Main Dish

Cooking Without Photos – Mexicali Rice

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Our next stop is in Perryville, Arkansas. Home of the Mustangs. Where folks bleed maroon and gray. And if you’re around in October, the whole town explodes with goats dressed as people and people dressed as goats for the Arkansas Goat Festival. It’s really a site to see.

Perryville began to see a larger population of settlers around 1830, but the first settlers arrived in 1808. In December of 1840, Perry County was named the 44th county of Arkansas and was named in honor of Commodore Oliver H. Perry of the US Navy.

One of the most interesting facts about Perryville, is that the courthouse has burned FIVE TIMES. For this reason, records only go back to 1881. The last time the courthouse was built, it was made from locally fired bricks. The courthouse still stands today and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

It wasn’t until 1901 that the first bridge was built to cross the Fourche River. In 1939 the bridge was replaced and over 3,000 people came to the dedication.

Today, Perryville still doesn’t have a stop light and folks like it that way. The sidewalks roll up at dark unless there’s a ballgame happening. Everybody still knows everybody and if you’re from out of town, get ready to be asked who you’re kin to❤️

I’m ending the year with a brand new cookbook. ”Favorite Recipes From Perryville, Arkansas: Compiled By The Perryville Rotary Club” is hot off the presses and packed full of awesome recipes.

Mexicali Rice is something my own Mama used to make when I was growing up. I thought I’d share it in the cookbook so others could love it as much as I do.

Couple of things:

  1. My mom didn’t add beans to hers. She used 2lbs of hamburger instead.
  2. She also put a tiny can of tomato sauce in with the meat. I like it without it.
  3. Add salt. I forgot to put that in the recipe. Oops.

Hope y’all enjoy!

Cooking Without Photos – Pork Chops With Potatoes

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Adona, Arkansas home of Adona Fest. Do they still have Adona Fest? I have a feeling they don’t. Maybe I’m wrong. I’ll do more research and fill y’all in.

Back in the day, Adona was settled by John Howell after buying Franklin Russell’s land claim. Settlers quickly began constructing homes along Cypress Creek and the area became known as Cypress Valley.

In 1893 the post office was established and Cypress Valley was renamed Adona after Adona Howell. Adona was a descendant of John Howell. Just a few years later in 1900, the railroad came to town and was completed in 1901.

By 1906, Adona had a population of 500, a school was established and the Methodist church was built. The telephone made an appearance in 1912. Around the same time, a sawmill, gristmill, cotton gin and several other businesses began operation.

If you drive thru Adona today, you’ll still see the Methodist church still in use and it hasn’t lost its small community charm.

On to the recipe!!!

This week I picked, “Adona Fest Cookbook 1998”. I knew I had to try Ms. Dorsie Hubbard’s recipe for Pork Chops With Potatoes. Let’s get to it!

Couple things:

  1. Besides salt and pepper, I also added garlic powder and onion powder. It for sure needs more seasoning. Sorry, Ms. Dorsie😬
  2. Instead of water, I added some milk.
  3. I also poured my mushroom soup mixture over the top of the potatoes and then put the pork chops on. Oops, I didn’t follow directions😬
  4. I also put salt and cracked pepper on top of the pork chops.
  5. You can also cook this on 410° for about an hour and 10 minutes. It’s much more tender if you cover it and cook it slow though.

Very tasty and easy! Y’all enjoy!

Cooking Without Photos – Chicken Spaghetti

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This time we travel just a few counties over to Prairie County, Arkansas. Home of the Grand Prairie Rice Festival, which is set to kick off on October 28.

Hazen, Arkansas was founded by Dr. William Cogswell Hazen. Dr. Hazen brought his family from Tennessee in 1854 and convinced others to follow. They began clearing land and raising cotton. Dr. Hazen brought several businesses to town before his death in 1872.

In the 1880’s it was discovered how well rice grew in Prairie county and Hazen’s farmers quickly switched from cotton or timber industry to rice growers.

60 years later, Hazen saw their first paved road. Between 1945 and 1955 indoor plumbing was established. They had a John Deere agency along with both Ford and Chevrolet dealerships. Hazen boasted three grocery stores, a newspaper, two drug stores and many more businesses.

If you’re headed to the Grand Prairie Rice Festival in a couple of weeks, make a stop at the Rock Island Depot. It has been restored and is on the National Historical Register.

While flipping thru, “Feeding The Flock: Hazen First Baptist Church” I came across a recipe for Chicken Spaghetti. This was nothing like the recipe my Mom used. Over the years, I’ve decided my Mom must’ve made up her own because this one sounds like what other folks have described. I had to get over the Rotel part since it wasn’t in my Mom’s concoction. Let’s get into it.

Couple of things:

  1. They don’t make 10oz of cheese anymore. I just used an 8oz bag and added more. You measure cheese with your soul anyway.
  2. Nowhere on here does it say anything about any sort of spices. Come on, Cindy Weddle. Here’s what I did. When boiling the chicken, I added 2 chicken bullion cubes and some salt and pepper. When the chicken was done, I took it out to cool and I used the water to boil the noodles.
  3. I don’t like canned mushrooms so I sautéed fresh mushrooms.
  4. Once I had everything stirred together, I added more salt and pepper.
  5. I put about 1 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese in with the noodles and such. Then added the rest of the cheese on top.

Great flavors and I didn’t even mind the Rotel…even though I still think it’s weird😆

Enjoy!

Cooking Without Photos – Glorified Chicken With Mushrooms

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Totally forgot about this one! Remember a couple of weeks ago when I talked about putting too much cayenne pepper in the zucchini with garbanzo beans? Then I said I figured out how to fix it by using part of this recipe. Let’s get into it!

