For a tasty, inexpensive meal, Miniature Meatball Stew from Cooking with Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka should do well. We thank the ladies of the Sertoma Club for their recipes.
From Treasures and Pleasures cookbook from First Presbyterian Church of Apopka, we find Lorena Dewitt’s Pork Chops and rice. It is simple to put together and then put in the oven for a couple of hours before serving hot and delicious.
A chicken pie recipe from Rochelle Rogers in the cookbook from First Presbyterian Church of Punta Gorda entitled A Taste of Heaven makes me hungry. I want to try this very soon.
Breaded Cauliflower is a recipe from the cookbook we found in our archives, published back in the mid-1980s by the ladies of the Sertoma Club.
From a reader friend of ours, Sally Benton who went to Apopka Memorial High School and graduated in 1968, then moved to Melbourne, we have Vegetable Medley.
This is delicious as I, having eaten it on special occasions, can attest. Sally says she just throws stuff in and is guessing at the amounts, so use your best judgment.
We thank our friends from New Vision Community Church for their wonderful publication, Feeding the Flock. We find Anna Kennedy’s Blueberry Salad to be a delicious addition to any meal.
Mrs. Colston’s Dill Pickles is shared by our friends from Plains, Georgia, in their Plains Pot Pourri, a wonderful cookbook wherein we find many treasures.
MINIATURE MEATBALL STEW
Recipe from Cooking with
Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka
1 envelope dried onion soup mix, divided
1 pound ground beef
2 cups cubed potatoes
1/2 small onion, diced
1 large or 2 small carrots, diagonally sliced
1 stalk celery, diagonally sliced
1 bay leaf, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon thyme or oregano
1 tablespoon red table wine (optional)
1 tablespoon corn starch
Mix half an envelope of onion soup mix with 1/4 cup water. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until well blended. Add heated soup mix to ground chuck, mix well and mold into small meatballs. In a large saucepan over low heat, sauté meatballs until done and set aside. Brown potatoes in pan drippings. Return meatballs to saucepan; add onions, carrots, celery and enough water to cover, and boil 5 minutes. Reduce heat, adding remaining soup mix, salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme and wine. Simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Blend corn starch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Stir into hot liquid in saucepan and cook over medium heat until clear and bubbly. Makes 4 to 5 servings.
LORENA DEWITT’S
PORK CHOPS AND RICE
Recipe from 1990 Presbyterian
Women First Presbyterian
Church of Apopka,
Treasures and Pleasures cookbook
1 cup raw brown rice
6 to 8 pork chops or pork steaks, cut thin
1 package uncooked frozen peas
3 cups chicken broth (bouillon cubes and water may be used)
Spread rice in bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Layer pork chops on top. Add chicken broth and peas. Seal with foil and bake at 350 degrees for two hours. Check 1/2 hour before done to see if more liquid is needed.
ROCHELLE ROGERS’
MELT IN YOUR MOUTH
CHICKEN PIE
Recipe from First Presbyterian Church of Punta Gorda,
A Taste of Heaven
3 pound fryer
2 cups reserved chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup buttermilk
Cook chicken until tender. Remove meat from bones. Save broth. Cut chicken into pieces and put in 9- x 12-inch dish. Put reserved broth and chicken soup in sauce pan and bring to boil. In another bowl, combine butter, flour and buttermilk. Mix thoroughly to form batter. Pour broth mixture over chicken and then spoon batter over top. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until brown.
BREADED CAULIFLOWER
Recipe from Cooking with
Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka
1 medium sized head cauliflower
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
Olive oil for frying
Grated Parmesan cheese
Wash and trim the cauliflower. Break it into florets. Place eggs, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Combine milk, cream, and butter and add to flour to make a batter. Dip florets into batter. Fry the breaded florets, a few at a time, in the hot olive oil. Serve hot with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.
SALLY THOMAS BENTON’S
VEGETABLE MEDLEY
Recipe from Reader of The Apopka Chief and The Planter newspapers
2 or 3 each zucchinis and yellow squash
2 fresh vine-ripe tomatoes, diced…
OR… 1 pint of grape tomatoes, whole…
OR… a can of diced tomatoes
3 slivered garlic cloves
Thinly sliced onion
Bell pepper
Broccoli
Cauliflower
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon tarragon
1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
Pam Spray (or other cooking spray)
Any other spices you prefer in addition to or as replacement for the ones suggested here. For instance, some Mexican spices like cilantro, cumin, chili powder, etc., might be fantastic… OR… Italian spices… OR… Asian spices such as Oriental 5-spice, soy sauce, etc.
If you like, add whatever YOU enjoy: green beans, edamame, celery, baby raw spinach, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Get wild with it!
Sliver the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Spray them lightly with Pam Spray. Spray a frying pan lightly. Heat pan. Sauté. While they are sautéing, cut squashes into small chunks. Squashes will cook faster than more solid veggies, so if you’re adding broccoli or raw cauliflower, thin-slice them as well and toss in at end of sautéing.
Turn down heat. Add a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze the bottom of pan and to steam the veggies. Add the herbs and any spices you might want. Add a little salt and sugar to taste, if desired. Add lemon juice. Cover with lid. When the steaming veggies are to your desired tenderness, throw in tomatoes. They don’t have to cook.
Preparation time is 30 to 45 minutes.
ANNA KENNEDY’S
BLUEBERRY SALAD
Recipe from New Vision Community Church’s Feeding the Flock
2 3-ounce packages blackberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 15-ounce can blueberries, drained
1 8-1/4 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 pint sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Drain blueberries and pineapple into measuring cup. Add enough water to make one cup of liquid. Add to gelatin mixture. Stir in drained blueberries and pineapple. Pour into two-quart flat pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Spread over congealed salad. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
MRS. STELLA COLSTON’S
DILL PICKLES
Recipe from Food Favorites of Plains, Georgia
Plains Pot Pourri
2 quarts water
1 quart vinegar
1 cup salt (use canning salt or un-iodized salt)
Mix and let come to a boil and pour over cucumbers that you have packed into jars with sprigs of dill plus garlic and hot pepper. Seal with hot rings and lids and let set up for 2 or 3 weeks before opening. Makes 7 or 8 quarts of pickles.
