Now we can have oysters again! Make sure you get your fresh oysters in a month with an “R” in the month’s name. If you can find freshly-shucked oysters, they are the best. If not, look for shucked oysters packed in water in your grocery store’s seafood section. You can actually freeze oysters and they’ll keep for about six weeks. Be careful not to let the milk scorch on the bottom of the pan or even get to the boiling point, and do not overcook the oysters. You can cook your oyster stew in a double boiler if you have the patience.
We have a Treasures and Pleasures recipe titled Charlett Spencer’s Italian Meat Squares, that sounds very good, maybe a little like pizza without the crust.
Fresh Black-Eyed Peas as published in The Progressive Farmer’s SOUTHERN Cookbook, is a simple and wonderful peas recipe. Simply serve over rice.
From the Apopka Historical Society, we have Morning Mix-Up Potatoes. It uses eggs, frozen hashbrowns, ham, cheese. It looks delicious.
From Field to Feast, we have Zellwood Sweet Corn Chowder. Long & Scott Farms in Zellwood, begun in 1963 by Billy Long and Frank Scott, childhood friends from Virginia, is the location of Scott’s Country Market. “You can see the stuff growing as you drive up,” says Hank Scott, Frank’s son, who is a third generation farmer. Hank manages the farm, the lone holdout from the lucrative north Orange County vegetable farm days. This is their recipe for the most delicious corn chowder you ever put in your mouth.
Nancy Thomas shares her Potato Salad recipe. It has been in Kapers in the past but is good enough for a repeat performance.
Rice Krispie Crunchies is a lovely goodies recipe from Dawn Tice which she shared with the Apopka Citizen Police Alumni Association in their Sharing Our Finest Cookbook.
OYSTER STEW
Recipe from Savannah Style,
a Cookbook by The Junior League of Savannah, Inc.
1/2 cup water
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 pint stewing size oysters
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 pint Half-and-Half
Pour 1/2 cup water into medium size saucepan. Add onions and celery and boil until slightly tender. Add oysters and cook until oysters curl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat and add butter. Pour in 1 pint of Half-and-Half.
CHARLETT SPENCER’S
ITALIAN MEAT SQUARES
Recipe from 1990 Presbyterian Women First Presbyterian Church of Apopka
Treasures and Pleasures
1 28-ounce can tomatoes
2 pounds ground beef (chuck)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Drain tomatoes, set aside. Mix beef, green pepper, onion, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, egg, and 1/3 cup water thoroughly. Press gently in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Drain excess fat. Mash tomatoes slightly and mix with Mozzarella cheese. Spoon mixture over meat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over all. Bake 25 minutes longer. Serves 8.
FRESH BLACK-EYE PEAS
The Progressive Farmer’s
SOUTHERN Cookbook
Boiling water as needed to cover peas
1/2 pound smoked meat
1 quart shelled, washed black-eye peas
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cover a half-pound thin-sliced smoked meat with boiling water, cover tightly and boil 15 minutes. Add 1 quart shelled, washed black-eye peas, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Add more boiling water to cover. Cover tightly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 1-1/2 hours or until peas are tender and just slightly green tinted. Add seasonings to taste. Yield 10 to 12 servings.
MORNING MIX-UP POTATOES
Recipe from
Apopka Historical Society’s
Preserving the Big Potato –
A Collection of Potato Recipes
2 cups frozen hashbrowns
1 cup chopped fully cooked ham
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons cooking oil
6 eggs (Eggbeaters can be used)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar ` cheese
Minced fresh chives
In a large skillet, sauté potatoes, ham and onion in oil for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a small bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper. Add to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally until eggs are set. Remove from heat and gently stir in cheese. Spoon onto serving platter. Sprinkle with chives. 4-5 servings.
LONG & SCOTT FARMS’ ZELLWOOD SWEET CORN CHOWDER
Recipe from Field to Feast
4 slices bacon, finely diced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cups sweet corn kernels cut from cob, cobs reserved
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup medium-diced russet potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp. Add onion, peppers, and corn, stirring for 2 minutes. Add flour, stirring 1 minute.
2. Add stock and stir until smooth. Bring to a boil and add potatoes and corncobs. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes, or until soup reaches desired consistency.
3. Add cream and simmer 2 minutes. Season with parsley, salt, and pepper. Remove corncobs before serving.
NANCY THOMAS’ POTATO SALAD
Recipe from Reader of
The Apopka Chief and The Planter newspapers
Five pounds red potatoes, boiled in skins till tender
Five or six eggs, hard-boiled
Celery, about two ribs
Multicolored sweet peppers, six small
Sweet onion, 1/4 large (not too much)
Dill pickle, large, or dill relish
Salt and pepper to taste
Dressing:
Mayonnaise, 1 cup
or amount to your taste)
1 teaspoon spicy prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon dill weed (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
Pickle juice, to taste
Paprika, hold aside for garnish
Cook, drain and cool potatoes and eggs. Put ice on hot eggs to help with peeling. Peel the skins from cooled potatoes and set aside. Cube potatoes 3/4-inch or thereabout into big bowl. Salt and pepper potatoes and fold together. Setting aside two eggs for garnish, peel and chop the cooled eggs; salt and pepper to taste. Dice celery. Setting aside a couple of the peppers to slice for a colorful garnish, slice and dice multi-colored sweet peppers and onion. Fold together the seasoned potatoes and eggs with the diced celery, peppers, onion, and pickle.
Mix dressing in separate bowl: mayonnaise, spicy mustard, dill pickle juice, dill weed, dry mustard, and celery seed. Pour the dressing over the potato salad. Fold together. You want it nice and creamy. Add more pickle juice if you want. Now the important part: Taste it. See what else is needed. Sprinkle more salt and pepper and add more pickle juice and mayo if you think it is called for.
Place the garnishes on top of the salad: Pepper rings and chopped eggs. Sprinkle beautiful red paprika on top. Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld for a few hours. Serve cold.
DAWN TICE’S
RICE KRISPIE CRUNCHIES
Recipe from Apopka Citizen Police Alumni Association,
Sharing Our Finest Cookbook
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, melted
1 egg
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup coconut
Mix sugar, flour, soda, salt, butter, egg and cereal. Blend well. Add chocolate chips and coconut. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
