From Paths of Sunshine Cookbook, we found Jail-House Chili. This way, you won’t have to experience that much-avoided experience to enjoy the so-named chili! I wonder if the jail-house can even afford ground beef today. It’s becoming almost a luxury item! They warn you in the directions, “This is fairly hot chili, above average.” So, keep in mind… you can always add more seasoning, but you can’t take it out once it’s in there! 

We have a wonderful cookbook given to us by Claire Ellington called Pot-Pourri of Zellwood, Recipes & Reflections, 1983. In the back, under no particular category, we find a recipe for Tomato Gravy. You often hear Southern ladies talking about serving tomato gravy. This is described as “a traditional North Florida Panhandle recipe.” I believe it is likely more of a “Southern” recipe, because my sister in South Carolina serves tomato gravy. Everyone ladles it over their rice at supper time. 

From Charleston Receipts, first published in 1950, we found Best Beets from Mrs. Henry P. Staats (Juliette Wiles). Beets are delicious if you take the time to cook them and season them with orange or lemon and a little butter and honey. 

From Leah Perez at the Pioneer Woman website, we have asparagus salad. You can get asparagus just about any time of year in today’s supermarkets. It is packed with vitamins A, C, E, K, and folate, plus dietary fiber to help digestion. This salad recipe has got a little bit of everything: crisp-tender asparagus, smoky bacon, toasted walnuts, peppery radishes, and plenty of shaved parmesan, all tossed with fresh herbs and a bright, lemony vinaigrette. The combination is refreshing, savory, crunchy, and just rich enough to feel satisfying without being heavy. Because asparagus can be woody and tough at the bottoms, trimming them is essential. The easiest method is to gather the asparagus into a small bunch and slice off an inch or two from the bottoms with a sharp knife. Asparagus salad holds up very well in the fridge, making it a great option for entertaining or meal prep. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Wait to add the walnuts and bacon until just before serving.  

Florida Orange Meringue Pie is a recipe that Byron McCoy shared with Pot-Pourri of Zellwood. You will notice and possibly wonder about the direction, “Add a little hot mixture to beaten egg yolks.” This is meant to “temper” the eggs; to gradually moderate the temperature so the eggs don’t actually cook when exposed to a large amount of extremely hot mixture. 

JAIL-HOUSE CHILI 
Recipe from Paths of Sunshine Cookbook 

INGREDIENTS: 
1/4 cup olive oil 
3 pounds lean beef, diced 
1 quart water 
8 chili pods (or 6 tablespoons chili powder) 
3 teaspoons salt 
10 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1 teaspoon cumin 
1 teaspoon oregano 
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1 tablespoon sugar 
3 tablespoons paprika (for color) 
3 tablespoons flour 
6 tablespoons cornmeal 
1 cup water 

DIRECTIONS: 
In a 6-quart pot heat the oil and add the meat to sear over high heat, stirring constantly, until the meat is grey – not brown. Add water, cover, and cook at a bubbling simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Add all the other ingredients except the thickening (flour and cornmeal). Cook at simmer for another 30 minutes. If much fat was left on the meat, it will rise to the top after the spices have been added. Skim the fat before thickening. Mix flour and cornmeal with 1 cup water; add to chili mixture, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Cook five minutes more to determine if more water is necessary to reach desired consistency. This is fairly hot chili, above average. Serves six. 

TOMATO GRAVY 
“A Traditional North Florida Panhandle recipe.” 
Recipe from F. E. “Red” Turner 

INGREDIENTS: 
1/2 pound bacon 
1/3 cup chopped onion 
1 can stewed or canned tomatoes 
Salt and pepper to taste 
All-purpose flour 
Water, as needed 

DIRECTIONS: 
Fry 1/2-pound bacon until crisp. Set aside. Drain off all except about 3 tablespoons of fat. Saute 1/3 cup chopped onion in fat until opaque. Add 1 canstewed or canned tomatoes at once and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Flour may be added for thickening if desired. Water may be added if necessary. Crumble crisp bacon into mixture just before serving. Serve over grits to accompany fried fish and hushpuppies. 

MRS. HENRY P. STAATS’ BEST BEETS 
Recipe from Charleston Receipts  

INGREDIENTS: 
2 cups beets 
3/4 tablespoon flour 
1/2 cup sugar 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 
2 tablespoons butter 

DIRECTIONS: 
1) Cook whole beets until tender. If baby beets, leave whole, otherwise slice. 2) Then cover beets with the following sauce: Mix flour with sugar and salt. Pour on vinegar and stir until dissolved. 3) Let come to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 5 minutes and add butter. 4) Pour sauce over beets and serve hot. Serves 4. 

ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH BACON AND WALNUTS 
From thePioneerWoman.com  

INGREDIENTS: 
1/2 cup walnuts 
2 slices bacon 
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and spears cut into thirds on the diagonal 
1/2 bunch radishes, cut into 1/4-inch half-moon slices  
1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped tender herbs (parsley, chives, basil, dill, mint, or a combination), plus more for serving 
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
3 tablespoons olive oil 
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
1 teaspoon honey 
Zest and juice of 1 lemon 
1 shallot, finely chopped 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

DIRECTIONS: 
1) In a medium skillet, toast the walnuts over medium heat, stirring frequently so they don’t burn, until they are toasted and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove to a cutting board, let cool, then coarsely chop. 2) Wipe out the skillet and add the bacon. Cook over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until brown and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to cool; crumble. 3) Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the asparagus to the basket and steam until tender, 3 to 4 minutes; immediately transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking. Pat the asparagus dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. 4) In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, radishes, parmesan, herbs, and walnuts. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. 5) In a small mason jar, combine the oil, mustard, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, shallot, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to combine. Drizzle over the asparagus mixture and toss to coat. 6) Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the bacon and more parmesan and herbs. 

BYRON MCCOY’S FLORIDA ORANGE MERINGUE PIE 
Recipe from Pot-Pourri of Zellwood 

INGREDIENTS: 
1 cup orange juice 
1 cup orange sections, cut into pieces 
2 tablespoons grated orange rind 
1 cup sugar 
5 tablespoons cornstarch 
3 egg yolks, beaten 
2 tablespoons lemon juice 
2 tablespoons butter or margarine 
Meringue from the egg whites 

DIRECTIONS: 
Combine orange juice, sections, grated rind, sugar and cornstarch. Cook on low heat until clear. Add a little hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks just gradually to temper them, stirring constantly, and finally stirring all the egg mixture into the hot mixture. (You just don’t want a clump of scrambled eggs in the middle of your pie!) Cook about five minutes longer. Remove from heat. Blend in lemon juice, butter or margarine. Pour into BAKED pie shell. (Be sure filling and shell are both hot or both cold.) Cover filling with meringue. Bake in 350-degree oven until lightly browned.