Loretta Lynn Recipes: 13 Kentucky Comfort Dishes, Led by the Chicken and Dumplings Jack White Traveled For

Loretta Lynn recipes carry the flavor of the Kentucky hills she came from. Born in 1932 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, the coal miner’s daughter married young in 1948 and learned to cook for a family that grew to six children. Decades later, the country legend shared more than 120 family dishes in her 2004 cookbook, You’re Cookin’ It Country. Her chicken and dumplings, made with a roasting hen and heavy cream, were so good that rocker Jack White made a special trip to Nashville just to eat them. These Loretta Lynn recipes start with that famous pot, plus the buttermilk biscuits, banana pudding and peach cobbler from her book, then add the cheap, hearty mountain classics that fill Appalachian tables on cold November nights. Pull up a chair at the kitchen table..

Loretta Lynn Recipes Start With Chicken and Dumplings

Of all the Loretta Lynn recipes, her chicken and dumplings is the most famous. She used a roasting hen and a splash of heavy cream, which gives the broth a rich, velvety body. As Eater recalled, it was so loved that Jack White made a special trip to Nashville to eat it. The tip: drop the dumplings into a gently simmering pot, cover it, and do not lift the lid for 15 minutes, so they puff up light instead of turning gummy. For more mountain cooking, browse our Appalachian recipes. Grab a bowl..

You will need: 1 roasting hen or 5 lb chicken, 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, salt, pepper, 1 cup heavy cream. Dumplings: 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp shortening, 3/4 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the chicken with onion, celery, salt and water to cover for 1 1/2 hours. 2. Pull the meat from the bones and return it to the strained broth. 3. Cut shortening into the dry ingredients and stir in milk. 4. Stir the cream into the simmering broth and drop in spoonfuls of dough. 5. Cover and cook 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

Peach Cobbler From the Loretta Lynn Recipes Collection

Peach cobbler is another Southern classic in her book, and a bubbling pan of it makes any kitchen smell like summer, even in November. Canned or frozen peaches work perfectly when fresh ones are out of season. The tip: pour the batter over melted butter in a hot pan and spoon the peaches on top without stirring; the batter rises up around the fruit and bakes into a golden, cake-like crust. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream melting into the juices. More ideas live in our fruit cobbler and crisp recipes. Who gets the crispy corner?

You will need: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, pinch salt, 1 cup milk, 4 cups sliced peaches (fresh, canned or frozen), 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350°F and melt butter in a 9×13 pan in the oven. 2. Whisk flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and milk. 3. Pour batter over the butter without stirring. 4. Toss peaches with sugar and cinnamon and spoon on top. 5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until golden.

Buttermilk Biscuits, Loretta Lynn Recipes From Her Cookbook

Buttermilk biscuits are one of the treasures in You’re Cookin’ It Country, and they belong at every Southern breakfast. Tall, flaky and tender, they are perfect with butter, honey or gravy. The tip: keep the fat and buttermilk very cold and pat the dough gently instead of kneading, then fold it over on itself two or three times for flaky layers. Cut straight down without twisting so the biscuits rise high. Love fluffy breads? See our homemade rolls and biscuits. Butter, or jam?

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 6 tbsp cold butter or shortening, 3/4 to 1 cup cold buttermilk.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 450°F. 2. Mix dry ingredients and cut in the cold fat until crumbly. 3. Stir in buttermilk just until combined. 4. Pat out, fold 3 times and pat to 1 inch thick. 5. Cut and bake 12 to 14 minutes until golden.

Skillet Cornbread in Cast Iron

No Kentucky table is complete without skillet cornbread with a crisp golden crust, and it sits beside almost every one of these Loretta Lynn recipes. Mountain cooks traditionally make it with little or no sugar, letting the corn flavor shine, and some shape the batter into small pones like the ones in this pan. The tip: heat the greased cast iron skillet in the oven until it is smoking hot before adding the batter; that sizzle creates the crunchy crust everyone fights over. Compare styles in our cornbread recipes. Sweet, or not?

You will need: 2 tbsp bacon drippings or oil, 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, 1 egg.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 450°F with the drippings in a cast iron skillet. 2. Whisk the dry ingredients. 3. Whisk buttermilk and egg and stir into the dry mix. 4. Pour into the hot skillet, or drop in rounds for pones. 5. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until golden.

