Sweet, and a little spice
Here are a few more reader-submitted recipes sure to become family favorites for generations to come.
Banana Croquettes
Anita Travis Richter, Kentucky Living editor
The Kentucky must-have dish at all of our holiday gatherings growing up in the central Kentucky area of Shelby and Spencer counties was Banana Croquettes—banana logs wrapped in gooey peanut butter dressing rolled in crushed peanuts. By the time I was 5, Mom involved me in rolling the bananas in the nuts. It was a messy affair, and the best way to get the dressing on the bananas was by using your hands. That’s true whether you’re an adult or a child. By the time a dozen bananas are prepared, your hands are coated with dressing and nuts, so just go with it.
I learned quickly that banana croquettes should be prepared the day you plan to serve them, so the peanuts are crunchy and not soggy. On occasion there would be leftovers, but the croquettes were never the same the following day as the freshly made ones.
There are various recipes for banana croquettes—some simply use mayonnaise as the coating and are known as Banana Salad. For our recipe, I never quite knew the exact measure of the ingredients that went into the cooked dressing that includes eggs, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and a dollop of Miracle Whip. Many people do not add eggs, so the dressing is never cooked. The recipe was in Mom’s head and was never written down to my knowledge, but I was able to re-create the taste exactly.
You’ll find two versions of Banana Croquettes, just in case, including another from our reader Diane Tingle of Lexington. The correct way to make this recipe is the one that you grew up with. Be sure to teach your children to make banana croquettes so they are handed down to the next generation.
See Anita’s take on this classic here.
Banana Croquettes, version 2
Diane Tingle, Lexington
This is a simple recipe. But I am 64 years old, and I can remember for every family reunion or get together it was my mom’s go-to dish. I remember my cousins fighting over it. Very simple.
Get Diane’s recipe here.
Aunt Geneva’s Corn Pudding
Allison Mefford, member of Warren RECC
My great-aunt Geneva Shipp was quite the cook and homemaker. She was the president of the Kentucky Homemakers and she submitted this exact corn pudding recipe to the State Fair in the 1970s and received a blue ribbon for it. Naturally, she liked to bring it to family events since it was her prize-winning dish.
My grandmother, Virginia Shipp, who was Geneva’s sister-in-law, served only this recipe for corn pudding at her family dinners. It was a staple at all of my grandmother’s Easter Sunday dinners. My mother, Mary Thomas, serves it alongside ham and deviled eggs on Easter Sunday, but she also pairs it with turkey and dressing at Thanksgiving. In my opinion, it goes well with both menus.
And if you ask my children, they would say it goes with ANY dinner, ANY time.
Get the recipe here.
Sausage, Hamburger, and Cabbage One-Pot Dinner
Dolores Kessler, member of Salt River Electric
My recipe is one my mother made often as we were growing up. Both my parents worked full time and mom rode the bus from St. Matthews to Byck’s in Louisville daily so something simple was always a little rest for her. Plus, this meat and cabbage dish is delicious and filling. I raised seven children of my own and they loved this.
Get the recipe here.
Poppyseed Cake
Cheryl Hendricks, Winchester
My family has some wonderful cooks, including my son, who has worked as a chef in Lexington for over 15 years. All the cooks in this family agree my Poppyseed Cake is a real winner. This award winning cake is irresistible, sure to get rave reviews!
I was given this recipe in the ’70s by a little Greek woman whose son ran a wine and cheese shop on Romany Road in Lexington. She sold her cakes and pastries there. In the ’80s my husband, a Lexington firefighter, entered this cake in a baking contest that the Lexington-Fayette County Government held yearly. Well, this cake took first place, thus award winning!
My daughter made this cake for her Supper Club, proudly displaying it on her kitchen island, while she dressed for the occasion. When she returned to the kitchen, her 3-year-old Anabelle found it irresistible, and had sampled the yummy icing.
Get the recipe here.
