General Robert E. Lee's Orange Pie

 

Orange Pie is one of those old Southern desserts that I love to make around the end of summer and early autumn when the mornings begin to get cooler and the summer heat begins to drop -- though here in South Carolina it pretty much stays in the upper 70s and lower 80s for highs until about mid-November.

Its one of those desserts for that time of year when you're ready to say goodbye to sweltering hot Southern summers, but not quite ready to jump onto the upcoming pumpkin spice craze that comes with the autumn holidays.

Would you believe that none other than General Robert E. Lee was a huge fan of Orange Pie? It was reportedly one of his favorite desserts -- among a couple others -- and his came with a certain recipe that I would like to share with y'all.

I've tried it out and its pretty good. Here's how to make it.

 

Ingredients
 
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup (2 oz.) white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 cup orange juice
3 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar
1 large orange, sliced into 1/4 inch round halves
1 9-inch unbaked piecrust (graham cracker crust preferred)

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Preheat over to 450 F.

In medium bowl, beat together egg yolks and 1/2 cut sugar until mixture is thick and lemon colored. Add flour, melted butter, melted butter, grated orange rind, and orange juice. Mix thoroughly, then pour into unbaked pie crust.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F and bake an additional 10 minutes until custard is set.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, continuing to beat until firm stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie covering completely. Return to over for 10 minutes until meringue is golden brown. Garnish with orange slices and serve.

I would also add that a scoop of french vanilla ice cream goes wonderfully with it, as well as a nice glass of sweet iced tea when you're sitting on your porch watching the sunset.

Old Skool Cafeteria Pizza Recipe

 

If there is anything I remember best about my formative years in grade school through high school from most of the 1980s and early-to-mid 90s were the outstanding cafeteria lunches that were served.

While not all of them were necessarily my favorites -- frozen chicken patties were a big nope for this guy -- others were certainly memorable and which I looked forward to whenever they appeared on the weekly menu schedule. Spaghetti and meat sauce for one, with servings of various vegetables, fruit cups, chocolate milk, and some form of baked rolls.

Perhaps the most nostalgic school lunch for many kids that grew up in the same time-frame was that weird, thin rectangular cafeteria pizza that was often best lovingly (and mockingly) described as "cheese on cardboard" by some. Sometimes it was topped with hamburger, or sausage, or pepperoni, and other times just plain cheese; but it was pizza none-the-less.

These days school cafeteria lunches are a bit bland, with larger (allegedly) healthier options; with the old cafeteria pizza having been removed altogether.

Pizza days at lunch time were among some of my favorites, to name a few others. So much so that I had to seek out the recipe for this Old Skool Cafeteria Pizza and wanted to share it in case there are others who wanted to take a stab at recreating a piece of tasty -- if not necessarily healthy -- piece of nostalgia.

If y'all love and miss the old school rectangle pizza, then here’s the recipe.

Ingredients

 

The Crust: 

2 2/3 cups flour
3/4 cup powdered milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet of quick rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoon vegetable oil

The Toppings:
1/2 pound ground chuck (or pepperoni as another option)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 8oz block mozzarella cheese -- grated yourself (To be authentic school pizza, you will have to use imitation mozzarella shreds.)

Sauce:

6 ounce can tomato paste
1 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray a 10X15" baking sheet with cooking spray and lay Parchment paper down to allow it to stick.
Pour flour, powdered milk, sugar, yeast, & salt into a large bowl and mix with a whisk. Add oil to hot water and pour into your mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until batter forms. Spread dough into pan using fingertips until it’s even.

Bake just the crust for 8-10 minutes then remove from oven and set aside.

Brown meats in vegetable oil in frying pan until meat is cooked and then set aside and drain. (If y'all opted for Pepperoni Pizza then disregard.) Spread pizza sauce all over crust. Sprinkle meats & cheese.

Bake at 425 F for 8-10 minutes until cheese melts and begins to brown. Remove from oven -- let stand 5 minutes. Cut in rectangular slices and serve.

This blog post is dedicated in fond memory to all the lunch room and school cafeteria workers in my Grade School, Junior High (Middle School), and High School years (1982 to 1995) -- as well as all those in the profession today -- in appreciation for their largely thankless work. 

Carl's Famous Roasted Tribble Recipe -- The Best Tribble You'll Ever Eat

Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Trek: The Original Series TV series, or movie franchise, those belong exclusively to Paramount Studios and Star Trek is the brainchild of the Great Bird of the Galaxy himself, the late Mr. Gene Roddenberry. I also didn't come up with the idea of Tribbles, those came from Hugo Award Winning author and television writer Mr. David Jerrold who wrote the screenplay for the Star Trek: The Original Series episode The Trouble With Tribbles (Season 2, Episode 15).

Ah yes, Tribbles!

They're nice, soft, furry, and make a pleasant sound.... then again so does an ermine violin, and I see no advantage in having either one. Sure its a human characteristic to love little animals, especially if they're attractive in some way; but overall they eat a great deal and are practically born pregnant -- pretty much like stray cats.

