Bringing it back home with this one. This week I chose a recipe out of the cookbook, “Burnt Offerings: Silver Anniversary – Cherry Hill Volunteer Fire Department”. I haven’t came across a better name for a cookbook yet😆
While looking thru this book and recognizing the majority of the names, there were lots of folks that have passed away. Their recipes will continue to live on.
I stopped in my tracks at Famous Baked Beans from my pal Shirley Caudell. Shirley was one of a kind with a heart of pure gold. She was everyone’s friend and always had such a positive outlook. We all miss her like crazy. By sharing her recipe, I hope to bring comfort on this day especially.
Couple of things:
I used 3 cans of beans I can see how an additional can would be a good thing too.
I love how she said to add “2 squirts” of mustard. Spoken like a true southern cook.
These were fabulous! Quick and easy too. Thanks Shirl! Give Tonia a hug from me❤️
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:
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.
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.
The batter is super thick. It’s going to be okay.
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.
Just south of Jackson, Mississippi sits the small city of Brookhaven. Brookhaven was founded in 1818 by a settler named Samuel Jayne. Mr. Jayne named Brookhaven after Brookhaven, New York.
In 1858 the railroad came thru Brookhaven and with it the business from New Orleans and Memphis. Sadly, the Civil War battered Brookhaven and it had to be rebuilt, even the railroad was destroyed.
On to the recipe!!!
While combing thru, “A Taste Of Heaven, Jackson Street United Methodist Church”, I found a recipe for No Crust Coconut Pie.
I remember having this when I was a kid. I feel like my Grandma used to make these during the holidays. It’s been a long time since I’ve had one though. Y’all, this is great!!! Let’s get into it.
Couple things:
This looks like it is going to spill over the top of the pie pan when you get it ready to cook. It didn’t but I’d still put a pan underneath just in case it decides to jump ship.
It didn’t say what kind of flour to use, so I used all purpose. I bet if I used self rising, it would have overflowed. I feel like the flour is mainly for binding.
I cooked this just like the recipe says. 325° for 40 minutes. Nope. Wasn’t near done. I cooked it for another 20 minutes. May just keep an eye on it.
It really does make its own crust! Delicious!!! Takes me back home❤️❤️
Opening the first page of “Cooking Capers”, I knew right away that this book was going to be special. The book was compiled by Girl Scouts Troop 364 Ouachita Council of Little Rock, AR.
I searched and searched but it looks like this Troop is no longer active. I was kinda bummed at this news.
At any rate, here’s some info about how Girl Scouts came about.
Girl Scouts was started by Juliette Gordon Low or as her friends called her, “Daisy”. It began in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia with 18 girls, in 1912. Within 10 years, Girl Scouts had spread across the US and began to expand across our boarders.
During the Great Depression and WWII, the Girl Scouts participated in relief efforts, collected food, ran Farm Aide projects and operated bicycle courier services. Anything they could do to help. They also were publishing helpful booklets on various topics.
The 50’s and 60’s were a time when they were faced with the need to assist in care packages for the Korean War. At the same time, they were faced with the need to push forward towards racial equality and overcome prejudices.
It’s amazing how far the organization has come and they have now surpassed 100 years of service. From one group in Georgia, to troops all over the world. Very cool indeed.
And now the recipe. I chose to use Cucumber Dressing. Let’s get into it.
Couple things:
“Coffee Cream” is half and half or sometimes heavy whipping cream. I went with heavy whipping cream because I had some. You do you.
It says to grate and drain the cucumber. I wasn’t sure how to do that so I put it in a cheese cloth. I was curious how much water would come out of it so I squeezed it into a measuring cup. Turns out it was about 1/3 cup. Who knew😳.
It doesn’t say how long to refrigerate. I’ll tell you this. I tried a little taste right after I made it and it was okay. Then I tried it again the next day and it was fab!!! So, refrigerate the dressing for at least 12 hours.
Booneville!! Home of the Classic Cruise In, celebrated each month on the 3rd Saturday from March – November. Downtown Booneville is the place to be for classic car buffs.
I digress. Booneville, Arkansas has two stories of how they got their name. One story is that it was named by founder Walter Cauthron after his friend Captain Benjamin Bonneville. Captain Bonneville was an Army officer in Fort Smith. Over the years, the spelling was changed and it became Booneville.
Another story is that it was named after the folk hero, Daniel Boone. Boone was supposed to have been kinned to early residents of Logan County. At any rate, the town was founded around 1830.
After the Civil war reeked havoc on the area and divided households, reconstruction began and a new county was formed. Sarber County was formed in 1871 from parts of Franklin, Johnson, Scott and Yell counties. Then, Sarber County was renamed Logan county in 1875. In 1878, Booneville had a cotton gin, blacksmith shop, drug store and general stores and became an incorporated town.
In 1901, the county was divided into northern and southern judicial districts. To this day, Logan County has two county seats, being Booneville and Paris. The county is also half wet and half dry for alcohol sales.
