Down-home Thanksgiving

No matter the season, Kentuckians love to cook and
Paducah native Greta Hipp Burkhart displays her love of Bluegrass cuisine in her
new book, Kentucky, Always In Season, published by McClanahan Publishing
House. Burkhart re-creates and updates many heirloom recipes handed down from
family and friends. You can order a copy from McClanahan for $19.95 by calling
(800) 544-6959. The book features some fun chapters on grilling and one titled
"Kentucky Kids Cook." Celebrate the harvest with these down-home Thanksgiving
recipes from Kentucky, Always In Season.

PUMPKIN PINEAPPLE BREAD

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 heaping Tablespoons wheat germ

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup pumpkin pie filling

8 oz. crushed pineapple, well-drained, reserving

juice for topping

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 egg white

Combine flour, brown sugar, wheat germ, baking powder,
baking soda, and cinnamon in large mixing bowl. Mix together pumpkin pie filling,
pineapple, oil, and egg white in a separate mixing bowl. Stir pumpkin mixture
until fluffy. Add pumpkin mixture to dry mixture and thoroughly blend. Pour
into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray and lightly
floured. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack about 15 minutes. Remove
from pan if desired. Drizzle with topping while warm. Serve warm or chilled.
Keeps well in refrigerator, covered. Serves 8-10.

TOPPING

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup pineapple juice

2 Tablespoons milk

Combine powdered sugar, juice, and milk in small
mixing bowl. Stir with fork to make a thoroughly blended thin paste. Drizzle
over warm bread, cake, or muffins.

CLASSIC CORN PUDDING

2 (8 oz.) cans cream-style corn

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon honey

2 Tablespoons melted butter

4 eggs, beaten

4 cups milk

Combine corn, flour, salt, honey, and butter in
large bowl. Combine eggs and milk in separate bowl. Beat together well. Stir
egg mixture into corn mixture. Mix well. Pour into casserole dish sprayed with
cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Stir once or twice during baking
to prevent corn from settling. Serves 6.

Note: The Classic Corn Pudding recipe, reprinted
from Kentucky, Always in Season in the November 2001 "Kentucky Cooks"
column, calls for 4 cups of milk. Adjust this recipe to 2 cups of milk, as tested
by Linda Allison-Lewis.

HARVEST SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

2 (29 oz.) cans sweet potatoes, drained and mashed

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 stick margarine

3/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix ingredients together in large mixing bowl until
thoroughly blended. Place in 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle topping over baked potatoes evenly. Return to oven
to crisp and brown topping, approximately 20 minutes. Serves 8-10.

TOPPING

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 stick margarine

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Crumble ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Place
over baked sweet potato casserole so that when melted, topping will cover potatoes.

BLUEGRASS BAKED HAM AND GREENS

5-lb. cooked ham, unsliced

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper

1 cup apple juice

2 pounds kale or greens

8 stalks green onions

Cut ham in half and fit into large casserole dish.
Puncture ham with fork. Combine liquid smoke, brown sugar, green pepper, and
apple juice in bowl. Pour liquid smoke mixture over ham. Cover and bake at 325°
for two hours. Uncover and baste ham every 30 minutes with liquids in baking
dish to keep ham moist.

During last 30 minutes of baking ham: Clean fresh
kale or greens thoroughly with running water. Chop kale or greens finely and
place in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain. Chop green onions finely and stir
into cooked kale or greens. Remove ham from oven. Cut deep slits in top of ham
with a long sharp knife. Stuff greens mixture into slits, and baste with juices
in baking dish. Cover, return to oven, and continue to bake at 325° for another
30 minutes. Serve ham sliced with greens while warm. Serves 10-12.