Banana Pudding With Oven-Browned Meringue

Banana pudding with a toasted meringue top is a dessert straight from her cookbook and a Southern Sunday favorite. Layers of homemade vanilla custard, vanilla wafers and ripe bananas sit under a cloud of golden meringue. Like many Loretta Lynn recipes, it relies on pantry basics. The tip: spread the meringue over the warm pudding all the way to the edges of the dish, which seals it and keeps it from weeping. Find more old favorites in our forgotten Southern desserts. Warm, or chilled?

You will need: 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, pinch salt, 3 egg yolks, 2 cups milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 box vanilla wafers, 4 ripe bananas. Meringue: 3 egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350°F. 2. Whisk sugar, flour, salt, yolks and milk over medium heat until thick, then add vanilla. 3. Layer wafers, bananas and warm custard in a baking dish. 4. Beat egg whites to soft peaks, add sugar and beat until glossy, then spread over the top. 5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden.

Kentucky Soup Beans With Smoked Meat

Soup beans are the heart of Appalachian cooking, a cheap supper that fed coal camp families and sits naturally beside Loretta Lynn recipes. Pinto beans simmer slowly with a ham hock or smoked sausage until creamy, and many cooks add a carrot and a potato to stretch the pot. Serve them with warm cornbread and chopped onion. The tip: soak the beans overnight and keep them at a gentle simmer, adding hot water as needed, so they cook up soft without bursting. Love thrifty pots? Try our old-fashioned bean soup recipes. Onion or chow chow on top?

You will need: 1 lb dried pinto beans (soaked overnight), 1 smoked ham hock or 8 oz smoked sausage, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 potato, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper, cornbread for serving.

How to make it: 1. Drain the soaked beans and cover with fresh water in a large pot. 2. Add the smoked meat, onion and bay leaf and bring to a boil. 3. Simmer gently 2 hours, adding hot water as needed. 4. Add diced carrot and potato and cook 30 minutes more. 5. Season and serve with cornbread.

Southern Fried Catfish in the Loretta Lynn Recipes Spirit

Fried catfish with a cornmeal crust is a fish fry favorite across Kentucky and Tennessee. The fillets come out crisp outside and flaky inside. This is the kind of country cooking that fits right alongside Loretta Lynn recipes from Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, where she later lived. The tip: soak the fillets in buttermilk for 30 minutes before dredging, which keeps them moist and helps the coating stick. Fry at 350°F until the fish flakes easily. Want more weeknight fish? See our easy catfish and white fish dinners. Tartar sauce or hot sauce?

You will need: 4 catfish fillets, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup cornmeal, 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp cayenne, oil for frying, lemon wedges.

How to make it: 1. Soak fillets in buttermilk for 30 minutes. 2. Mix cornmeal, flour and seasonings. 3. Heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F. 4. Dredge fillets and fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and flaky. 5. Drain and serve with lemon.

Old-Fashioned Vegetable Soup

A big pot of vegetable soup made with garden vegetables and a little beef was a winter staple in Kentucky homes. It is cheap, stretches far and tastes even better the next day. Fans of Loretta Lynn recipes will find it the perfect partner to a skillet of cornbread. The tip: brown the beef and onions well before adding the liquid, which builds a deep, savory base without fancy stock. Freeze extra in jars for busy nights. Want more cozy bowls? See our hearty fall soups. Will you add corn or okra?

You will need: 1 lb beef stew meat or ground beef, 1 onion, 3 potatoes, 3 carrots, 2 celery stalks (all diced), 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 cup green beans, 1 cup corn, 6 cups beef broth, salt, pepper.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef and onion in a large pot. 2. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, tomatoes and broth. 3. Simmer 45 minutes. 4. Add green beans and corn and simmer 15 minutes more. 5. Season with salt and pepper.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes are a Southern way to rescue the last unripe tomatoes before frost. Tart slices get a crunchy cornmeal coat and turn golden in a hot skillet. The tip: salt the slices and let them sit on paper towels for 10 minutes to draw out moisture, so the crust stays crisp instead of sliding off. Fry in small batches without crowding the pan. Serve with a dollop of comeback sauce or ranch. Love old-time sides? See our forgotten Thanksgiving sides. Have you tried them?

