Here’s What’s Cooking

This week’s recipes come from “A Taste of Pleasant Hill” prepared by the Pleasant Hill Local Homecoming Group, Linden, Texas, in 2014.The Pleasant Hill Baptist Church was organized in 1843.The Pleasant Hill School was organized in 1925 and continued to operate through 1964. It was laced on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 and recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark in 2010.

2 tbsp. pimento

1/2 lb. cheese, grated

1/4 tsp. salt

Celery pieces

2 tsp. green olives, finely chopped

2 tsp. dill pickles, finely chopped

Combine pimiento, cheese, salt, olives, and pickles. Put stuffing into celery and chill for 30 minutes before serving.

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (room temperature)

2 cups caramel dip

5 Heath candy bars, crushed and divided

1 bag of apples

Mix cream cheese and caramel dip in a bowl. Add 1/2 of the crushed candy. Mix well. Top with remaining candy. Slice apples and dip.

2 lbs. Owens regular ground sausage

2 cups Bisquick mix

2 cups grated cheese

1 bunch green onion, chopped

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into small balls. Place on a cookie sheet without the balls touching. Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.

1 cup low sodium Spam, chopped

1/2 cup flour

2-1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin

1/4 cup chopped carrots

1/4 cup water chestnuts. chopped

1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning

Black pepper to taste

Hot oil for frying

Mix flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs in a bowl. Add Spam and all other ingredients (except oil) until well blended Drop teaspoonful of Spam batter in hot oil and fry until golden brown. Serve hot with sweet and sour sauce.

1 head cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup water

Seasonings to taste

2 Tbsp. oil

Pinch of sugar

Warm oil in skillet. Add shredded cabbage. On medium-low heat, add water and seasonings. over and simmer for 20 minutes or until desired tenderness.

4 cups okra

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1egg, well beaten

1 cup shortening

Wash okra well; drain. Cut off tips and stems and slice into 1/2-inch rounds. Combine flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper, mixing well. Stir egg into okra. Dredge in flour mixture. Heat shortening in large skillet until hot. Add okra, frying until brown and crisp. Drain well. Yield: 6 servings.

1 qt, purple hull peas

1/4 lb. salt pork

Water to cover peas

Put salt pork in a pot with just enough water to cover meat; cook until done. Add peas (fresh, frozen, or canned). Cook until done. Add more water if needed while cooking.

Note: Peas are done when they are tender enough to mash with a fork. If you use canned peas, cook meat until well done before adding peas.

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter, cut into 1/8 inch piece

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients, except butter and vanilla, in crockpot (slow cooker). Mix well. Cover; cook on LOW for 7 hours. Add butter and vanilla; gently stir to blend.

SWEET POTATO NUGGETS

1 (46 oz.) can sweet potatoes, drained

1 tsp, salt

1/4 cup pecans

1 egg

1 small can pineapple chunks, drained

2 cups corn flakes, crushed

Juice from pineapple

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

Mash potatoes; blend in salt, pecans, and beaten egg. Form balls around pineapple chunks. Roll in corn flakes. Place potato balls in shallow pan. Combine pineapple juice with butter and sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over potato balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

2 lbs. red potatoes

3 tbsp. butter

Salt to taste

1 tbsp. parsley flakes

Boil potatoes until tender. Remove potatoes into a serving dish. Cover; dot with the butter. Sprinkle walt to taste. Top with parsley.

2 cans crescent rolls

3 cups cooked chicken, seasoned and shredded

4 cups chicken broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

Separate crescent rolls. add chicken to roll. Roll and place in ungreased baking dish 1/2 to 1-inch apart. Mix broth and soups together well. Oour over rolls. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 to 20 minutes. You can use whatever soups you like best. I also sometimes make it with flakey biscuits.

1 frying chicken

1 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

Black pepper to taste

1/4 cup canola oil

2 cups water

1 onion, chopped

1 can cream of chicken soup

Cut chicken into serving sized pieces. Put flour, salt, and pepper into a large paper bag and shake. Drop chicken into bag and shake well until well coated with flour. Heat canola oil in heavy skillet.

Add chicken and brown quickly on all sides. Drain fat. Remove from heat. In a bowl, mix all remaining ingredients. Add to skillet with chicken. Cover with a tight -fitting lid or foil. Bake in oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

3 sticks margarine

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 cups powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 large can crushed pineapple, drained

4 or 5 large bananas

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1 large jar maraschino cherries

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 large carton Cool Whip

Mix 1 stick margarine and graham cracker crumbs in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Cover with sliced bananas. Mix cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, eggs and powdered sugar until smooth. Pour over bananas. Top with pineapple, then Cool Whip, followed by cherries and pecans. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.