This week we hop on over to the small community of Floyd, AR in White County.
Floyd was started by a man named Levi Ricker. In 1820 he received a patent for 160 acres of land for his military service in the War of 1812. Lots of stories and legends surround the house that Levi first built. That’s a whole other story though.
Early businesses in Floyd included, a horse powered Cotten gin, grist mill, market for trading and fur trading. A school was started in 1856.
From what I’ve gathered, Floyd started as a small community and remains a small close knit community. While there have always been larger towns down the road, Floyd has remained small and they like it that way❤️
This time around I’m using the cookbook, “Sharing Recipes: A Book Of Favorite Recipes Compiled By The Ladies Auxiliary of The Floyd Volunteer Fire Department Floyd, Arkansas”. I found a recipe for a pie I had never tried before and it also sounded easy. My two faves🥰
This recipe for Rocky Mountain Pie is pretty straight forward. I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfect! It reminds me of a chocolate chip cookie…in pie form🤔. Anyway, you should totally try it! I paired it with vanilla ice cream. Yessssss!
I also have a feeling I’ll be sharing more from this cookbook soon. I just got it and it’s fabulous😍😍
This week we make a trip north to Bloomington, Illinois.
After a couple of name changes, Bloomington became the county seat of McLean County in 1830. Farmers quickly arrived and the town began to thrive. Abraham Lincoln even frequented Bloomington as he was a lawyer in neighboring Springfield.
Sadly, in 1900 a fire swept thru downtown and destroyed most of the structures. Almost immediately citizens began to rebuild and Bloomington thrived yet again.
This time I chose a recipe from the cookbook, “Favorite Recipes: Park United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women Bloomington, Illinois 1975”. While flipping thru pages, Spinach Casserole caught my eye.
Couple things about this recipe: While it has a great flavor, I think it needs an egg or two. It doesn’t hold together well at all…probably because there’s nothing to hold it together😆 It doesn’t take the best photo either. It doesn’t really say what to do with the cream cheese. After cooking and draining the spinach, i cubed up the cream cheese and it melted really well. Also, I used Italian bread crumbs. It was interesting🤔
Tasty nonetheless! Kinda think it needs to be a holiday side. Reminds me of Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner🤔
This week we mosey on down to Abilene, Texas. I‘ve never been to Texas. I do believe I bought this week’s cookbook at an estate sale in Conway🤔🤔
Anywho, here are some facts about Abilene that you may not have known.
A cattle rancher by the name of Clairborne W. Merchant named Abilene, TX after Abilene, Kansas which was once a huge cattle town.
Abilene won the county seat in 1883 because the Texas and Pacific railroad had just laid track down the middle of their town.
Taco Bueno was started in Abilene in 1967 and I do believe the whole south thanks you😘😘😘
This week I chose the very tiny cookbook put out by The Vintage Tea Room that was once located in Abilene. I could not find any information about the business. I can only assume it is no longer in service.
Out of their cookbook called, “Favorite Recipes From The Vintage Tea Room”, I chose Blueberry Banana Pie to make.
Couple of things: The ingredient list for this is kinda confusing. you’ll need the following for two pies:
2 crusts 2 cups sugar 2 8oz package cream cheese 2 bananas 1 can blueberry pie filling 1 small tub cool whip
Also, it says “sugar” and I used “sugar”. I could see though that it would be better with powdered sugar. I got no complaints though. Very much a Spring or Summer pie. Enjoy!!!
This week we take a trip up north and across the river. Yep! North Little Rock, AR.
Long story short, North Little Rock was only known as “opposite Little Rock” for the longest time. After some backlash from across the river and some other back and forth, what is now the historic Argenta neighborhood merged with North Little Rock in 1903.
This week our recipe comes from the very well loved cookbook, “Our Favorite Recipes: Compiled By The United Methodist Women Gardner Memorial United Methodist Church North Little Rock Arkansas”.
