Country Star Recipes From Real Family Kitchens: 11 Dishes From Trisha Yearwood, Johnny Cash and Reba

Country star recipes have a way of feeling like a hug from someone you have never met. Behind the sold out arenas and the gold records, these singers grew up around kitchen tables where a casserole, a pot of chili or a pan of dumplings meant somebody loved you. Many of them never forgot it. Trisha Yearwood still bakes her late daddy’s breakfast casserole every Christmas morning, Reba McEntire turned her mama’s cooking into a cookbook, and the Cash family kept Johnny and June’s favorites alive for a new generation. So we gathered 11 real dishes that country music stars and their families have shared in cookbooks, on cooking shows and in interviews, from slow cooker pulled pork and sweet potato souffle to a three ingredient cheese dip. Pull up a chair, turn up the radio and get cooking..

Country Star Recipes Start Here: Trisha Yearwood’s Breakfast Sausage Casserole

Trisha Yearwood says this cheesy casserole came from her father, Jack, who made it on Christmas mornings when she was growing up in Monticello, Georgia. Today she assembles it the night before, slides it into the oven while presents are opened and lets it, in her words, smell up the house. Cubes of buttered white bread soak up a simple mix of half and half, egg and dry mustard under a blanket of sausage and sharp cheddar. You can find Trisha Yearwood’s breakfast sausage casserole on Food Network, and it is one make ahead breakfast that never lets you down..

You will need: 6 slices white bread, 2 tbsp softened butter, 1 lb pork sausage, 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, 2 cups half and half, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp salt and 1 large egg.

How to make it: 1. Butter the bread, cut it into cubes and spread it in a greased 9×13 inch dish. 2. Brown and drain the sausage, then scatter it over the bread and top with cheese. 3. Whisk the half and half, dry mustard, salt and egg and pour it evenly over the top. 4. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 5. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes until puffed and golden, then rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Trisha Yearwood’s Slow Cooker Georgia Pulled Pork Barbecue

Trisha Yearwood grew up in Georgia, and her slow cooker Georgia pulled pork barbecue is the kind of recipe that keeps a busy family fed with almost no effort. It sits among her recipes on Food Network, and the idea is wonderfully simple: season a pork shoulder, let the slow cooker do the work all day, then shred the tender meat and stir it into a tangy barbecue sauce. Our version below follows that easy method. Pile it on soft buns with a scoop of creamy coleslaw for the true Southern way to eat it. Of all the country star recipes here, this is the easiest one for a crowd.

You will need: 4 to 5 lb boneless pork shoulder, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper, 1 sliced onion, 2 cups tomato based barbecue sauce, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, soft buns and coleslaw.

How to make it: 1. Rub the pork all over with the sugar and spices. 2. Lay the onion in the slow cooker and set the pork on top. 3. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours until it falls apart. 4. Shred the meat, discard excess fat and stir in the barbecue sauce and vinegar. 5. Serve on buns topped with coleslaw.

Trisha Yearwood’s Sweet Potato Souffle With Crunchy Pecans

“It really is truly a souffle,” Trisha Yearwood said about this holiday side, a super smooth sweet potato casserole hiding under a crunchy layer of brown sugar pecans. It is the dish that turns sweet potato skeptics into fans at Thanksgiving, because the whipped filling is light and silky instead of heavy. The secret is beating the cooked sweet potatoes with eggs and milk until they are completely smooth before they go into the oven. Make the filling a day ahead, add the topping right before baking and you free up the oven on the big day. Holiday tables full of country star recipes rarely look complete without it.

You will need: 3 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla. Topping: 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup melted butter and 1 cup chopped pecans.

How to make it: 1. Beat the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, butter and vanilla until very smooth. 2. Spread in a buttered 2 quart baking dish. 3. Mix the brown sugar, flour, butter and pecans into a crumbly topping and scatter it over the top. 4. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping is golden and crisp.

