Here is a real baked beans recipe for you. It doesn’t say what kind of beans, but traditionally you would use dried Navy beans that you soak all night before you cook them. This recipe is a large one that you can divide by 2 if you like. It comes from The Progressive Farmer’s SOUTHERN Cookbook. Don’t tell Progressive Farmer, but I replace the salt pork with bacon, because I LOVE bacon, which I fry up in my cast iron skillet and then brown the onion in the bacon drippings. And, of course, I use Navy beans. Make sure you don’t let your masterpiece get dry; nothing worse than dried-out baked beans! Check on it once in a while, especially toward the mid-point to near the end.
We have a book of recipes loaned to us by our friend, Dale Smith. The book is described on the cover as Generations of Family Cooking, and it is titled The Spice of Veith. One of the recipes I will use from this lovely publication is Jambalaya by Dianne Veeser.
We have a recipe book called Pot-Pourri of Zellwood, Recipes & Reflections 1983, published by The Zellwood Community Center. We thank Claire Ellington because she loaned us this publication which is full of lovely recipes. Try Loraine Wright’s Salmagundi Bake.
Southern Living’s online site has a simple recipe for Basic Deviled Eggs. They say, “There is no occasion that cannot be improved upon by a deviled egg! If you’re looking for a classic, no frills recipe for deviled eggs, this is it.” They add this tip for peeling hard-boiled eggs: drain the saucepan after cooking, and immediately fill it with ice cold water and ice. Lightly crack each egg and place them back in the cold water for 10 minutes, then remove and discard shells under cold running water. The shells almost always come off more easily.
Eunice Griggs’ Three-Layer Congealed Salad is a fruit and Jell-O concoction you can serve for a dessert. This attractive treat is found in Plains Pot Pourri.
How about some cold Cider Punch? This recipe comes from The Original Country Cookbook, a dandy little paperback cookbook published in 1976 by Paragon Products, Inc., in Pompano Beach.
Also from The Original Country Cookbook, we have Molasses Popcorn Balls. This will be a sweet treat for everyone, little ones and big ones, too!
BAKED BEANS (for 25 people)
The Progressive Farmer’s
SOUTHERN Cookbook
4 cups beans, dried, uncooked
1 pound salt pork
2 large onions, sliced
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Soak beans overnight in cold water. In the morning, drain, cover with fresh water, and simmer gently until beans are ready to burst their skins. Drain. Bury pork in beans, leaving the rind exposed. Add onions. Mix molasses, salt, pepper, and dry mustard together in a cup and fill with boiling water. Pour this over the beans, then add enough more boiling water to cover beans. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours. Keep pan covered until last hour of baking.
DIANNE VEESER’S JAMBALAYA
The Spice of Veith
1/2 pound hot sausage,
cut in pieces
1/2 pound smoked sausage,
cut in pieces
4 chicken thighs
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups uncooked long grain rice
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1 pound shrimp, peeled and
deveined (optional)
4 cups hot stock (from boiling chicken thighs)
Cook chicken thighs in 4 cups of salted water. Remove thighs when done and save stock. Remove meat from bones, cut into bite-size pieces and set aside. Place sausages and onions in heavy 3-quart saucepan (preferably cast iron). Cover and cook over medium heat until onions are soft. No need to add oil as the meat will provide enough fat for cooking. Add rice and stir well. Add all other ingredients except shrimp. Bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. Lower heat, add shrimp. Cover pot tightly and let cook slowly for 35 minutes or until rice is tender. With a fork, fluff rice up, mixing meats well. Makes 6-8 servings.
LORAINE WRIGHT’S
SALMAGUNDI BAKE
Recipe from
POT-POURRI OF ZELLWOOD
3/4 cups uncooked long grain rice
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 cup hot water
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 lb ground beef, raw
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12 oz) can (1-1/2 cups)
whole kernel corn, drained
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
4 slices bacon
In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place layer of uncooked rice. Sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and dash of pepper. Pour 1 can tomato sauce and the hot water over. Add a layer of onion and green peppers, then a layer of ground beef. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Top with layer of corn. Add chili powder to remaining can of tomato sauce and pour over corn. Top with bacon slices. Cover and bake in 375-degree oven for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until rice is done. Garnish with tomato slices, topped with green pepper rings and crisp bacon curls.
SOUTHERN LIVING’S
BASIC DEVILED EGGS
Recipe from SouthernLiving.com
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
(Duke’s if you can find it)
1-1/2 Tablespoons sweet
pickle relish
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
Paprika for garnish on top
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; add water to depth of 3 inches. Bring to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Immediately drain and fill saucepan with cold water and ice. Firmly tap each egg on the counter until cracks form all over the shell. Peel under cold running water. Cut eggs in half lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks. Mash yolks with mayonnaise. Add mustard, relish, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Spoon egg yolk mixture into egg whites. Garnish with paprika, if desired. Six servings.
EUNICE GRIGGS’ THREE-LAYER CONGEALED SALAD
Recipe from Food Favorites of Plains, Georgia
1 package family size Jell-O,
strawberry and banana flavor
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained
1 box Dream Whip whipped topping
1 8-ounce pkg cream cheese
Follow directions for Jell-O. Chill Jell-O gelatin until thickened. Add pineapple. Whip one large box of Dream Whip following directions on box. Whip one 8-ounce package cream cheese and blend into Dream Whip. Spread on top of Jell-O, top with sauce made of:
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup nuts
Cook sauce until thick. When sauce is cool, spread on Dream Whip and cream cheese topping. When set, sprinkle one cup nuts on top.
CIDER PUNCH
Recipe from Paragon Products, Inc., The Original Country Cookbook
2-1/2 cups cider
1 cup orange juice
2-1/2 cups ginger ale
1/4 cup lemon juice
Sugar to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a pan with the exception of the sugar and ginger ale. Sweeten to taste and then chill. When ready to use, add ginger ale and serve very cold. Makes about 9 servings.
MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS
Recipe from Paragon Products, Inc., The Original Country Cookbook
3 quarts popped corn
(3/4 cup unpopped)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cupmolasses
1/4 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Pop the corn. Place all of the ingredients, except vanilla, in a saucepan and cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring until syrup forms a brittle ball in cold water (270 degrees). Add vanilla and stir only enough to mix in through hot syrup. Put popped corn in a large bowl. Pour cooked syrup slowly over popped corn, mix well. Wet hands slightly and shape corn into balls.
