Born To Listen

Make Johnny Cash's 5 Favorite Home-Cooked Meals This Week

What I would have given to walk the line with Johnny Cash all the way to the dining room. The country music sensation and his wife June Carter  Cash were known for serving up southern delicacies in their Nashville home to friends and family alike. From comfort foods like their homemade chili to cornbread, the Cash Carter clan were always in the kitchen.

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In fact, Peggy Knight, the caretaker and companion of the Cash and Carter families for over 30 years, shares the family's favorite recipes in the cookbook Cooking in the House of Cash, sharing over 100 of the family's favorite recipes along with short stories about Johnny and his family. 

And that's not all, John Carter Cash, Jonny and June's son, is releasing a brand new cookbook this September. The cookbook also includes bits from Loretta Lynn, Marty Stuart, and Kris Kristofferson who shared meals at their table. Until the release of the book, we wanted to share with you five favorite recipes that Johnny Cash loved to eat.

1. Old Iron Pot Chili

overhead photo of a bowl of chili with cheese and green onions

The Ring of Fire and Man in Black songwriter wasn't only known for his killer tunes. Johnny Cash was famed for his homemade chili recipe featured in the USO cookbook. Cash, an Air Force veteran, used to tour various bases, putting on 7-8 shows daily for the service men and women.

Get the recipe here.

2. Cornbread

Homemade Southern Style Cornbread

Nothing goes better with chili than homemade cornbread. This recipe, made originally by Mama Cash, (Johnny Cash's mother) is easy to make and tastes good to boot. Take our best advice and serve this bread hot out of the oven.

Get the recipe here.

3. Peanut Butter Cookies

Fresh Peanut Butter Cookies on white doily ready to eat

Recently son John Carter Cash took to Reddit to speak about his late father. One Redditor asked what Johnny's quirks were. John's response was all food related, "My father liked crunchy peanut butter. Fried catfish. And deep-fried chicken skin."

Johnny's mother loved baking these peanut butter cookies whenever she could.

Get the recipe here. 

4. Pineapple Pie

Peanut butter cookies weren't the only desserts that Mama Cash made. This pineapple pie made with crushed pineapple and vanilla was another family favorite food. Can you just imagine eating this on the porch in Tennessee with a glass of sweet tea? We sure can.

Get the recipe here. 

5. Pan-Fried Okra

Organic Homemade Fried Green Okra against a Background

No southerner's table would be complete without a plate of okra. Sliced and fried, these okra bites go great with just about anything at the dinner table. Make sure when preparing this dish the okra isn't overcooked, otherwise it gets a bit slimy.

Get the recipe here. 

This post was originally published on September 7, 2018. 


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