Applesauce Stack Cake

Applesauce Stack Cake is a West Virginia Heritage recipe. This particular version has been taken from several sources.

2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 pound solid shortening
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups flour
2 quarts cold homemade applesauce

Mix all the ingredients except the flour and applesauce, by hand. Add the flour a small amount at a time, the dough has to be stiff.
Pinch the dough into 16 balls of the same size. There are 8 layers to a cake. Take cake layer pans and turn them upside down, greasing lightly. Roll out or press with hands each layer to the size of a cake pan, and put on top of the upside down pan. Bake at 450 degrees, 8-12 minutes until brown. Three cake pans in the oven at a time can be baked. While hot, stack each layer and spread with applesauce. Sprinkle the top layer with powdered sugar. Store in the refrigerator overnight for enhanced flavor. Makes 2 cakes, but this recipe can easily be halved for just one cake.

Martha

Atlas Mountain Meatballs

For the meatballs you will need:
1 lb minced lamb
1 very finely chopped onion
4 cloves Garlic
Ground ginger, cinnamon, cumin, coriander to taste
Salt & pepper
Harissa to taste (Harissa Dressing)
Handful of pine nuts
One egg
1 ball mozerella, buffalo if possible, cubed

For the sauce you will need:
Olive oil
1 minced onion
Garlic to taste
1 can chopped tomatoes (without herbs or seasoning)
Sloosh of red wine to rinse out whatever the tomatoes came in
1 large red pepper
1 bunch coriander.
Salt & pepper

Mix up all the meatball ingredients and season to taste. You need to enclose a chunk of mozzarella inside each meatball. I find the best way is to flatten a lump of meat on your palm, put the cheese chunk on top then fold the meat around it, adding a bit more if necessary.

You probably won't use all the cheese and so will have to eat the rest. Oh dear what a shame.

Stick the meatballs in the fridge to firm up a bit.

OK, Sauce time.

Stick everything into a pan and soften it up. Oh, chop the pepper first. Then whizz it up into a rough sauce. When the meatballs are firm, braise them in the sauce.

Serve with couscous and a nice crisp white wine.

Laura

Banana-Nut Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 12 muffin pan. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; make a well in center. Mix milk, egg, water, oil, banana and walnuts in a small bowl. Pour mixture into well. Mix batter just until moistened, do not overmix. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or until muffins are golden brown, about 15 min.

Jeff

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups flour
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp soda

A pastry blender is the essential tool for good biscuit making. Put the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix. Add the shortening and cut it in with the pastry blender until the flour has the appearance of small pebbles.

Pour the buttermilk into a measuring cup, add the soda water, and stir. Use a fork to stir the flour as you slowly add the buttermilk, until the dough just sticks together. Turn the dough onto a floured board or counter. Knead about a dozen times until the dough is uniform. Add flour to the board as necessary.

Pat the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the biscuits and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes. This will make about 15 2" biscuits.

Goppie

Cheese Sausage Balls

10 oz grated cheddar cheese
3 cups Bisquik
1 lb of sausage (mild or hot)
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ cup milk

Combine Bisquik & cheddar cheese together. Crumble sausage in along with the garlic salt. With fork or hands, mix all of this, adding splashes of the milk to mixture. Once all is well-mixed, roll into one inch balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet. Cook at 325F for 25 minutes or until brown.

Martha

Chicken Calypso

1-1/2 lb chicken breast cutlets
1-1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1 tbsp Gourmet Garden Cilantro herb blend (paste)
3 tbsp hot relish such as Wickles
Juice of one lime

Spray frying pan with cooking spray and heat to medium high. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken cutlets with cumin and pepper. Cook chicken 5-6 minutes on each side.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the cooked chicken, turning to coat evenly. Cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Serve the chicken and the sauce.

GranDuddie

Pork Adobo

2 lb pork loin, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper to taste

Cut up pork and mix with other ingredients in a large, heavy skillet. Cast iron works well. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until pork is cooked through. Remove cover and allow to pan fry until moisture evaporates almost completely (it will be nearly gone, don't be afraid to push it). Stir often to prevent burning. Serve with rice. Serves 6.

Martha

Beef Stroganoff

2 lb of beef cut into 2.5” by 1” strips
1 tbsp minced onion
4 tbsp butter, divided
½ lb mushroom caps
Salt
Nutmeg
½ pint sour cream

Sauté onion in 2 tbsp butter in a heavy skillet until it is yellow. Add beef. Meat cooking time varies with the quality of meat used – about 20 min for round steak to 5 min for fillet. Cook, turning frequently to brown on all sides. Set aside.

Sauté mushroom caps in 2 tbsp butter. Cook 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and a trace of nutmeg. Add to beef. Add the sour cream. Season delicately to taste. Serve with brown or wild rice.

This can be prepared with left-over beef roast. Cut roast in neat strips, remove all fat. Add to onion, but cook no further. Add cooked mushrooms and sour cream, then heat to serve.

Norma

Veal with Paprika

2 veal scallops
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
1/2 tsp Hungarian hot paprika
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
Olive oil

Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cover. Cook until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally. Add the shallots and sauté until golden. Transfer the onions and shallots to a bowl, leaving the oil in the skillet.