Picture it. The early 90’s. You’re watching tv and a commercial comes on for “Chicken Tonight”. Then, before you know it, you start singing the jingle and flapping your arms up and down like a chicken. I can still hear it now, 🎶🎵I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight. CHICKEN TONIGHT!!!🎵🎶

My mom used to make this for us and of course they stopped making it. Annoying! I’ve thought about this recipe on and off FOREVER!!! I remembered that the chicken was browned before the liquid was added and that my fave was mushroom flavored…I know you’re shocked.

Anyway, fast forward to a few weeks ago. I was flipping thru the previously shared cookbook, “What Would Zoo Like For Dinner” and came across Glorified Chicken With Mushrooms. JACKPOT!!! This was it! This was the dish straight from my childhood.

Couple Things:

  1. I used real mushrooms because we like them better.
  2. I used a big can of cream of chicken. It just made sense.
  3. Even when you pour the liquid over your chicken to serve, you will have a lot left over.
  4. This is where the zucchini and garbanzo bean recipe comes in.

I took the leftover zucchini dish and chopped it all up. Then, I took the left over chicken and deboned that. Next, I added all of that back into the liquid that was leftover from the chicken. Finally, I added a carton of chicken stock and it made the most delicious soup! Laws!!! It was delicious!

Y’all need to try it allllll!

Cooking Without Photos – Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes

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Oh Petit Jean, home of Petit Jean State Park and Arkansas’ first state park. Petit Jean State Park is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.…we won’t talk about how Petit Jean was once in Perry County and the county lines were redrawn just before it became a state park. No. We aren’t bitter over here.

Petit Jean was first settled by Native Americans and evidence of them dates back 10,000 years. Legend has it that Petit Jean was named after a young French lady who followed her beloved to the New World. Disguised as a cabin boy, she had said her name was Jean and because of her petite stature, the crew of the ship called her Petit Jean.

Apparently after her arrival, she had gotten sick either contracting swamp fever or some other illness and she was found out to be a woman. She eventually died and she was buried atop Petit Jean. Her gravesite is visited by thousands each year. I always thought she jumped off…learn something new every day!

Anywho, one of the first settlers of the area was Owen West. He and his family arrived in the 1850’s. The West family is still in the area today, all these years later.

If you’ve never visited Petit Jean, you’re really missing out! They have tons of hiking trails and most are fairly easy. You can have dinner at Mather Lodge, coffee at the Petit Jean Coffeehouse, take in the Museum of Automobiles, go on a trail ride and so much more!

On to the recipe! While flipping thru, “Petit Jean Mountain Tomato Cookbook, Compiled By Petit Jean Extension Homemakers Club”, I decided one thing really quick…I’m gonna have to make everything in this cookbook. So many good recipes…or maybe it’s because we have too many tomatoes and I don’t know what to do with them. At any rate, this book is going to get a workout.

The first one we tried was Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes. Such a good summertime recipe. Especially for times when you don’t want to heat up the oven.

Couple of things:

  1. I know…apples in tuna salad. Believe it or not, when they are shredded up, you only get the sweetness.
  2. I didn’t put any onion in. 1 Tbsp of onion? Might as well leave it out. Did they mean onion flakes? I just didn’t have enough brain power to deal with that.
  3. It called for sweet relish, I used dill…because I don’t like sweet, that’s why.
  4. I only assume they wanted those two eggs boiled before dicing. I mean I figured they weren’t scrambled, poached or fried.

This is really refreshing on a hot day. One that you could for sure make ahead and grab when you’re ready.

Enjoy!!!

Cooking Without Photos – Texas Beef Skillet

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We travel west to Woodward, Oklahoma. Woodward is the county seat of Woodward County which was originally named N County back in the day.

In September of 1893, thousands of folks came by horse, mule, wagon, bicycle and by foot to claim land lots. It was during this time that Oklahoma was being built from the ground up…literally.

With not many trees around, pioneers made their first homes out of prairie sod. Lumber soon began arriving via the railroad and proper houses were built on the ever changing prairie.

Soon, the town of Woodward grew and businesses of all kinds opened and flourished.

While reading this cookbook, I couldn’t help but laugh at all of the “Texas” recipes. It’s probably because of the close proximity to Texas, but it made me think of all of my cousins that wear Texas Longhorn gear. It’s the best😍😍. This one goes out to all you Okies in orange and white!

This week I chose to make Texas Beef Skillet from the cookbook, “Country Cookbook: Church Of The Nazarene, Woodward Oklahoma”. Couple things:

  1. It didn’t say what kind of tomatoes to use so I chose Fire Roasted. Also, they’re jipping us an ounce these days.
  2. I added more chilies because of the above fact. What was I going to do with like half a can of chilies anyway?
  3. I assumed by “American cheese shredded” that it meant something like Velveeta. I don’t really care for Velveeta much. I’ll use regular shredded cheddar next time. I don’t see how it would hurt.
  4. You’re gonna need more spices than what it says. I do believe this is just to get you started on your journey. I’d also add pepper.
  5. I also didn’t crush up the corn chips. I think it’s prettier with whole chips. I even think you could use those Scoop chips. I plan on doing that next time.
  6. I served this with chips and dip because why not. And I also topped it with avocado and sour cream.

7. This would also be an easy meal to prepare while camping! ❤️

Delightful! You should for sure try it out on your bunch!

Cooking Without Photos – Zesty Porcupine Meatballs

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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!

Very tasty indeed! Who knew?!

Cooking Without Photos – Goulash

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This time we make a short drive to Benton, AR.

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!