If someone you love makes the mistake of purchasing one of these soft, furry little pests from some wandering space trader who decided to remove one of these creatures from its natural, predator-filled, habitat where its multiplicative tendencies are left unabated; you'll end up with many, many more of these hairballs than you could ever want.

When that happens you'll get Tribbles all over your ship: on your bridge, in the lower deck hallways, in your turboshafts and Jeffries tubes, and worst of all in your grain storage compartments. Aye, even in your food replicators -- good luck enjoying your chicken sandwich and coffee when that happens!

They have to go, but what do you do when they're about to overrun your ship? You can't simply beam them out into space -- I mean you could, but that'd be inhuman.

Well, I can think of at least one practical use for the little furry critters....Carl's Famous Roasted Tribbles Recipe.

Ingredients

1 pound ground Tribble meat (you can substitute ground chicken).
1 tbsp olive oil
1 egg, unmolested
1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup crushed cornflakes

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Mix 1 pound of fresh Tribble meat (or ground chicken) with olive oil, bread crumbs, one egg, and all your seasonings. Shape the mix into egg-sized balls.

Crack your remaining eggs into a large bowl and beat them. Mix your flour, coconut flakes, and crushed cornflakes in a bag.

Set up an assembly line. Dip your Tribble meat in the egg mixture, roll the meat around in the crunchy coating, and put it on a well greased baking sheet.

Spritz your Tribbles with olive oil spray, or nonstick coating (like refined Ferengi lobe wax) for some extra crunch.

Bake at 375 F for 10 minutes. Flip your Tribbles and bake them for another 10 minutes. Then set them on a plate, or tray to cool and serve.

If you and your friends are out camping, you can fry the Tribbles over an open flame, or a grill.

Tribbles also go really well with the famous McCoy Family Beans for that memorable campfire
cooking experience.
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Image courtesy of Paramonunt.

Happy Star Trek Day, Y'all!

Carl's Famous "Better Than Sex" Spaghetti

Greetings and Salutations, Y'all! 

 

One of the best dishes that my family and friends both swear by is this blogger's famous "Better Than Sex Spaghetti" named so after a complement I received from a former co-worker that I fixed some for who thoroughly enjoyed it; declaring in her ecstasy that it was better than the sex she'd previously had the night before. Apparently my recipe for spaghetti had a profound emotional impact on her -- or she simply had a really lousy partner? 

 

Well, in my case, my spaghetti recipe has gotten me through many a lonely night, sitting in my recliner and watching old horror films, or action movies. While I cannot personally claim I got the same reaction from eating it as those infrequent occasions I've enjoyed some naughty bedroom fun, I will say that it's really damn good spaghetti. 

 

If y'all want to find out how good it compares for yourselves, feel free to try it out. 

Ingredients

1 1/4 lb. Ground Hamburger

1 Cup Diced Green & Colored Bell Peppers (Red, Yellow, & Orange)

1 Garlic Clove (or minced garlic)

1/2 Cup (4 oz.) Diced Onions 

1 Cup (8 oz.) Sliced Mushrooms 

3 Cans (15 oz.) Tomato Sauce

1 Can (15 oz.) Diced Tomatoes 
1 Can (6 oz.) Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup (4 oz.) Water

1 Tablespoon White Cooking Wine
1 Tablespoon Rootbeer

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Basil 

1/4 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Peppermint leaves

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar
A small squirt of Ketchup

 

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Cook the hamburger meat, green and colored bell peppers, garlic, onions and mushrooms together ten minutes till meat is brown and vegetables are softened, and then drain. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, with the meat and vegetables and cook on a medium setting until it comes to a boil.

Once the spaghetti sauce is boiling, reduce the heat slightly and let it simmer on the stove for another for about 30 minutes on the medium setting till it thickens. Add the rest of the condiments while the sauce cooks and keep it stirred in order to avoid the sauce sticking to the pot.

Once the homemade spaghetti sauce is simmering, all that’s left to do is boiling the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions and then, once the spaghetti is done to your liking, drain it and mix the spaghetti in with the sauce and then dish it up.

This recipe makes enough to feed one serving to about 6 to 8 people.

 

Total preparation and cooking time runs about 45 to 50 minutes, but its well worth the time I can promise y'all that. I also like to serve my spaghetti with garlic bread, or Texas Toast.

Try it out of yourselves and let me know what y'all thought of the recipe in the comments section. Enjoy!

Grandma Carolyn's Southern Fired Apple Pies

This blog post is dedicated in loving memory of my grandmother, Carolyn B. Wallen (1942 - 2018) RIP.

One of best things that my dear Grandmother Carolyn -- God rest her soul! -- ever made for us kids were her outstanding Southern Fried Apple Pies. 

As I got older I would often hang out in the kitchen and watch her make them, and then later on helped her out as they prepared them. Making these a few times a year with my grandma was one of my favorite memories of cooking with her. Every time I make them her legacy as the best cook I have ever known lives on. 

