Whether it’s one hundred cheese straws for one hundred years, or a sweet cobbler to celebrate what grows here in the eastern half of North Carolina, there are recipes that represent the communities of the Diocese of Raleigh.
To honor the centennial, NC Catholics made a call for parish cookbooks. And readers answered! The magazine and its video series, NC Catholics NOW, looked through books and decided to prepare a cheese straw appetizer from Jacksonville and a cobbler dessert from Butner. The videos with written recipes, along with two additional recipes, are below.
Many thanks to those who took the time to share recipes with NC Catholics!
Cheese Straws from A Book of Favorite Recipes
Infant of Prague/Holy Spirit Church, Jacksonville/Kinston
1968 – 1984
Book shared by Martha Coyne
Recipe by Mrs. James A. Weesenigger
1 lb. sharp cheese, grated
1 ¾ c. plain flour
¼ lb. butter, creamed
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. red pepper
Cream butter; add cheese, salt and pepper, then flour. Put in cookie press or roll thin and cut in narrow strips 4 inches long. Bake in 350-degree oven for 25 minutes or until light brown. Makes 100.
Peach-A-Berry Cobbler from Recipes and Remembrances
St. Bernadette Church, Butner
2012
Book shared by Sara Lucas
Recipe by Mary Ellen Hissem
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ c. brown sugar
½ c. cold water
2 c. sugared, sliced fresh peaches
1 c. fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. sifted flour
½ c. granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ c. milk
¼ c. soft butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
Mix cornstarch, brown sugar and water. Add peaches and blueberries.
Cook and stir till mixture thickens. Add butter and lemon juice. Pour into 8 ¼ X 1 ¾ inch round ovenware cake dish. To make the crust: Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk and butter all at once. Beat until smooth. Pour over fruit. Mix together 2 tablespoons sugar and nutmeg. Sprinkle over batter. Bake in moderate oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until crust is done. Serve warm with cream or ice cream. Note: you can use canned or frozen fruits, drained. Note: You can substitute ½ cup syrup instead of the water.
Hot Chicken Salad from Feast of Goodness
St. Mary, Goldsboro
1996
Book shared by Michelle Heeden King
Recipe by Keith Flynn
2 c. diced chicken, cooked
2 c. chopped celery
2 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
8 oz. shredded cheddar
1 c. mayonnaise
½ c. chopped almond or water chestnuts
Mix and put in casserole dish and top with 1 cup of crushed potato chips. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve on buns or it is even better in pastry shells.
Sweet potato honey casserole from Heavenly Dishes
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Newton Grove
1984
Book shared by Angela Page
Recipe by Mary Frances Jones
5 large sweet potatoes
1 (8 oz.) can undrained crushed pineapple
1 c. honey
1 c. flaked coconut
1 c. chopped pecans
1 1/2 c. miniature marshmallows
Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water until tender; peel and mash. Combine potatoes and add next 4 ingredients. Spoon into a slightly greased 2 qt. casserole dish.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with marshmallows. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown.
Pictured below, Peach-A-Berry Cobbler from Recipes and Remembrances
