The Mr’s family is all from Kentucky. All born and bred. Some even attend the Derby every year! When we married, his sweet Nana gifted me a copy of The Garden Club of Lexington‘s Bluegrass Winners Cookbook. Every time I know I want something comforting and distinctly Southern, I reach for this cookbook.

All this cool, drizzly weather we’ve been having is making me crave some good fried chicken with creamy gravy. The great thing about fried chicken is that you can enjoy it hot out of the frying pan or cold out of the fridge the next day and it’s delicious both ways! Another good idea is to take the meat off the bone and chop it up (fried skin and all) and toss it over mixed greens with some honey mustard dressing. Some have even made it into a chicken salad sandwich filling, but that might be taking it to far!

After dredging half the chicken and carefully sliding it into the pan, I decided to bake the remaining half to cut down on time and pan space. This can be easily done in a 350° for 45-50min depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Usually when things are fried at home, the whole house smells like fried food for days. Instead, my house smells warm and cozy, like your Southern grandma’s kitchen. A combination of warm chicken and simple spices greets you when you walk through the door.

Further ladling of homemade cream gravy on everything sends this meal to the edge of Heaven. What’s something your Grandma makes/made that instantly hugs your soul?