SUCCESS!!

My Derby Party turned out fabulously!!

I made the Benedictine dip, Hot Browns, potato salad, baked beans, and Kentucky Pie served with vanilla ice cream -- all of which were a hit!!

The only down-side to my party was that my camera was as dead-as-a-doornail!! :( So, unfortuneatly, I don't have any pictures to share but this one of AB from my iPhone, so the quality is not the greatest.

AB also managed to pick the top 4 finishers out of the 20 horses in the field, so I told him we were going back to KY for the fall meet at Keeneland, no quesions asked!! But that will work out perfectly, because I want to go back for Court Day this year too!

However, I wanted to share the recipes with all of you so that you could throw a Derby Party of your own with these tasty treats!! Just click on the name of each item to go to the orignial webpage where the recipe is found.

BENEDICTINE DIP: (This one is soooo easy, and was def. a favorite!!)

SERVINGS – 2 CUPS

INGREDIENTS:
2 cucumbers, peeled

1 md. onion

1 lb. cream cheese

2 to 3 drops green food coloring

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Grate cucumber and onion (may use food processor) and drain well in a strainer, pressing down with spoon to remove all liquid. Discard liquid.

2. Add drained cucumbers and onion to cream cheese and mix well in food processor.

3. Color with 2 to 3 drops green food coloring.Use as a sandwich spread or as a dip. Benedictine may also be used to stuff cherry tomatoes for an hors d'oeuvre tray.

HOT BROWNS: (THE absolute hit of the night -- a must!!)

SERVINGS: 8 open-faced sandwhichs

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds sliced roasted turkey
1 tomato, thinly sliced
8 slices white bread, toasted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 slices crispy bacon

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour with a whisk or fork, and continue to cook and stir until it begins to brown slightly. Gradually whisk in the milk so that no lumps form, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Mix in 6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and then stir in the beaten egg to thicken. Do not allow the sauce to boil once the egg has been mixed in. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.
2. Preheat the oven's broiler. For each hot brown, place two slices of toast into the bottom of an individual sized casserole dish. Cover with a liberal amount of roasted turkey and tomato slices. Spoon sauce over the top of each one and sprinkle with some of the remaining Parmesan cheese. Place the dishes under the broiler and cook until the top is speckled brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the broiler and arrange two slices of bacon in a cross shape on top of each sandwich. Serve immediately.

KENTUCKY PIE: (D.lic.ious!!)

SERVINGS: 1 Pie

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup walnuts/pecans,chopped

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

1 9-inch graham cracker crust

INSTRUCTIONS:
Blend all ingredients together with a wooden spoon until moistened and pour into pie crust. Bake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Serve with whipped topping and/or ice cream.

I hope that you all had as wonderful of a weekend as I did, and that you all are staying dry (as much of Kentucky is now flooded). Enjoy the recipies and let me know how they turn out!

Until next time,