For people who don’t have extra time for pampering their main meal, we have Quick Oven Stew from Claire Ellington, who hand-wrote her recipe in the copy of Stew-Pot Favorites of Zellwood that she gifted to us. All you need next is a pot of rice or some noodles, and you have a lovely main dish.
I have a book titled “Great Food Fast,” a collection of Bob Warden’s Ultimate Pressure cooker Recipes. I got this book because I am the owner of an Instantpot pressure cooker. The introduction for Moo Shu Pork states, “This version of the Chinese take-out classic packs most of the traditional flavors in a lot less time than it would take to wait for the delivery guy.”
Arlen Mizell who was a true friend and mentor to the community of Apopka dedicated his life to service in the Lord’s work. Much to our sorrow, he passed in February of 2023. His recipe for Baked Beans, which he served many times at First Presbyterian Church of Apopka, follows for your celebrations any time of year.
Cauliflower Milanese, found in Savannah Style, calls for two heads of cauliflower, seasonings, butter and Parmesan cheese. The cauliflower is broken up and cooked before being put into a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes to brown.
My sister, Isabel, went to Alabama with (her great-grand-daughter-in-law) Kaula (pronounced Kayla) Beach to visit Kaula’s grandma, Carolyn. While there, she got Miss Carolyn’s recipe for the sweet potato bake. She has submitted it, as written, just for you. If you don’t have a “Mixmaster,” any electric mixer will work. I looked up Mixmaster; it is “an electric kitchen mixer that was the flagship product of Sunbeam Products.” It was the pride and joy of any modern kitchen queen back in the day. Where she calls for a “long baking dish,” probably a 9 x 13-inch oven-safe baking casserole dish will work just fine.
Roberta Kluhsmeier’s Quiche Lorraine is here for you. It looks like the real thing! I just LOVE quiche! It is absolutely yummy.
Debrah Hayden, near and dear to us here at The Apopka Chief newspaper, gave us her recipe for Pecan Pie. Of course, pecan pie is famous at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it is unbeatable any time of year for lovers of that famous southern champion.
CLAIRE ELLINGTON’S QUICK OVEN STEW
Recipe from Stew-Pot Favorites of Zellwood
2 pounds lean stew meat (uncooked)
1 pkg onion soup mix
1 can mushroom soup
1 cup water
Put meat in casserole. Mix other three ingredients and pour over meat. Cover tightly and put in 300-degree oven for 3 hours. No peeking! Serve over noodles or rice. Serves 8.
MOO SHU PORK
Chinese Pork and Cabbage Wraps
Recipe from Great Food Fast by Bob Warden
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 pound boneless pork loin chops, cut into strips
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 (16-ounce bag) shredded coleslaw mix
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup beef stock or broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed into 2 tablespoons water
Flour tortillas
1) With the cooker’s lid off, heat oil on HIGH or “brown,” until sizzling. 2) Place the pork and onion in the cooker, and cook until pork is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 3) Add the coleslaw mix, garlic, beef broth, and soy sauce. Securely lock the pressure cooker’s lid, and set for 3 minutes on HIGH. 4) Perform a quick release to release the cooker’s pressure. Remove lid and set cooker to HIGH or “brown.” 5) Stir in hoisin sauce, scallions, and cornstarch mixture. Let simmer 2 minutes. 6) Serve wrapped in tortillas, spread with additional hoisin sauce, if desired.
Tip: Hoisin, a sweet and smoky Chinese plum sauce, can be found in jars in the Asian foods section of your local grocery store.
ARLEN’S BAKED BEANS
Recipe from Treasures and Pleasures, published
1990 Presbyterian Women, First Presbyterian Church of Apopka
1 gallon B&B beans
1 chopped onion
1/2 bell pepper, chopped fine
12 ounces Grandma’s Molasses
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 pound bacon
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Mix all liquid ingredients. Add to beans, onion and bell pepper; add salt, pepper, and garlic. Top with bacon strips. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until beans are brown and bubbly. Serves about 25.
CAULIFLOWER MILANESE
Recipe from Savannah Style, a Cookbook by The Junior League of Savannah, Inc.
2 heads cauliflower
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Boiling water
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Ground white pepper
Wash cauliflower and break into florets. Place in saucepan with salt and sugar, adding boiling water to a depth of 1/2-inch. Bring to a boiling point and cook uncovered for five minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes until barely tender. Place drained florets in buttered shallow baking dish. Cover with melted butter and sprinkle with cheese and pepper. Bake in a preheated 450-degree Fahrenheit oven until slightly brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
KAULA’S GRANDMOTHER CAROLYN’S SWEET POTATO BAKE
From Reader Isabel Beach, South Carolina
Cook 5 to 7 cut-up sweet potatoes
Add to good-sized pot of boiling water
Drain
Beat up with Mixmaster until pulpy
Add 1-1/2 sticks of butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix well
Grease a long baking dish with butter
Pour sweet potato mixture into baking dish
Mix up topping:
3 cups crushed corn flakes
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecan bits, optional
Spread topping over sweet potato mixture
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
ROBERTA KLUHSMEIER’S QUICHE LORRAINE
Recipe from POT-POURRI of Zellwood – RECIPES & REFLECTIONS 1983
The Zellwood Community Center, Zellwood, Florida
1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked
1/2 pound sliced bacon
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Swiss cheese
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash of cayenne pepper
Fry bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble into pie shell. Sprinkle cheese over bacon. Cook onion in bacon fat until golden. Drain. Place on top of cheese. Beat remaining ingredients together and pour into shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until firm.
DEBRAH HAYDEN’S PECAN PIE
Recipe from Debrah Hayden, Reader of The Apopka Chief Newspaper
1-3/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon cold water
2 teaspoons corn starch
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
1) Preheat oven to 350 deg F. 2) In medium sauce pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, water, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. 3) In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. 4) Gradually beat in cooked syrup mixture. 3) Stir in salt, vanilla, and pecans. 5) Pour into unbaked pie shell. 6) Bake at 350 deg F for 45 to 50 minutes or until filling is set.
