Pineapple

Cooking Without Photos – Hawaiian Drop Cookies

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After a short break, I’m back with more recipes and stories to share!

This recipe comes straight from Ola, AR. Back in the day, Ola was first called Red Lick and then Petit Jean. They changed their name to Ola in 1880.

Settlers began arriving around 1840 from all over. Land was cheap and attracted folks from as far away as the Carolinas, Alabama and Tennessee.

The railroad arrived in 1899 and with it came more opportunities for growth. More businesses opened and folks were thriving.

Disaster struck in 1930 when a tornado ripped thru town and again in 1934 when a fire destroyed several businesses.

Over the years and like many small towns, Ola has experience economic turmoil. Today, Ola has a population of about 1,000. A few businesses remain, but mostly Ola is a small town with a big heart.

While flipping thru, “Seasoned With Love: Ola Band Boosters” I was reminded that Ola School District no longer exists. In 2004, Ola School district merged with several other small districts and Two Rivers School District was born. Living history, as they say.

Ola (Yell County)

On to the recipe!

I picked out Hawaiian Drop Cookies to make. Sounded pretty easy for this rainy afternoon.

Couple Things:

  1. I used a cookie dough scoop. The scoop made it way easier.
  2. I cooked these for 12 minutes and let them sit for a couple of minutes after they came out of the oven.

That’s really it. These are a not so sweet, fluffy cookie but very tasty and perfect with a glass of milk. Yessssss!

Cooking Without Photos – Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread

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Strawberry, Arkansas! Population 268❤️

Strawberry is one of the oldest settlements in Arkansas. Untouched by the railroad and unaffected by the Civil War, Strawberry began as a small community in the early 1840s and remains a quaint community today.

John Cathey settled in the area along with his son and they called it Cathey Town for a short time. Then, in 1854 John applied for a post office and renamed it Strawberry Point. Later it was shortened to Strawberry.

Time passed and blacksmith shops have turned into fishing businesses. Their population has remained low and that’s the way they like it.

On to the recipe!

While combing thru, “Cooking With Friends: Strawberry Volunteer Fire Department”, I stopped on a recipe for Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread and boy am I glad I did!!

Couple things:

  1. It’s hard to find an 8oz can of pineapple anymore. You’re just gonna have to either double this recipe or eat the rest of a 20 Oz can.
  2. When Willene Massey tells you to put 1 1/2 cups of oil in a bread recipe, do it. She knows what she’s talking about.
  3. The batter is super thick. It’s going to be okay.
  4. It says to cook it for 1 hour and 5 minutes. I didn’t believe Willene so I put mine on for 50 minutes. Turns out that you need to cook it for 1 hour and 5 minutes. If you’re like me, you won’t believe her either so just keep a watch on it.

That’s it. It’s fabulous!!

Cooking Without Photos – Pineapple Dip

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This week we take a short drive to Jacksonville, AR. Before Jacksonville became the community it is today, it was first settled by two brothers from Tennessee. Once Jacob and Shared Gray arrived, their families followed shortly after. Around 1820 the town expanded and they began growing cotton to make their living.

Once the Cairo and Fulton railroad arrived in 1870 and Jacksonville really bloomed. With the railroad came saloons and new businesses. Soon they had a brand new school, grocery store, flour mill and various other ventures.

Fast forward to 1955 and the opening of Little Rock Air Force Base, which is located right in the city limits of Jacksonville. They opened their doors in October 1955 and held an open house with 85,000 people attending. Whoa! They also have the largest C-130 base in the world!

For more information, you could always visit the Jacksonville Museum Of Military History.

On with the recipe!

This week I decided to try something I’ve seen several times. When I first saw a recipe for Pineapple Cheeseball/Dip, I thought…NEXT! Then it just kept showing it’s ugly face in book after book. Gah! Okay, I’ll try it.

I popped open, “First Church Of The Nazarene: Jacksonville, Arkansas Ladies Circle” and there it was on the first page.

Couple Things:

  1. The ones I had read before were labeled “cheeseball”. My brain registered “cheeseball” and not dip. This recipe will never be a “cheeseball” since it calls for undrained pineapple. It’s for sure a dip.
  2. We liked the flavor so much that I tried it with drained pineapple. Cheeseball!
  3. I couldn’t find a small can of pineapple (8 Oz). I doubled the recipe and rolled with it.
  4. I didn’t know what “red seasoned salt” was. I decided it was Lawrey’s. I wasn’t wrong😎

Y’all this a perfect summer dip/cheeseball. Sweet. Tangy. With a little bit of heat. Yesssssss! You’re gonna love it!