Looking back at my 1996 Southern Living Annual Recipes, I came across Patsy Hobson’s Pepper-Sage Chicken. Southern Living pictured it served it with roasted sweet potatoes and mustard greens.
They say, “While the chicken marinates, wash a bunch of your favorite greens and put them on to boil. Peel, chop, and roast a few sweet potatoes, and you’ve got a meal your whole family will enjoy.” They don’t say, so I will: be sure to season your greens while they cook. I use ham or bacon along with minced garlic, salt, a couple shakes of cayenne pepper, and a little – maybe two teaspoons – apple cider vinegar. And I cook my greens for about two hours. If you don’t have fresh greens, frozen works just fine.
For your sweet potatoes, peel them, cut into chunks an inch or so big, add a little oil and butter, and season them with salt, pepper, crispy bacon chopped over them, maybe orange juice or maple syrup. Then put the baking dish into a 400-425-degree oven. Stir them up after they brown, and move them around during cook time. It may take 45 minutes or so.
For you busy cooks, here is Speedy Taco Supper. It will make a dozen tacos. This south-of-the-border feast is fast enough for week nights and easy enough for beginning cooks. If you’re scratching your head wondering why you have to find ground chuck, which comes from front beef shoulders, you don’t. I will use lean ground beef, which comes from the pieces after the beef is cut into roasts and steaks. This has fewer calories than chuck although it is a little pricier. And I usually have a ready supply in my freezer. I’m not buying many steaks these days!
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 which is Macaroni, Tomato, Cheese Bake. It looks like a wonderful side dish. Serving 6 to 8, they recommend it to accompany roast pork, ribs or chicken.
Sandy Bove’s Roasted Potatoes and Blue Cheese recipe is from Preserving the Big Potato, the lovely publication from the Apopka Historical Society. Thank you, ma’am.
We have Melinda Stokes Allanson’s Greek Chicken Salad. It looks wonderfully refreshing and change of pace. This is from our friends in Punta Gorda’s book, A Taste of Heaven.
Amish Magic Cake, also from Paths of Sunshine, will become a family favorite once you try it.
PEPPER-SAGE CHICKEN
Contributed by PATSY BELL HOBSON, Liberty, Missouri
SOUTHERN LIVING’S ALL TIME
FAVORITES, 1996
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
Vegetable cooking spray
Garnish: fresh sage sprigs
1) Combine first 7 ingredients in a large heavy-duty, zip-top plastic bag, and add chicken. Seal and chill 1 hour, turning occasionally. 2) Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. 3) Cook chicken in a skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until browned, turning once. Add reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Slice chicken into strips. Garnish, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.
SPEEDY TACO SUPPER
Recipe from
1996 Southern Living Annual Recipes
1 pound ground chuck
2 to 3 teaspoons Taco Seasoning Blend (see below)
1/4 cup water
12 taco shells
Condiments: chopped onion and
tomato, shredded lettuce and cheese
1) Brown ground chuck in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles; drain. Add Taco Seasoning Blend and 1/4 cup water, stirring well. 2) Cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Spoon meat mixture into taco shells; top with condiments as desired. Yield: 1 dozen.
MACARONI, TOMATO, CHEESE BAKE
Recipe from PATHS OF SUNSHINE
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs
1 16-ounce package macaroni
3 cups stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded and
divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Cook macaroni according to package directions reducing cooking time by 2 minutes. While macaroni is cooking, stew tomatoes, onions and sugar together until onions are tender. Drain macaroni and rinse thoroughly in hot water. Pour in large mixing bowl and immediately add hot tomato mixture and 2 cups shredded cheese. Stir quickly and blend well. Add garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Pour into greased baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until mixture sets up.
SANDY BOVE’S
ROASTED POTATOES AND
BLUE CHEESE
Recipe from
Apopka Historical Society’s
Preserving the Big Potato –
A Collection of Potato Recipes
12 small Yukon gold potatoes
2-1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/8 freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 tablespoon minced chives
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Cool and slice a small piece from the top and bottom of each potato. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl. Toss with oil and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Place potatoes on a baking sheet. With a paring knife, score top of each potato. Top each with equal amounts of blue cheese and bacon. Bake until cheese melts, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve.
MELINDA STOKES ALLANSON’S GREEK CHICKEN SALAD
Recipe from First Presbyterian
Church of Punta Gorda’s
A Taste of Heaven
3 cups cooked chicken, cubed (about three breasts)
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
1-1/4 cups Feta cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup (or 1 can) black olives, sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic (or to taste)
Lettuce
Combine chicken, cucumber, Feta, olives and parsley. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, yogurt, oregano and crushed garlic. Use much less garlic if salad will stand more than a couple of hours before serving. Add to chicken mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and chill. Serve over lettuce.
Also very good over toasted French rolls.
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 the rest of the 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.
