We have a wonderful recipe for Pasta E Fagioli from Michele Boudalis, a friend of my daughter, whom we thank for her lovely authentic recipes. This one is a traditional Italian soup whose main ingredients are pasta and beans.
A Chicken Pot Pie recipe that can very easily be adapted for some of that leftover turkey you are going to have very soon comes from Lillian Cleghorn in the Northside Baptist Church cookbook. It looks delightful.
Creamed Green Beans from Savannah Style is very good and will work out well for our readers planning their annual Thanksgiving feast. This dish is always great for special occasions or simply suppers for your loved ones.
From our friends down at First Presbyterian Church of Punta Gorda, we have Joan Hoffman’s Crab Quiche. This is one of those dishes that‘s good any time, brunch or supper.
Nancy Baum makes mouth-watering buttermilk biscuits and shares them with us. We found this recipe in Feeding the Flock.
Thanks to Val Smith for her Super Salad. This comes from Northside Baptist Church’s recipe book.
Sis Pitman’s bourbon pecan pound cake is a winner! One of my own personal favorites, Treasures and Pleasures cookbook published by the ladies of First Presbyterian Church of Apopka, shares this recipe.
MICHELE BOUDALIS’
PASTA E FAGIOLI
Recipe from Reader of The Apopka Chief and The Planter newspapers
2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups diced celery
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
2 cups canned red kidney beans
2 cups canned white kidney beans (or any other white bean)
96 ounces (or 3 quarts) beef broth (3 boxes)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons Tabasco
or hot sauce
48 oz marinara sauce
8 oz Ditalini pasta (or shell pasta)
1 tablespoon plus 2 tsp parsley
1. Sauté the beef in oil in 10-quart or larger pot until the beef starts to brown. 2. Add the onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes.  Simmer for about 10 minutes. 3. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot along with the beef broth, oregano, pepper, tabasco sauce, marinara and pasta. 4. Add the chopped parsley. 5. Simmer until the celery and carrots are tender. 6. Takes about an hour.
LILLIAN CLEGHORN’S
CHICKEN POT PIE
Recipe from Northside Baptist Church cookbook
1 chicken, cooked and cubed. Discard skin and bones.
1 can cream of chicken soup
3 cups chicken broth
1 small jar of diced pimiento
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup tiny frozen peas (cook together with carrots)
1 6-ounce can mushrooms
Combine all the ingredients, bring to a boil and place in 9 x 13 baking dish.
CRUST:
3/4 cup melted margarine
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, until crust rises and browns.
CREAMED GREEN BEANS
Recipe from Savannah Style, a Cookbook by The Junior League of Savannah, Inc.
1/2 cup onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon parsley, minced.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
1 cup sour cream
5 cups green beans, cooked and drained (should be French-sliced)
1/2 cup mushrooms, sautéed
1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cook onion and parsley in butter until tender, but not brown. Add flour, salt, pepper and lemon peel. Add sour cream and mix well. Stir in beans and mushrooms. Place in a 7 x 11-inch casserole. Top with grated cheese. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter and sprinkle on top of green beans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
JOAN HOFFMAN’S CRAB QUICHE
Recipe from First Presbyterian Church of Punta Gorda,
A Taste of Heaven
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
One 8 oz. cup (or more) crabmeat
One 8 oz. package Swiss cheese,
diced
1/3 cup sliced green onion
1 9-inch pie crust
Mix mayo, flour, eggs and milk until blended. Stir in crabmeat, cheese and onions. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Serves six to eight.
NANCY BAUM’S
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
Recipe from New Vision Community Church, Plymouth, Florida
Feeding the Flock
3 cups self-rising flour (King Arthur’s is best)
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1/2 cup cold butter or vegetable shortening
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk
Place flour (and sugar, if desired) in medium bowl. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes and toss pieces into flour. Cut butter into flour until the size of small peas. Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and toss with fork until liquid is absorbed. For more moist biscuits, add remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk.
Place dough on floured work surface. Fold over three or four times and pat into a 1-inch thick circle, square or rectangle. Cut 1-1/2 to 3-inch round or square biscuits. Place on ungreased baking sheet and brush tops with melted butter or buttermilk for shiny crust.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown. Yield: 6 large or 12 small.
Note: Dough can be made day before, refrigerated, then shaped and baked.
VAL SMITH’S SUPER SALAD
Recipe from Northside Baptist Church’s cookbook
Spring mix salad greens (Costco) to fill bowl
4 tomatoes, Roma preferred, cut into pieces
6 marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed and cut into pieces
4 large hearts of palm sliced about 1/2-inch thick
1 Haas avocado peeled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup each of red and green sweet peppers, chopped 1/4-inch
1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
Green and black olives, coarsely chopped
DRESSING:
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Oregano
Rosemary
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Put all dressing ingredients in shaker or jar and shake to combine. Pour over salad and toss to coat greens.
SIS PITMAN’S
BOURBON PECAN POUND CAKE
Recipe from 1990 Presbyterian Women First Presbyterian Church of Apopka,
Treasures and Pleasures cookbook
Pound cake:
1 cup solid shortening
2-1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup bourbon
1 cup finely chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. In large mixing bowl, beat shortening and sugar til light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until very smooth. Meanwhile, sift flour, baking powder, salt and nutmet. Add to sugar mixture, alternating with sour cream and bourbon, beginning and ending with flour. Beat just till well blended. Fold in pecans. Turn mixture into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool. Pour glaze over cake. Decorate with pecan halves, if desired.
Bourbon glaze for pound cake:
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon and enough water (about 2 tablespoons) to make a pourable glaze. Beat until very smooth. Pour over cake.