You will need: 3 green tomatoes (sliced 1/4 inch), salt, 1/2 cup flour, 2 eggs (beaten), 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 tsp pepper, oil for frying.

How to make it: 1. Salt the slices and drain 10 minutes. 2. Set up flour, then egg mixed with buttermilk, then cornmeal with pepper. 3. Dredge each slice in all three. 4. Fry in 1/2 inch of hot oil 2 to 3 minutes per side. 5. Drain on a rack.

Old-Fashioned Creamed Corn, a Loretta Lynn Recipes Side

Real creamed corn has nothing to do with the canned kind. It is sweet, buttery and thickened by the starchy milk scraped from the cob. Southern cooks love it on Thanksgiving tables and Sunday dinner plates. The tip: after cutting off the kernels, scrape the cob with the back of your knife to capture all the milky pulp, which gives the corn its creamy body. For a party, bake it in a crock with cheese and a few jalapeno slices on top. Plan your feast with our Southern Thanksgiving dishes. Will it make your holiday table?

You will need: 6 ears fresh corn (or 4 cups frozen), 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup milk or cream, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp flour, salt, pepper. Optional: 1/2 cup shredded cheese, 1 sliced jalapeno.

How to make it: 1. Cut kernels from the cobs and scrape the cobs for the milky pulp. 2. Melt butter in a skillet and add corn and pulp. 3. Whisk milk with sugar and flour and stir in. 4. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring, until thick. 5. Season, or top with cheese and jalapeno and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.

Sausage Gravy and Biscuits, a Loretta Lynn Recipes Pairing

Once you have a pan of her buttermilk biscuits, sausage gravy is the natural next step. This creamy, peppery gravy is a breakfast that keeps farm families going until noon, and it pairs beautifully with Loretta Lynn recipes from her cookbook. The tip: do not drain the sausage fat; sprinkle the flour right into it and cook for a full minute before adding milk, which removes the raw flour taste. Add plenty of black pepper. Love big breakfasts? See our Southern breakfast classics. How much pepper do you like?

You will need: 1 lb breakfast sausage, 1/4 cup flour, 2 1/2 to 3 cups milk, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 6 warm buttermilk biscuits.

How to make it: 1. Brown the sausage in a skillet, breaking it up. 2. Sprinkle flour over the sausage and cook 1 minute. 3. Slowly stir in milk. 4. Simmer, stirring, until thick, about 5 minutes. 5. Season and spoon over split biscuits.

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

Kentucky orchards and backyard trees kept mountain kitchens full of apples every fall, and a deep apple pie was the dessert families saved for company and holidays. Tart apples, cinnamon and a flaky lard or butter crust are all it takes. The tip: let the sliced apples sit with the sugar for 30 minutes, then pour off some juice before filling the crust, so the bottom bakes crisp instead of soggy. Serve with whipped cream. Find more classics in our old-fashioned Thanksgiving recipes. Slice or scoop?

You will need: Pastry for a double crust 9-inch pie, 7 tart apples (peeled and sliced), 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch salt, 2 tbsp butter, whipped cream for serving.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 425°F. 2. Toss apples with sugar, flour, spices and salt and rest 30 minutes, then drain a little juice. 3. Fill the bottom crust, dot with butter and add the top crust. 4. Cut vents and bake 15 minutes. 5. Lower to 350°F and bake 40 to 45 minutes until bubbling.

Kentucky Apple Stack Cake

The apple stack cake is an Appalachian legend, built from thin, cookie-like layers spread with spiced dried apple filling. Mountain families once made it for weddings, with neighbors each bringing a layer. It is a fitting finale for Loretta Lynn recipes from the Kentucky hills. The tip: assemble the cake two or three days before serving and keep it wrapped; the apple filling slowly softens the layers into a moist, tender cake. Love vintage bakes? See our classic Southern cakes. Will you make it for Thanksgiving?

You will need: Layers: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup molasses, 1 egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ginger. Filling: 1 lb dried apples, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves.

How to make it: 1. Simmer dried apples in water to cover until soft, then mash with brown sugar and spices. 2. Mix the layer dough and divide into 6 parts. 3. Press each into a greased 9-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. 4. Stack the layers with apple filling between. 5. Wrap and rest 2 to 3 days.