"Traveling" Through the 50 States Dinners ~ Tennessee

Back in the kitchen today to share another one of our 50 State Dinners with a "trip" to Tennessee.  There is just something about Southern cooking.  Absolutely delicious!!

Our main course consisted of Tennessee Whiskey Pork Chops, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Tennessee Cheddar Puffs.  Doesn't that just make your mouth water??


Tennessee Whiskey Pork Chops (recipe from popsugar.com)
1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 (8 to 10 ounce) bone-in, center cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick , trimmed                                  *I used boneless & they tasted delicious!*
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Whisk whiskey, cider, sugar, 2 teaspoons vinegar, mustard, vanilla, and cayenne together in a bowl.  Transfer 1/4 cup whiskey mixture to 1-gallon zipper lock bag, add pork chops, press air out of the bag, and seal.  Turn bag to coat chops with marinade and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Reserve remaining whiskey mixture separately.
2. Remove chops from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and discard marinade.  Heat oil in 12-in skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke.  Season chops with salt and pepper and cook until well browned on both sides and peek into thickest part of a chop using a paring knife yields still-pink meat 1/4 inch from surface, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping chops halfway through cooking.  Transfer chops to plate and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
3. Add reserved whiskey mixture to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.  Cook until reduced to a thick glaze, 3 to 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low and, holding on to chops, tip plate to add any accumulated juices back to skillet.  Add remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar, whisk in butter, and simmer glaze until thick and sticky, 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove pan from heat.
4. Return chops to skillet and let rest in pan, turning chops occasionally to coat both sides, until sauce clings to chops and meat registers 145 degrees, about 5 minutes. Transfer chops to platter and spoon sauce over.  Serve.

Fried Green Tomatoes  (recipe from allrecipes.com)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

5 green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 cup crushed saltine crackers

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup butter

1. In a small bowl, stir together the flour , salt and pepper.  Place the crushed saltine crackers in another bowl, and the beaten eggs in a third bowl.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Dip each tomato slice in the egg to coat, then in the flour mixture.  Dip the floured tomato slice back into the egg, and then into the cracker crumbs.  Place the coated tomato slices  in the hot skillet, and fry until golden brown on each side, about 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Add more butter to the pan, if necessary.  Serve hot!

Tennessee Cheddar Puffs  (recipe from relish.com)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups water
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar (about 3 cups)
6 large eggs
paprika

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine butter, water, sugar, salt and cayenne in a large saucepan.  Cook until butter melts. Add 2 cups of flour all at once.  Reduce heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture is stiff and forms a ball-like mass, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.  Pour into mixing bowl; using a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat 1 minute at medium-low speed to cool the mixture.  Increase speed to medium, add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate before adding the next.  Batter should be firm, not runny.  If necessary, blend in an additional 1/2 cup flour.  Fold in the cheese.  Drop by teaspoons onto baking pan lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle with paprika.
3. Bake 10 minutes, turn the pan, and bake 10 more minutes.  Leftover puffs can be frozen.

Our dessert was one of the most divine things I have ever tasted!  I would cross the Great Smoky Mountains 5 times over for this little slice of heaven. 

Honey Bun Cake (mountainviewbulkfoods.com)
1 box - Betty Crocker Super Moist butter yellow cake mix
2 sticks butter, softened
4 eggs
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease bottom only of a 9x13 inch pan.  
3. Remove 1/2 cup dry cake mix; reserve.  Beat remaining cake mix, butter, eggs, and sour cream on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Spread half of the batter in the pan.  Stir together the reserves dry cake mix, brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon; Sprinkle over batter in pan.  Carefully spread remaining batter evenly over pecan mixture.  Bake 40-45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, mix last 3 ingredients, adding additional milk if necessary.  Poke top of warm cake with a fork several times then pour glaze over it.  Cool completely.

This truly tasted just like the store-bought Honey Buns!  So easy and so good!  It's the perfect fall recipe, as well. 

 I hope you'll be just as "tickled" with this meal as we were.  Enjoy!