Garth Brooks’ Christmas Morning Breakfast Lasagna

This one started as a request. Garth Brooks asked Trisha Yearwood for a real lasagna with noodles and breakfast things inside, and she created a layered breakfast lasagna that the couple decided would become their new Christmas morning tradition. Lasagna noodles are stacked with a creamy cheese sauce, sage sausage, crispy bacon, spinach, pimentos and shallots, then whisked eggs are poured over the top before it bakes. Like her daddy’s casserole, it is put together the night before, so Christmas morning is all about coffee, presents and a hot pan coming out of the oven. Few country star recipes come with a sweeter love story.

You will need: 9 cooked lasagna noodles, 1 lb sage breakfast sausage, 8 slices cooked bacon, 2 cups cheese sauce, 1 cup chopped cooked spinach, 1 small jar diced pimentos, 2 minced shallots, 6 eggs and 2 cups shredded cheddar.

How to make it: 1. Brown the sausage with the shallots and crumble the bacon. 2. Layer noodles, cheese sauce, sausage, bacon, spinach and pimentos in a greased 9×13 dish, repeating to use everything. 3. Whisk the eggs and pour them over the top, then add the cheddar. 4. Cover and chill overnight. 5. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes until set and golden.

Johnny Cash’s Old Iron Pot Family-Style Chili

Johnny Cash spent years entertaining troops with the USO, including a 1969 trip to Vietnam, and his famous Old Iron Pot Family-Style Chili was printed in a 1992 USO celebrity cookbook. It is not your usual ground beef chili. Cash used cubes of sirloin steak browned in a heavy pot, then simmered them with onion, whole tomatoes, chopped chili peppers, kidney beans and an unusual pinch of sage and thyme. The USO suggests making it a day ahead so the flavors can blend, and a handful of cheese on top finishes every bowl. Country star recipes do not get more legendary than this.

You will need: 1 2/3 lb sirloin steak in small cubes, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 chopped white onion, 1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, 3 tbsp tomato paste, 1 small can chopped chili peppers, 1 can kidney beans drained, 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, sage and thyme, 1 tsp sugar, salt, pepper and shredded cheese.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. 2. Add the steak with the chili powder and cumin and cook for 5 minutes. 3. Stir in the onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, peppers, beans, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper. 4. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, adding water if it gets too thick. 5. Serve topped with cheese.

Country Star Recipes From Mama: Reba McEntire’s Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Reba McEntire shared her Mama’s Pimento Cheese Sandwich in her 2023 book Not That Fancy, and she said it would please her mother to know she inspired a sandwich at Reba’s Place, her restaurant in Atoka, Oklahoma. The pimento cheese is sharp cheddar and pepper jack beaten with cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire and a little hot sauce. It goes between slices of buttery griddled sourdough with thick slices of ripe heirloom tomato. Make the cheese spread at least an hour ahead so the flavors have time to come together.

You will need: 4 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire, a few dashes hot sauce, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp each garlic and onion powder, 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, 1 cup shredded pepper jack, 1 jar (4 oz) diced pimentos, sourdough bread, butter and heirloom tomatoes.

How to make it: 1. Beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise and seasonings until smooth. 2. Fold in both cheeses and the drained pimentos, then chill for 1 hour. 3. Butter the bread and toast it buttered side down in a skillet until golden. 4. Spread the pimento cheese on the bread, add tomato slices and close the sandwich. 5. Cut in half and serve.

Reba McEntire’s Mama’s Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Reba’s mother, Jacqueline McEntire, raised four kids on an Oklahoma cattle ranch, and her pineapple upside-down cake is another family treasure in Not That Fancy. Golden pineapple rings sit in a buttery brown sugar glaze in the bottom of the pan, and a tender sour cream batter bakes on top. When you flip it out, the fruit is shiny and caramelized and the cake underneath is soft and moist. A cast iron skillet makes the most beautiful caramel edges, and a maraschino cherry in the middle of each ring is the classic finishing touch. Country star recipes like this one prove that the best desserts are often the simplest.

You will need: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 can pineapple rings drained, maraschino cherries, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup sour cream and 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a 10 inch skillet or cake pan and sprinkle in the brown sugar. 2. Arrange pineapple rings and cherries on top. 3. Beat the soft butter and sugar, add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla, then mix in the dry ingredients. 4. Spread the batter over the fruit. 5. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, cool 5 minutes, then flip onto a plate.

