Recipe for Mrs. Dawson’s Sweet and Sour Pork was obtained during WWII

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Mrs. Dawson submits an authentic Chinese recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork to Charleston Receipts, which book we have for some wonderful recipes. We also have the recipe for Sweet and Sour Sauce to go with the pork. Note from Mrs. Dawson says, “During World War II, my husband, Colonel Louis Y. Dawson, Jr., was stationed in China. He had the pleasure of attending a dinner given by Madame Kung (one of the Soong sisters). He enjoyed so much the “Sweet and Sour Pork,” that was served, that he asked a friend, General Ho Shi Li, to obtain the receipt for him.”
Baked Chicken Breasts is an oven dish you will love. It comes from Margaret Reynolds in First Presbyterian Church of Apopka’s Treasures and Pleasures. It calls for sugar, which you may be able to omit if you don’t use sugar.
Fresh corn is in season, and Creamy Fried Confetti Corn, compliments of Southern Living’s All-Time Favorites, is delicious.
Another delightful recipe from Southern Living’s All-Time Favorites is Crispy “Fried” Onion Rings. They are fried for only a minute or so, then finished in the HOT oven. Does anyone NOT love onion rings?
Verlina’s Calamondin Pie recipe came from one of our readers a couple of years ago. Our contributor, Verlina Keener said, “This is in response to your encouraging Apopkans to send in their traditional family recipes.” She adds, “The Calamondin is a small citrus fruit that is a cross between a lime and mandarin orange. It is grown in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. They were imported from China and have been grown throughout Florida since the early 1900s. Growing season is in the early spring and summer months. I get mine from my father’s tree or the Asian supermarket (Dong Ah Supermarket on Mills Avenue). I am part Filipino and make this traditional pie for my family.”
George LaPierre’s Party Beefy Cheese Dip comes to us from New Vision Community Church’s Feeding the Flock. It looks simple and quick. George says to serve it with Tostitos corn chips. Ummmm, good!

MRS. LOUIS Y. DAWSON, JR.’S (VIRGINIA WALKER)
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
Recipe from Charleston Receipts, America’s Oldest Junior League Cookbook in Print,
a Cookbook by The Junior League
of Charleston, Inc.
1 pound lean pork
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Seanium oil (vegetable oil)
Pea flour (plain flour will do)
Peanut oil (vegetable oil)
Carrots, 1 cup finely chopped
1/2 cup of diced green bell peppers
Cut one pound of lean pork into pieces about 1/4-inch thick, 1-inch long and 1/2-inch wide. Add salt and pepper to taste, soy sauce. Fry the pieces of pork in seanium oil. When well done, roll the pork in pea flour and broil for five minutes in boiling peanut oil. Remove the pork and broil the carrots and bell peppers for one minute in the boiling peanut oil. Mix the pork, carrots and bell peppers and serve with the hot Sweet and Sour Sauce, below. Serves 6.

MRS. LOUIS Y. DAWSON, JR’s (VIRGINIA WALKER)
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
Recipe from Charleston Receipts, America’s Oldest Junior League Cookbook in Print,
a Cookbook by The Junior League
of Charleston, Inc.
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon catsup
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
This sauce is made to go with the dish, Sweet and Sour Pork, above.

MARGARET REYNOLDS’
BAKED CHICKEN BREASTS
Recipe from 1990 Presbyterian Women First Presbyterian Church
of Apopka
Treasures and Pleasures
4 whole chicken breasts
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon savory
1 teaspoon basil
1 (10-1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
Slivered almonds
Bone chicken breasts and cut in half. Allow one or two halves per person. Dip breasts in slightly cooled melted butter. Roll in flour mixed with other seasonings.
Dip in melted butter again. Tuck ends of breasts under and place skin side up in baking dish. Pour chicken broth about two-thirds way up in baking dish. Bake for about three hours at 250 degrees to 275 degrees. Sprinkle with almonds during last hour of baking. Serves four to five.

CREAMY FRIED CONFETTI CORN
Recipe from Southern Living
All-Time Favorites
8 bacon slices, chopped
4 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (about 8 ears)
1 medium-size white onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Set bacon aside.
Saute corn, onion, and bell peppers in hot drippings in skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until tender. Add cream cheese and half-and-half, stirring until cream cheese melts. Stir in sugar, salt, and pepper. Top with bacon.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

CRISPY “FRIED” ONION RINGS
Recipe from Southern Living
All-Time Favorites
1 large sweet onion
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 egg white
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Cut onion into 1/4-inch thick slices, and separate into rings. Select largest 12 rings, reserving remaining onion slices for another use.
Whisk together buttermilk and egg white in a small bowl until blended.
Dredge onion rings in flour; dip into buttermilk mixture, coating well. Dredge again in flour, and place on a baking sheet.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a 10-inch skilled over medium-high heat. Tilt pan to coat bottom of skillet. Add 4 onion rings to skillet, and cook 1 minute on each side or until golden. Wipe skillet clean. Repeat procedure twice with remaining onion rings and oil. Place fried onion rings on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 400 degrees for 3 minutes. Turn onion rings, and bake 3 more minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately.
BEER-BATTERED “FRIED” ONION RINGS:
Prepare as directed through the first step. Reduce buttermilk to 1/4 cup, and whisk together with 1/4 cup light beer and 1 egg white. Proceed with the rest of the directions as directed.
Makes 3 servings.

VERLINA’S CALAMONDIN PIE
Recipe from Reader of
The Apopka Chief and The Planter
5 egg yolks, beaten
1 can of condensed milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed Calamondin juice
1 pre-made graham cracker crust
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix first three ingredients together. Pour into graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until chilled.

GEORGE LAPIERRE’S
PARTY BEEFY CHEESE DIP
Recipe from New Vision Community Church’s Feeding the Flock
1 pound ground beef
1 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into small chunks
1 package taco seasoning mix
1/3 cup water
1 15-ounce can Hormel chili with beans (regular or hot)
Brown ground beef with taco seasoning and water until water has evaporated. Drain grease. In 2-quart microwavable dish, mix meat with cheese and beans; microwave on medium high for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir and serve with Tostitos corn chips.