.
