Emily Meggett’s Okra Soup calls for an optional half-pound of small shrimp, and she serves it  over white rice. This recipe calls for Nature’s Seasons, which is a Morton’s blend of onion, garlic, salt, pepper and other spices. It is MSG-free, and it is Kosher. She adds a little sugar which is supposed to balance the acidity and enhance flavor. (I don’t do it! Shame on me. And I use chunks of beef instead of shrimp.) Although it is called “soup,” it is not “soup” in the traditional sense of the word. When you serve it over rice, it is more like a stew. From the picture in the book, it looks rich and full of vegetables and shrimp. It looks wonderful, and I want some!

            Susie Sams’ Mexican Black Bean Salad, is one of the recipes we have from a Taste of Heaven, from our friends over at First Presbyterian Church of Punta Gorda.

            Easy Bread is a recipe that Bonnie Milliken shares in Northside Baptist Church’s cookbook. It calls for any beverage on which you care to base your bread.

            From New Vision’s Feeding the Flock, there is cabbage slaw with crunchy Ramen noodles and browned sesame seeds and almonds, topped with a whip-up yourself dressing. We can thank Pat Jania for this delicious slaw. This reminds me a little of the cole slaw my daddy made: he crushed peanuts and added them into the cole slaw. That was so good!

            Fresh Garden Relish from the Progressive Farmer’s SOUTHERN Cookbook is superb over turnip greens and blackeyed peas. I can see it on my table for any occasion because it is made from wonderfully fresh vegetables.

            Shirley Keck, the wonderful wife of our fishing expert, Jim Keck, who writes the weekly article, Goin’ Fishin’, treats us to her Dump Cake. This is very simple, and it is delicious, too! We know because she brought this dessert to one of our celebrations here at The Apopka Chief. (And we held her cake-taker hostage until she promised us the recipe! It follows below. Ha ha ha!)

EMILY MEGGETT’S OKRA SOUP

Recipe from Gullah Geechee Home Cooking by Emily Meggett

1/4 pound salt pork, cut into about ten one-inch long chunks

4 pounds okra, cut into 1/2-inch long pieces…

Or … 2-1/2 pounds frozen cut okra

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

4 cups tepid water

1 tablespoon Nature’s Seasons, plus more to taste

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

Seasoning salt, to taste

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, if using shrimp

Saltine crackers, to serve

Cooked long-grain white rice, to serve

1) In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, fry 2 or 3 pieces of salt pork. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until browned and crisp. 2) In the same pot, add the remaining salt pork, the okra, onion, and bell pepper and sauté over medium heat in the salt pork for 12 to 15 minutes. 3) Add the water and Nature’s Seasons and let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture cook slowly for 1-1/2 hours. 4) After 1-1/2 hours, add the tomato paste, seasoning salt, and sugar and turn down the heat to low. Rinse out the tomato paste can and add 1 canful of water to the pot. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. (If you don’t turn the heat to a low temperature and give it time to slowly simmer, it will burn.) 5) If you want to add shrimp, saute the desired amount in the butter in a separate skillet until pink and add it to the okra soup just before serving; don’t overcook the shrimp. 6) Serve over rice.

SUSIE SAMS’ MEXICAN BLACK BEAN SALAD

Recipe from A Taste of Heaven

First Presbyterian Church, Punta Gorda

1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

1 large head green leaf lettuce, torn (about 10 cups)

2 cups (8-ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chopped purple onion

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained

2 large tomatoes, chopped

Corn chips, crushed

            Combine sour cream, cilantro, and taco seasoning in a large bowl, stirring well. Add lettuce, then cheese, onion, black beans, and chopped tomatoes. Toss well. Sprinkle with crushed corn chips and serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

BONNIE MILLIKEN’S EASY BREAD

Recipe from Northside Baptist Church’s cookbook

1 package yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups any beverage

3-plus cups flour

1 tablespoon honey, depending on how sweet the beverage

1 tablespoon oil

Enough oil to coat inside of bowl

            Mix all ingredients. Knead on slightly floured surface, using enough extra flour to make not sticky. Allow dough to rise in oiled bowl. Punch down. Put into greased bread baking pan. Raise until bread reaches the top of pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Yield: 1 loaf

PAT JANIA’S CABBAGE CRUNCH SLAW

Recipe from New Vision Community Church’s Feeding the Flock

Slaw:

4 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 cup slivered almonds

1 head cabbage, grated

4 green onions, sliced

2 packages chicken Ramen noodles, dry, without seasoning packets

            In pan without oil, brown sesame seeds and almonds. Be careful not to burn. Toss salad ingredients together, add browned sesame seeds and almonds.

Dressing:

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons vinegar

1 cup oil

1 package chicken flavor Ramen noodles seasoning mix

            Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Toss well. Serve.

FRESH GARDEN RELISH ON TURNIP GREENS

Recipe from The Progressive Farmer’s SOUTHERN Cookbook

3 tomatoes, diced

1 cup chopped celery

1 medium cucumber, peeled, sliced, and finely chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 medium-sized green pepper, chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons French dressing

2 tablespoons vinegar

            Mix and chill.

            Note: Birmingham serves superb food, many old as well as new recipes. Our favorite there (and we never saw it served elsewhere) is just plain turnip greens topped off by a fresh garden relish. These quantities are for six portions.

SHIRLEY KECK’S DUMP CAKE

Recipe from Reader of The Apopka Chief and The Planter newspapers

1 15-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 15-ounce can cherry pie filling

1 package yellow cake mix, plain

1 cup pecan pieces

2 sticks of butter

1 13 x 9-inch baking pan

            Pour one large can of crushed pineapple (undrained) in pan. Cover pineapple with one large can of cherry pie filling. Crumble dry cake mix over the top of pie filling evenly. Sprinkle top with pecan pieces. Pour melted butter over cake mix evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, until brown.

            This easy take-along cake is delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or just plain. Yield: 12 servings.