In 1903 the church began by holding their first services under a brush arbor where the church now stands with Rev. N.E. Gardner officiating. By the following year, they built their first building and held services. In 1946 a fire destroyed the church but a new building was built to replace the one that was lost. Now over 60 years later, services are still being held.
After tornados ravaged our state this week, Gardner Memorial opened their doors today and invited the Amboy congregation to join them. What a wonderful feeling it is to help your neighbor. Much love and prayers for those effected or displaced by our weather. May you all find peace after the storm.
I chose to make 5 Cup Salad this time around. I’ve seen it a few times and it’s also been called 6 or 7 cup salad. You can make this really however you want. The other things I’ve seen added are: cherries, grapes, mango and nuts. Really there are so many different ways you can make it.
I also switched out sour cream for whipped cream. I’ve seen it both ways. For sure use sour cream if you don’t like things too sweet. Sooo many different combinations for this one. Enjoy!!!
I’ve been searching for a great Chicken Salad recipe for a while now. My search ended in Kaufman, TX.
Kaufman was originally named Kings Fort (1840) and then changed to Kingsboro (1845) both after the founder, Dr. William P. King. And then changed to Kaufman when Kaufman County was formed in 1852.
Kaufman owns the bragging rights for locking up Bonnie Parker of Bonnie and Clyde for the first time. Not sure how long she spent there since she was released to live her life of crime.
Back to Chicken Salad! While flipping thru “Goodness Pure And Simple: Episcopal Church Women, Our Merciful Savior Episcopal Church Kaufman, Texas”, I came across a recipe by Punkie Kinnan. I thought…curry powder?! What?! Let’s try it😆.
I’d just like to thank Punkie Kinnan for submitting this recipe. This has got to be the absolute BEST chicken salad I’ve ever had!
Delicious Chicken Salad: Let’s get in to it! Couple of things.
This makes a lot!
It calls for 5 lbs of chicken breast. Then it talks about deboning it after it is cooked. For some reason, finding bone in chicken breast is a challenge and when you do find it, it is super high. Why? I don’t know. I chose to use boneless skinless chicken breast. I used about 4 lbs and it was plenty. I also cooked it for almost an hour and a half. Why did it take so long to cook while covered in foil? Beats me. Just check it to see if it is cooked all the way thru. You don’t want to be eating raw chicken. Ew!
Also, if you cook almond slices for 15 minutes at 350° they will BURN!! Keep a watch on them or just buy already toasted almonds.
I served them on croissants. You could also use brioche buns, regular buns, crackers or just eat it with a spoon😆. Enjoy!!
This one comes from the previously shared cookbook, “Seasoned Love: Conway Christian Church Conway, South Carolina”.
I’ve actually seen variations of this recipe in other books and curiosity got the best of me😆. Zesty Porcupine Meatballs? That sounds weird…let’s do it!
Couple of things: this calls for “Zesty Tomato Soup”. I couldn’t find any so I added about two teaspoons of Italian seasoning. I’ve also added a photo of the before so you can see how much liquid it has. Fear not! It will cook down to almost a gravy. You could also serve this over some noodles. And you’re gonna need more salt!
🎵🎶Ooooooooooooklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain🎶🎵 Yep. This week we travel to Ottawa County Oklahoma. Home of Miami, but NOT Florida! Pronounced “Miam-ah”. And also home to Picher. Never heard of it? Lemme tell you a little story, friends.
Picher, Oklahoma once belonged to the Seneca-Cayuga Indian tribes. Lead and Zinc were discovered in 1913 and much of their land was bought or stolen by mining companies.
Once mining started, it expanded quickly and covered a huge area. It’s been said that the Tri State Mining district was so overly mined, a person could drive a car from Picher, Oklahoma to Joplin, MO all while being underground in the mines. That’s roughly 25 miles.
Back then, mining companies were not under many regulations. They mined and took what they wanted and put the rest in a big pile on top of the ground. ”Chat” was what was left and they made huge piles of it all over Picher. HUGE! Folks didn’t really know what to do with it. They tried to make uses out of it, but there was just too much of it. Kids played on it. It was in everyone’s back yard. Folks would come and visit just to climb a pile of it (me included). In the end, it sat around for almost 100 years, slowly poisoning everyone. Yes.
