From Paths of Sunshine, we have Cider Stew made with beef stew meat. They give stovetop directions and slow cooker directions.
We found the following information, Rethinking Rice, in Southern Living’s 1996 Annual Recipes. We hope (and believe) you will find it to be an invaluable guide for your food preparation. In fact, you will probably want to cut it out and put it with your favorite recipes stash. I certainly will!
We have Mrs. Meggett’s Biscuits from Scratch from Gullah Geechee Home Cooking. She says, “Biscuits take practice, so if the texture isn’t right on the first try, try it again. When you’re rolling the biscuit dough, don’t fool with the dough too much. It will make them come out tough. You want to mix and roll the dough just enough so it’s combined, but not overly prepped. The number of biscuits from this recipe depends on the size of the cutter (18 to 20 for a small cutter, 9 or 10 for a large cutter).”
Spinach Salad is a favorite for many of our readers. This one is from Savannah Style and looks fit for a special occasion.
Paths of Sunshine, a collection of recipes put out by The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs in 1988, has some wonderful recipes for us. One of them is Amish Magic Cake; it will become a favorite of yours once you try it.
CIDER STEW
Recipe from Florida Federation of
Garden Clubs Inc., Paths of Sunshine
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 pounds beef stew meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons vinegar
3 carrots, quartered
3 potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 onions, sliced
1 rib celery, sliced
1 apple, chopped
1) Stovetop directions: Combine flour, salt, pepper and thyme; toss with meat to coat. In Dutch oven, brown meat in hot oil. Stir in cider, water and vinegar. Cook and stir to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until meat is tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Add vegetables and apple. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.
2) Crockery cooker directions: Use ingredients as above, except do not add water. Use only 1 tablespoon of vinegar and chop the vegetables. Combine flour, salt, pepper and thyme; toss with meat to coat. In large skillet or saucepan, brown the meat in hot oil. Place chopped vegetables in electric slow crockery cooker. Add apple and meat. Combine cider and only one tablespoon vinegar; do not add water. Pour over meat and vegetables. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours. Turn cooker to high-heat setting. Blend 1/2 cup cold water with 1/4 cup flour; stir into stew. Cover and cook till thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as above.
RETHINKING RICE
Information from Southern Living’s
1996 Annual Recipes
WHAT’S IN STORE?
• Store rice in the refrigerator up to seven days or in the freezer in a heavy-duty, zip-top plastic freezer bag up to six months.
• When refrigerating rice, be sure to cover the rice tightly so the grains won’t dry out or absorb the flavors of other foods.
• To reheat rice, add 2 tablespoons liquid for each cup of leftover rice. Cover and reheat over medium-low heat 4 to 5 minutes. Or microwave, covered, at HIGH about 1-1/2 minutes per cup.
• Leftover rice is a great soup thickener.
• Give leftover rice a polished look: Firmly pack it in a well-oiled mold, cover with plastic wrap, and weight it down. Chill about an hour before unmolding onto a serving plate. Serve chilled.
CHEAP TRICKS!
For full flavor enhancement, don’t just cook rice in water. Substitute one of the following for all or part of the cooking water: apple, orange, or pineapple juice; chicken, vegetable, or beef stock; wine; beer; sherry; cream; or milk. Label and freeze small bags of leftover rice, and reheat when needed (1-cup bags are great for solo diners).
Boost the flavor and appearance of reheated rice by adding the following:
• Chopped dates and toasted nuts
• Sliced mushrooms, green onions, or shallots
• Chopped asparagus, bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, celery, green beans, onion, or tomato
• Chopped ham, bacon, pork, or seafood (nice for fried rice – just add an egg, a bit of oil and soy sauce, and scramble in a wok or large skillet)
• Chopped cilantro, parsley, or other fresh herbs; minced fresh ginger or garlic
• Crushed pineapple, sliced mandarin oranges, chopped red or green apples, or raisins
• Sliced ripe or pimiento-stuffed olives
• Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, or crumbled feta cheese.
EMILY MEGGETT’S
BISCUITS FROM SCRATCH
Recipe from Gullah Geechee
Home Cooking by Emily Meggett
1 cup Crisco shortening
1 large egg
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar,
  plus more to taste
1-1/2 cups milk, whole or 2 percent
3-1/3 cups self-rising flour, prefera  bly White Lily, plus more as need  ed, plus 1 cup for the counter and  shaping
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 2) In a mixing bowl, using a spoon, mix together the Crisco, egg, and sugar until smooth. Add sugar according to desired sweetness. 3) Stir in the milk until the Crisco mixture is broken up a bit, then stir in the 3-1/2 cups flour. Mix until just combined. 4) Use the remaining flour for dusting the countertop, biscuit cutter, and dough. Sprinkle 1/3 cup evenly onto the countertop where the biscuits will be rolled out. Scrape the dough onto the flour, then sprinkle 1/3 cup on top of the dough so it will not stick to your hands. Pat the dough with your palms into a slab about 3/4 inch thick. Put 1/3 cup flour in a small bowl or a pile on the side to dip the biscuit cutter into. 5) Dip a biscuit cutter or the top of a small cup into flour. Cut biscuits and place on ungreased cookie sheets, leaving just a bit of dough between each cut (Use a metal spatula to transfer the biscuits to the cookie sheets, if necessary. They will be very delicate.). 6) Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
SPINACH SALAD
Recipe from Savannah Style,
a Cookbook by The Junior League of Savannah, Inc.
1 pound fresh spinach, washed and  drained
2 apples, peeled and diced
8 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
1/2 cup almonds, slivered and sal-
  téed in bacon grease
2 green onions, sliced
Dressing:
1 cup oil
3 tablespoons sugar
2-2/3 teaspoons dry mustard
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
  cider vinegar
Blend dressing thoroughly and toss lightly over salad.
AMISH MAGIC CAKE
Recipe from Paths of Sunshine
Cake:
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
In large mixing bowl, combine oatmeal, butter, and boiling water. Mix well, and let cool. When cool, add rest of ingredients; mix well, and pour into a 13- x 9-inch greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
In saucepan, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil. Add coconut, nuts, and vanilla. Pour topping on cake while cake is hot.
Place under broiler until lightly brown or until bubbly.
