Hello? Is this thing on? If you received this post in your inbox, you have probably forgotten all about The Lexingtonienne by now, that’s how long it’s been since I last did a post. What happened was, I suffered from a severe bout of laziness one week, then the following week everyone in my house was hit with the plague. We were sick as dogs last week, and it has been a lingering sickness that’s stubbornly kept us all below the “feeling 100%” mark even into this week. The good news is, thanks to us, Kleenex will not be going out of business any time soon.
Aside from a batch of cure-all Chicken Noodle Soup (in late April – ?!?), the kitchen has seen very little of me in the past couple of weeks. So I’m digging into the archives today to bring you a couple of great little recipes for Derby fare, since the 138th annual Run for the Roses is this Saturday. Here are some suggestions for your celebration.
First is the diet-busting Kentucky Hot Brown (pdf). Just because the jockeys are keeping themselves at a slim 112 pounds this week doesn’t mean you have to. (HAHA! 112 pounds. Ahhh, that’s funny.)
Then as a chaser there’s this ridiculously good (and surprisingly easy) Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie (pdf). Substitute some bourbon for the vanilla and you’ve essentially got yourself a Kentucky Derby Pie. Yeah buddy.
And you just can’t celebrate the Derby without a little bourbon. This Bourbon Peach Smash (pdf) is a pretty terrific take on the classic Mint Julep.
I do have a confession, though: I will not be making any of these recipes this weekend. Hubba Bubba and I are hosting a Derby party at our neighborhood pizza joint, because nothing says Kentucky like pepperoni and mushroom. And actually it’s my birthday that day. I’ll be cheering my horse (that is, whichever horse I draw from the hat) to victory as I ring in the big 2-5.*
By the way, if you’re looking for some music to enhance your Derby playlist, you might throw some of these into your mix:
- Galloping on the Guitar – Chet Atkins
- I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky – Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys
- Bound to Ride – Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys
- Thank God for Kentucky – Billy & Terry Smith, Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan
- Sweet Child o’ Mine – Pickin’ On Series tribute to Guns N Roses
- Kentucky Woman – Neil Diamond
- Tates Creek / Brown County Breakdown – Daniel & Amy Carwile
- Blue Moon of Kentucky – Patsy Cline
- Kentucky Derby – Chet Atkins
- My Old Kentucky Home – University of Kentucky Pep Band
How will YOU be celebrating the Kentucky Derby? If any of my fellow Kentuckians have recommendations on which horse to root for, share it with me in the Comments section!
Happy Derby y’all,
*Just kidding. I’m turning 32. I officially have more flavors than Baskin-Robbins. Which reminds me, if my husband is reading this, don’t forget my ice cream cake.