In 1994 the Centers For Disease Control began testing the people of Picher and it was discovered they all had lead in their bloodstream. 35% of all of the children what were tested had more than 10 micrograms per deciliter, which is considered to be a health concern. Among other health problems, it causes developmental delays.
Huge long story short, after many tries and fails, the government declared Picher, Oklahoma uninhabitable. The residents had to move. The whole town was closed down. And in the end, it will eventually all cave in because of the extensive undermining and become a massive sink hole.
Fun fact: there have already been multiple sink holes that have opened up and swallowed buildings in places as far away as Galena, KS. (Part of Tri State Mining District). If you’d like to have more information about this topic, Tar Creek Documentary is available on Amazon Prime for a small fee. Very interesting indeed.
Now back to cooking. I chose to use a recipe out of the cookbook, “Ottawa County Bi-Centennial Cook Book: Compiled by Extension Homemakers Of Ottawa County Oklahoma 1975”.
My own Mama made something similar to this recipe my whole life. I did do a couple of things different. I used minute rice, cooked it at 350° for 1h and 15 minutes, added 1/2 cup more milk and I put the rice mixture on the bottom so the skin would be crispy. Oh! And I added salt and pepper to the top. It didn’t say anything about doing that for some reason. AND I added mushrooms because we are mushroom people🤷🏻♀️ Enjoy!!!
Other than having the best VFW around and being home to the famous Brown’s Catfish (now closed), did y’all know that Benton used to have 13 pottery firms? Yes! Thirteen!
Apparently, kaolin (a type of richly colored clay) was found in and around the Benton area. Folks made all kinds of things out of it and sold it for a profit. In fact, at the turn of the twentieth century it was Benton’s primary industry. The most famous being Niloak Pottery.
This week’s recipe came from, “A Taste Of Heaven: A Collection Of Recipes By Northside Church Of Christ Ministries”.
Believe it or not, but I’ve never made goulash before. Our Mama made it for us, but I’ve never tackled it. This was a super easy recipe. I did have to use the suggested small can of tomato sauce and also about a half of a cup of water. Just use your judgement. Enjoy!
Here’s a midweek recipe from the previously shared cookbook, “Reflections of Beary Good Cooking: From England First Baptist Youth Group”.
If you like boxed Suddenly Salad, you’ll never make it again after trying this side. One thing with this Marinated Macaroni Salad. If you think you’ll have leftovers, put your cheese to the side and add in as you plate. That way your cheese won’t get soggy when you re-refrigerate. If you’re taking it to a pot luck, go ahead and add that cheese in. There’s not going to be any left❤️
It’s up in the air how Texarkana, TX got their name. There are several stories that claim the origin of the name. One story is that it is named from a combination of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Another is that there was a steamboat with the same name. And still another that a General named the town. It’s a mystery.
Moving along. In case you don’t know, Texarkana, TX is a twin city with Texarkana, AR. Yes. They even have twin post offices, split right down the middle on the state line. Indeed.
Texarkana’s history is hugely important. For hundreds of years, The Great Southwest Trail was the main line of travel for Indian villages of the Mississippi River. When the railroad arrived in the late 1850’s along that same trail, Texarkana quickly became a hub for the area. The population of the area has gone up and down, but one thing remains, the railroad. Still an important part of who they are as a city.
This week is sort of cheated. I was flipping thru, “Sharing Our Best: A Collection Of Recipes By Echo Hills Missionary Baptist” and I came across Magic Cookie Bars😍😍😍
My husband’s Grandma made these and they are fabulous! All of his cousins would just rave about them. The first time I had them, I asked her for the recipe. She laughed and said, “Honey, everybody thinks I came up with this myself, but it’s on the back of the Eagle Brand milk can.” What?! 😆 I loved it and she was the best❤️
Note: you can absolutely make your own Graham cracker crumbs. I was just lazy.
The Plot Twisted 