Dolly Parton's Old-Fashioned Soup Recipe Features a Surprising Secret Ingredient You'll Never Expect

Dolly Parton is as talented in the kitchen as she is on stage. Growing up in a large family, Dolly learned to cook by watching her mother, who relied on affordable, often homegrown ingredients to feed her 12 children. Her mother always found inventive ways to turn simple meals into something special, despite the busy demands of raising such a big family.

You've probably heard the tale of stone soup, but Dolly’s version has its own unique twist. According to Dolly, her mother would send all 12 kids into the woods to find stones while she made the soup. Once back home, the children would carefully clean their chosen stones, which Dolly’s mom would then assess. Based on which child seemed to need a little extra attention, she’d pick their stone to go into the soup.

Though the soup was simple and inexpensive, the inclusion of the stone added a sense of depth and meaning to the dish. Filled with hearty vegetables and a comforting broth, it was the perfect meal for the cold winters in the Great Smoky Mountains. Dolly's cookbook, *Dolly's Dixie Fixin's*, also includes her recipe for walnut pie, a delightful variation of classic pecan pie. It's an easy dessert that rarely misses a spot on her holiday table. The recipe for this tasty pie can be found below.

Dolly Parton's Stone Soup

(Courtesy of hallmarkchannel.com)

• 2 quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
• 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 (14 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 small head cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 1 pound turnips, peeled and diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 1 stone, thoroughly cleaned (optional)
• Salt
• Pepper

1. In a large pot, combine stock, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, turnips, carrots, onion, garlic, and the ham hock. Add the stone last. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, around 2 hours.
2. Remove the ham hock, shred the meat from the bone, and chop into ½ inch pieces. Return the meat to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot. Remember, don't eat the stone!

Dolly Parton's Walnut Pie

(from Dolly's Dixie Fixin's)

• 1 fold-out pie crust
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 ½ cups finely chopped walnuts
• Whipped cream to garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Fit a thawed 9-inch pie crust into a pie plate.
2. In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the eggs. Gradually add sugar, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Stir in melted butter and beat until fully incorporated.
3. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and evenly scatter walnuts on top. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and continue baking for 45 more minutes. After 30 minutes, wrap the edge of the crust with aluminum foil. Let the pie cool completely before serving with a dollop of whipped cream.