Recipes: Local Favorites From Louisville

"GMA" weather anchor Sam Champion is in Louisville, Ky., attending the National Weather Association's annual conference. While there, he met up with

(ABC News)

Cashew Brittle

Ingredients: 2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 cups raw cashews
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chopped white chocolate

Preparation:

1. Heat and stir sugar, syrup and water in a heavy 3-quart saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add salt. Cook over medium heat to soft ball stage (234 degrees). Add peanuts at 250 degrees. Cook to hard crack stage (290 degrees), stirring often. Remove from heat.

2. Quickly, stir in butter, white chocolate and soda. Beat to a froth for a few seconds. Pour at once onto 2 well-buttered 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch pans, spreading with spatula. If desired, cool slightly and pull with forks to stretch thin. Break up when cold.

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Yield: About 1-1/2 pounds of peanut brittle.

Mint Julep

Ingredients: 4 sprigs fresh mint leaves
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey Preparation:

Crush mint leaves and sugar in a 12 ounce glass. Fill with cracked ice, simple syrup and whiskey. Stir until glass frost. Decorate with mint sprig To make simple syrup for beverages:

Bring 2 cups of plain cold tap water to a boil. Stir in 2 cups of plain granulated sugar. Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely.

To test if the sugar is completely dissolved, use a metal spoon to scoop up a small bit of the syrup. Tilt it over the pan and watch carefully. You shouldn't be able to see any crystals in the liquid.

At this point you can add flavorings; add about a tablespoon of any liquid extract. You can also stir in 1 tablespoon corn syrup to help ensure the syrup stays smooth.

Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then pour into a clean glass jar and store in the refrigerator.