Pound the veal scallops if necessary, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the skillet and sauté until browned, about 1 minute per side, adding more oil if necessary. Remove the veal from the skillet and return the onion mixture to the skillet. Add the diced tomatoes, the paprikas, the marjoram, and some water. Stir while this simmers for 5 minutes, scraping the brown from the bottom of the skillet. Add more water if necessary. Return the veal and any accumulated juices to the skillet and simmer for one more minute, turning the veal to coat it. Serves 2.

Goppie

Shrimp Casserole

Prepare this ahead of time, go to the beach for the day, then cook in a short time for the sunburned crowd.

4 tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
2 tsp minces garlic
1/4 cup minced scallions
1/2 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pound large shrimp, off the shell
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup dry white wine

In a large bowl, mix the butter with the garlic, scallions, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Add the shrimp and toss well to mix. You can do this some hours ahead of serving time and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.

In another bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Pre-heat the oven to 425F. Place the shrimp mixture in a shallow baking dish, sprinkle the bread crumbs on top, and pour the wine over them. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the top is brown and the shrimp are cooked. Serve immediately.

GranDuddie

Vicky’s Fettucine

1/2 cup butter melted or softened
1 cup canned tomatoes, cut up
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
A few twists of the pepper grinder
1 cup whipping cream (may substitute evaporated milk)

Combine all ingredients and toss with 1 pound cooked fettucine. Serve with Vicky’s Chicken Piccata

Vicky

Vicky’s Chicken Piccata

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
8 boneless chicken breast filets
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp veg oil, divided
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3-6 tbsp well-drained capers

Combine flour, oregano, salt & pepper in a pie pan. With a meat mallet, pound filets on both sides to flatten them to 1/4” thick (or buy special thin-cut filets). Heat 1 tbsp butter & 1/2 tbsp veg oil in a large skillet over low heat. Dredge 1/2 the chicken in flour mix & place in skillet. Cover & cook 5 min (low to med heat). Remove cover, increase heat to med & cook until chicken is lightly browned & firm, 3-5 min on each side. Remove to heated platter. Add remaining butter & oil and cook remaining chicken. Add lemon juice to skillet & cook 1 min over high heat, stirring & scraping pan bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in capers & pour over warm chicken.
Serve with Vicky’s Fettucine. Serves 8.

Vicky

Pork Tamale Pot Pie

The Pork Mixture
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 to 1 1/2 pounds lean ground pork
15-ounce can tomato sauce
16-ounce package of frozen corn, thawed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco plus additional to taste
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal

In a large skillet cook the onion and the bell pepper in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the pork, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, until the pork is no longer pink. Stir in the tomato paste, the corn, the cumin, the allspice, the chili powder, the Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of the Tabasco, the cornmeal, and salt and black pepper to taste, simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, and add the additional Tabasco. Spoon the mixture into a shallow 2 1/2-quart casserole. The mixture may be made 1 day in advance and kept, covered and chilled.

The Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack
4-ounce can green chili peppers, drained and chopped

Into a bowl sift together the flour, the cornmeal, the sugar, and the baking powder, add the butter, the milk, and the egg, and stir the batter until it is just combined. Stir in the Monterey Jack and the chili peppers and drop the batter by the large spoonfuls around the edge of the casserole.

Bake the potpie in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F., and bake the potpie for 30 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.

Laura

Bourbon Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 (or 3-4) Tbsp bourbon
1 ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 unbaked piecrust

Beat the eggs slightly. Add sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla and bourbon. Stir to blend. Stir in pecans and pour into pie shell. Cover the edge with foil so it does not brown too fast. Place in a 350F oven and bake for 25 min. Remove foil and bake another 25-30 min or until done in the center (insert a knife halfway between the center and the edge. If it comes out clean, the pie is done.) Cool before slicing.

Martha & Sarah

Pea Salad

1 (10 oz) pkg peas, cooked slightly
1/3 cup chopped celery
4 green onions, chopped
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ cup sour cream
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup cashews, chopped

Let peas cool a little and drain off any remaining liquid. Mix in with the peas, celery, green onions, bacon and sour cream. Refrigerate. Add the cashews immediately before serving.

Laura

Great Grandmother Saylor's Date Sandwiches

A Christmas favorite!

Filling
1 lb dates
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar

Cook over low heat until smooth, stirring often. It may be necessary to add a little more water from time to time. Remove from heat and add:

1 cup nuts
1 tsp vanilla

Dry Mixture
Blend together:

2 cups quick oats
1/2 tsp soda
1 cup flour
1 cup shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar

Blend well and place 1/2 in a greased 9x13 pan, patting down firmly. Spread filling evenly over dry mixture and cover with remaining dry mixture, pressing slightly into filling. Bake in 325° oven for 20 min or until slightly brown. Let cool and cut into squares.

Auntie Bev

Sour Cream Potatoes

8 medium red potatoes
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
2 8-oz cartons sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender (about 30 min). Drain, cool slightly & cut potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Saute onion in butter until tender. Combine potatoes, onion, & remaining ingredients in a large bowl; mix gently. Spoon potato mixture into a lightly greased 12x8x2 inch baking dish. Bake at 350F for 30 min or until bubbly.

Sarah