Although there aren’t a lot here in Florida, October’s golden and red leaves once again will be seen all around us after their catching their annual tree-to-ground rides on autumn breezes.
We will continue celebrating and appreciating this year’s September 23 autumn arrival which has, all through October, been bringing us this season’s many spectacularly beautiful blue-sky days.
Now another new November soon will be knocking on our doors again and bringing with that new month’s welcomed arrival its promise of some much appreciated cooler Florida days and nights.
Fall is always such a great cool season for stepping outdoors and going tripping with a well-filled picnic basket and an icy cooler, both well packed with whatever fav™¢¢orite foods we feel like taking along for an outdoors meal trip. That can be either a very close to home short ride away or an exciting excursion to somewhere else, your choice of outdoors meal destination site!
Alternatively, just the traditional back-yard-picnic-table outdoor meals also can be a very enjoyable local celebration of autumn’s return. That likely more easily and more often happens for us.
Third option for a grand celebrating of the autumn season’s return can be, of course, the equally appreciable plan of simply just setting some great meals out on the dining table as usual and appreciating the outdoors October from your indoors window views as you enjoy a nice dinner meal indoors if you are not the outdoorsy type.
Whichever way you choose, enjoy your Apopka area friends’ and neighbors’ recipes here and please do share your own best and favorite recipes with us. We want to know so we can share with readers what’s cookin’ in the Apopka area’s kitchens and elsewhere as well.
Enjoy your friends’ and neighbors’ recipes here this week, starting with traditional baked beans and of course a mashed potatoes accompaniment for the beans plus corn pudding and much more.
FRAN FORREST’S
BEST EVER BAKED BEANS
Recipe from Lake Hill Baptist Church’s Treasures from Heaven
2 (one pound each) cans pork-n-beans
2 (1-pound each) cans kidney beans
2 (1-pound) cans butter beans
1 (1-pound) package hot Italian sausage
3 onions, diced
1 (16-ounce) box dark brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite)
Cut sausage in 1/4-inch slices and brown the slices in a heavy skillet. Remove browned sausages from pan and saute the onions in the sausage oil. Drain the onions and set aside.
MARJORIE CLARKE’S
MAKE-AHEAD
MASHED POTATOES
Recipe from
New Vision Community Church’s Feeding The Flock
Five pounds potatoes
Salt and pepper, amounts to your taste
1 (eight-ounce) cream cheese
Sour cream (amount to your liking)
Peel and cook potatoes as you would for regular mashed potatoes. When done, drain off the water and add enough cream cheese and sour cream for good consistency. This can be kept in refrigerator 10 days, the recipe contributor states in this cookbook. Heat in regular oven or in microwave oven before serving.
VIRGINIA HARRIS WALTERS’
ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE
Recipe from First Presbyterian Church’s Treasures and Pleasures
1 (20-ounce can) asparagus
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups cracker crumbs
2 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
Drain the asparagus. Reserve the liquid. Melt the butter or margarine and blend in the flour, salt and pepper. Add milk to the asparagus liquid to make 1-1/2 cups. Stir into flour mixture. Cook two minutes.
Spread asparagus into bottom of a greased one and a half quart casserole. Reserve a few spears for the top. Sprinkle half of the remaining crumbs over the asparagus. Add eggs and half of the sauce. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs, then rest of the asparagus. Pour over remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
ELAINE THOMAS’
NEW ORLEANS SPINACH
Recipe from
First United Methodist Church of Apopka’s Feeding The Flock
2 packages Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 stick butter
Grated rind of one lemon
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of nutmeg or mace
Salt (amount to your taste)
Red pepper Flakes or Cayenne (amount to your taste)
1 cup Pepperidge Farms Herb Dressing
Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well and then while spinach is still hot add the cream cheese and half of the butter. Mix well. Season with salt, pepper, lemon rind and the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of mace or nutmeg. Place mixture in buttered casserole and sprinkle herb dressing on top. Melt remaining butter and drizzle it over the bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour. Recipe serves six to eight.
BARBARA HATCH’S
CORN PUDDING
Recipe from
New Vision Community Church’s Feeding The Flock
3 beaten eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canned milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (17 ounces) cream style corn
1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn
2 tablespoons butter
Beat the eggs, add sugar, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in corn. Put in greased casserole dish. Dot with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour.
KATHY JABERG’S
BANANA FRITTERS
Recipe from First Presbyterian Church’s Treasures and Pleasures
1 small egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup flour
1 mashed ripe banana
Dash of cinnamon or vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
Mix together all ingredients and fry in deep fat. Fritters will turn over automatically when done on one side. Serve the Bananas Fritters warm and sprinkled with powdered sugar or with syrup.
ELAINE THOMAS’
ROY’S PINEAPPLE DRESSING
1 15-ounce can crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup margarine
6 slices bread, cubed
Cream the margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, stirring. Fold in the pineapple and bread. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Cinnamon may be sprinkled on top, too.