Loretta Lynn’s Chicken and Dumplings

The Coal Miner’s Daughter knew her way around a stockpot. Loretta Lynn put her chicken and dumplings in her cookbook You’re Cookin’ It Country, and it is pure Kentucky comfort food. A whole chicken simmers slowly with garlic until the broth is rich and golden, then homemade dumplings made from self rising flour, egg and water are rolled thin, cut into strips and dropped into the boiling broth. A splash of cream at the end makes it silky. It takes a little time, but the result tastes exactly like Sunday dinner at grandma’s. If you love this style, browse our old-fashioned Southern dumplings recipes next.

You will need: 1 whole chicken (about 4 lb), 4 garlic cloves, water, 2 cups self rising flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup water, 1 egg, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, black pepper and 1 tbsp cornstarch if needed.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the chicken and garlic in water for about 2 hours, then pull the meat off the bones and strain the broth. 2. Mix the flour, salt, water and egg into a dough, roll it thin and cut into strips. 3. Bring the broth to a boil and drop in the dumplings, then simmer 10 minutes. 4. Add the cream and chicken and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more. 5. Thicken with cornstarch if you like and season with pepper.

Faith Hill’s Chocolate Cola Cake Ends Country Star Recipes on a Sweet Note

Faith Hill grew up in Mississippi, and her chocolate cola cake is a true Southern classic. She has made it on Food Network with Ina Garten, and Tim McGraw has called his wife’s famous cola cake part of his cheat meal. The fizzy soda goes right into the batter along with cocoa and buttermilk, which makes the sheet cake incredibly moist. While the cake is still warm, it gets covered with a glossy cocoa and cola icing studded with toasted pecans. This is the classic Southern version. Serve it straight from the pan in big squares with a cold glass of milk.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, 3 tbsp cocoa, 1 cup cola, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows. Icing: 1/2 cup butter, 3 tbsp cocoa, 6 tbsp cola, 4 cups powdered sugar and 1 cup toasted pecans.

How to make it: 1. Mix the flour and sugar in a large bowl. 2. Bring the butter, cocoa and cola to a boil and pour over the flour mixture. 3. Stir in the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, vanilla and marshmallows. 4. Bake in a greased 9×13 pan at 350°F for 35 minutes. 5. Boil the butter, cocoa and cola for the icing, beat in the powdered sugar and pecans, and pour over the warm cake.

Luke Bryan’s Christmas Eve Chili Dogs With His Mama

Not every holiday tradition involves a turkey. Luke Bryan told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that he and his mother decided to do chili dogs on Christmas Eve, and the tradition stuck. His mom turns the grocery run into an all day outing with her son, then spends hours on her chili. The hot dogs are completely smothered in chili and topped with oyster crackers, a style he calls scramble dogs. It is fun, relaxed and perfect for a busy holiday night when nobody wants to fuss over a big dinner. Country star recipes can be this playful too.

You will need: 8 hot dogs, 8 soft hot dog buns, 1 lb ground beef, 1 chopped onion, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt, pepper, yellow mustard, chopped onion and oyster crackers.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef with the onion and drain. 2. Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes. 3. Grill or simmer the hot dogs and warm the buns. 4. Put each dog in a bun or on a plate and smother it with chili. 5. Top with mustard, onion and a big handful of oyster crackers.

Blake Shelton’s Cheese Dip, the Easiest of All Country Star Recipes

Blake Shelton is not shy about loving simple food. He told Country Living that his go to snack is homemade cheese dip made with just three ingredients: a melty processed cheese block, chopped jalapeños and sautéed onions. In his words, you mix it up and start dipping. It is the kind of recipe you can make during the first quarter of the game and still have time to grab drinks. Melt it low and slow so the cheese stays smooth, and keep it warm in a small slow cooker if the party runs long. Sometimes the best country star recipes fit on a sticky note.

You will need: 1 lb processed cheese block, 1 small onion finely chopped, 2 to 3 jalapeños chopped, 1 tbsp butter, a splash of milk if needed and tortilla chips for serving.

How to make it: 1. Sauté the onion in the butter until soft and golden. 2. Cube the cheese and melt it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often. 3. Stir in the onions and jalapeños, adding a splash of milk if it is too thick. 4. Keep warm and serve with tortilla chips.