Thank you, Maw Maw.

They are great for family gatherings on holidays, for day trips, or for church groups -- and they never lasted very long either. Here is how you make them. 

 

Utensils You Will Need

A large spoon

A pot

A frying pan, or skillet

A large bowl

A measuring cup

A set of measuring spoons

A cookie cutter 

A rolling pin

A pastry cloth

Ingredients

10 - 12 ounces of dried apples

About 2 tablespoons sugar (or to your taste)
About 2 tablespoons cinnamon (or to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil for frying

2 1/2 cups self-rising flower

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup milk

 

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Cook dried apples in a pot of about 2 cups of water for about 30 minutes until done. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon then add salt. Allow apples to cool to about room temperature (another 20 or 30 minutes). 

While the apples are cooling mix the self-rising flower, shortening, and milk in a bowl by hand until dough is made. Then roll the dough out onto a pastry cloth with a rolling pin until the dough is slightly flattened. Then take a round cookie cutter and cut out small rolls, then take your rolling pin and flatten the dough into thin disks about four inches wide.

Take a large spoon and place a spoonful into the center of each disks, laying it out across the middle. Then carefully fold each disk in half to make crescents. Use a fork to press the edges of the crescents together.

Cover the bottom of a frying pan with vegetable oil and bring it to frying temperature. Place the apple pie crescents carefully into the oil and fry them on both sides until they are the color of brown to your liking. Then place them onto paper towels until they are cooled off to room temperature. 

Then you are ready to eat them -- I like mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream personally. This recipe makes about 16 - 20 fried apple pies. 

I hope y'all enjoy them too. If y'all make them and try them out for yourselves, be sure to leave me a comment below and tell me what y'all think. As always have a wonderful Dixie day and y'all come back now, ya hear!

Grandma Carolyn's Classic Yellow Squash Casserole

Happy Thanksgiving Day Y'all!

Most folks think that Southerners like their vegetables smothered in butter and cheese -- which we do. This holds especially true for yellow squash. 

Perhaps more than any other side-dish on Thanksgiving Day supper -- or Christmas and Easter for that matter --  the one I looked forward to the most on the table was my grandmother's classic yellow squash casserole. 

Now like just about every other proud Southern grannies my grandmother Carolyn didn't specifically follow recipes most of the time. Oh sure she knew what to use and how to make it, but her cooking instructions when I helped her prepare big meals sounded something like this: use a pinch of salt here, a dash of pepper there, a "thingie" of something, then use that "doohickey" to smooth it out. Also if you had no clue what the "doohickey" was, she would fuss at you for not being a mind-reader. Yep, that was my grandmother, God bless her soul!

Having watched and helped my grandmother prepare this wonderful side dish with her for years, I am going to provide y'all with the recipe -- uh, with specific measurements for the ingredients, of course.

Ingredients

1/2 lb sliced yellow squash -- cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 large carrot -- grated

1 onion -- chopped

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 ounces sour cream

1 1/2 cup grated cheese

1 small box cheddar cheese crackers 

1/2 stick margarine -- melted 

salt & pepper

 Preparation and Cooking Directions

Boil squash, carrots and onion in a pot of water for about 7 to 10 minutes  until tender, then drain really well. Combine soup, sour cream, and cheese with the vegetables. Add salt and pepper as desired and carefully fold the combination to avoid crushing the vegetables. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish, smoothing it out. Crush cheese crackers and stir into the melted margarine, then sprinkle over top of the casserole to form a light crust. Preheat oven then bake your casserole at 350 F for 20 minutes, then cool and serve. 

This recipe serves up to 8 people for one supper.  

*On a personal note, you can also modify this recipe to make a really awesome Yellow & Zucchini Squash Casserole by simply using 1/4 sliced yellow squash and 1/4 sliced zucchini squash.

There you have it folks, my Grandma Carolyn's Classic Yellow Squash Casserole. It goes good with just about every big supper. I know it is popular with my immediate family and friends. I hope y'all with try it out and enjoy it for yourselves. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Day today, and a wonderful Dixie day, y'all!

Carl's Lemonade Stand Pie Recipe

This one is probably my favorite pie to have during the summer months down here in Dixie. Its the refreshing taste of a tall, cool glass of lemonade in a very delicious pie. A wonderful dessert for those hot summertime evening suppers.

Here's how y'all make it:

Ingredients

1/3 cup Country Time Lemonade Flavor Drink Mix

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed 

1 (6 oz.) Graham Pie Crust

Preparation and Cooking Directions

Place drink mix in large bowl. Add water; stir until mix is dissolved. Add ice cream. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Freeze, if necessary, until mixture is thick enough to mound. 

Spoon into crust.

Freeze at least 4 hours, or overnight until firm. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Let stand at room temperature until pie can easily be cut. Store leftover pie until freezer. Makes 8 servings. 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total: 4 hours 15 minutes (including freezing)