In 1909 the Arkansas State Tuberculosis Sanitarium opened. The hospital was vital for two reasons. Firstly, it helped treat the tuberculosis outbreak and secondly, it created much needed revenue for Logan County. The hospital closed in the 1970s and is now a popular place for ghost hunters.
Booneville also has had their fair share of businesses in the area. The Ace Comb Company, Wolverine Toy Company and Del Pero Monden (meat company) have all called Booneville home over the years.
We recently made a trip to Fort Smith to visit the newly opened US Marshals Museum. It’s fabulous, by the way. We decided to do some thrifting afterwards and that’s where I found the book, “Recipes And Remembrances: First Baptist Church Booneville, Arkansas”. You know I had to get it.
I opened up the cover and someone had taken page 159 and moved into a place of honor at the beginning of the three ring binder collection of recipes. Obviously, this was the one I needed to try.
Y’all, Karen’s Pecan Crunch is fabulous!! Let’s get into it!
Not pictured: Vanilla…oops
Couple of things:
If you buy a family size box of Oatmeal Squares ( 21 oz.), you’ll end up with exactly the 8 cups you’ll need.
I used butter. You do you.
That’s it! It’s so easy and you’ll eat it like popcorn Thank you, Judy Moore! You’ve just added a sweet treat to my holiday cooking list❤️
This week we travel to Lenexa, Kansas. I’ve never actually heard of Lenexa, KS before. Apparently, it’s a fairly large city. Back in the day though, Lenexa was part of the frontier.
One of the very first settlers of Lenexa was James Butler Hickok. Mr. Hickok staked claim to 160 acres of what is now 83rd and Clare Road in Lenexa.
Not long after his arrival, Hickok was elected one of the first four constables of neighboring Monticello Township. He later became a scout for the Free State Army, a sharpshooter and later one of the most famous folk heroes of the American West, Wild Bill Hickok.
Wild Bill was a known lawman, gunslinger and gambler. Storyteller was also one of his many talents and his favorite subject was himself. Wild Bill loved to tell hugely fabricated stories about himself and this is one reason he will go down in history as a folk legend.
While flipping thru, “Masterpieces From Our Kitchen” I stopped at Baked Artichoke Appetizer. Y’all, this is so stinkin’ easy. If you need a quick dish to take somewhere or company is on the way, this is it. It’s fast and tasty. Let’s get into it.
Couple things:
That cayenne pepper, it makes me cough. The recipe said “dash”. I put a dash. That’s. It. I tried it and my lips started to tingle. I took it to a family function and no one could tell there was even any cayenne in it.😆. You do you. You want more, go for it!
I paired this with some assorted crackers. I think it would be great with some triscuits or pita crackers as well.
I put about a 1/2 cup more Parmesan than it called for. Sue me🤷🏻♀️
This one is going to be short and sweet…sort of like the ingredients list for this recipe😆
I’ve already used a cookbook from Dardanelle. Sue me😆. I mainly picked this one up because it was done by the Cub Scouts. Community cookbooks are such a good way to raise money for different organizations.
Since Lake Dardanelle State Park is partially in Dardanelle, I’ll talk about that a little. Lake Dardanelle was created in 1965 after the Dardanelle Dam was completed in 1964 by the Corp of Engineers. In 1966, the lake was officially recognized as a State Park.
Today, Lake Dardanelle attracts bass fisherman from around the world. They offer camping, pavillions, picnic sites and a fabulous visitor center.
On to the recipe! While reading, “Cub Scouts Pack 69: Dardanelle, Arkansas” I came across Cowboy Cookies. Gah! These take me back to my high school days!
Let’s get to it! Nothing hard about this recipe. Straight and to the point. You boil a couple of things and stir in the other ingredients. Badda Bing, Badda Boom! Cookies❤️❤️
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:
They don’t make 10oz of cheese anymore. I just used an 8oz bag and added more. You measure cheese with your soul anyway.
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.
I don’t like canned mushrooms so I sautéed fresh mushrooms.
Once I had everything stirred together, I added more salt and pepper.
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😆
Jumping in, we head to Roland, Oklahoma. Roland began as a small community called Garrison or Garrison Creek. They voted to change their name in 1904. Within a few years, Roland had a population of over 200, postal service, public school, general stores and grocery stores.
The town doubled and then tripled in size over the next 70 or so years. Their main population spike came when the Cherokee Nation built the casino. It was originally called, Cherokee Nation Bingo Outpost.
It’s a sweet little town, full of history and just across the border into Oklahoma from Arkansas.
On to the recipe!
While looking thru, “Taste Of Heaven: Zion Missionary Baptist Church” I came across Apple Dumplings. I’ve actually made these a few times but it’s been probably 10 years or more. Our youngest had never had rhem before, so I decided it was time to get back at it. And he could also help me.
Couple things: This recipe is pretty spot on.
I used Granny Smith apples
You can also use Sprite if you’d like instead of Mountain Dew.
The Plot Twisted 