Employee's Southern Recipes

Appetizers Salads Casseroles Vegetables Desserts

APPETIZERS

Cheese Ball
KELLY FRANKLIN, wife of Greg Franklin No. 5 Mine
2 pkgs cream cheese
1 pkg pressed beef (luncheon meat)
4 stalks of green onions
1 pkg chopped nuts
wheat crackers
Finely chop pressed beef and green onion stalks
Mix in the cream cheese then form into a ball. Roll ball around until coated with chopped nuts.
Serve with wheat crackers
Refrigerate leftovers
 

CHEESE PUFFS
JOANNE LANE - Central Mining Office, Accounts Payable
1 - 8 oz. package refrigerator biscuits
1/4 lb. cubed sharp cheddar cheese
Oil for deep frying
Separate biscuits; cut each into thirds. Wrap dough around cheese cubes and seal well. Fry in hot oil two or three minutes until brown. Yield 30 appetizers.

Hot Taco Dip
Judy Gibson
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound hot sausage
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
1 jar "hot" taco sauce
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour Cream
Chili Pepper
Sliced Jalapeño
Brown ground chuck. Drain and set aside. Brown sausage. Drain and set aside. Mix refried beans, taco seasoning and taco sauce in a large skillet. On medium heat, stir until well blended. Add ground chuck and sausage. Simmer until thoroughly heated. Pour into a large pie pan. Mix sour cream and chili powder together. Spread on top of pie. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of sour cream. Finish with jalapeno slices. Serve with corn chips. (Note: This can be made as hot or as mild as you like. Use mild taco sauce and mild sausage for the "faint of heart". I like mine "extra hot" so I add a lot of black pepper and simmer some jalapenos in with the ground chuck). Good luck and good eating!

Vegetable Sandwich Spread
Judy Gibson
2 Tomatoes
1 Cup Celery
1 Small Onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 Cucumber
1 Envelope Plain Gelatin
1/4 Cup Boiling Water
1/4 Cup Cold Water
1 Pint Mayonnaise
1 Teaspoon Salt
Chop all vegetables very fine and drain well on paper towels
Soften gelatin in cold water, add boiling water. Fold in mayonnaise and salt. Add vegetables and spread on bread, crackers, or stuff in a tomato.

CASSEROLES

SQUASH DRESSING
DIANE HOWARD, wife of Timmie R. Howard at No. 7 Mine
3 Cups corn bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon sage
1 Stick butter or margarine
1 Can cream of chicken soup
Salt & pepper to taste
2-1/2 cups cooked squash, drained
2 Medium carrots grated
1 Small carton sour cream
1 Medium onion chopped, fine
Mix all ingredients together
Pour in baking dish, bake 40 minutes @ 350 degrees

EASY BOILED HAM & NOODLE CASSEROLE
JOANNE LANE - Central Mining Office, Accounts Payable
8 - slices oblong thin sliced boiled ham
1/4 inch wide egg noodles
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 pint sour cream
Cook egg noodles and drain. Place noodles on each ham slice and roll up. Place in baking dish. Mix soup and sour cream and pour over ham. Top with grated cheddar cheese and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.

CHICKEN CASSEROLE
AUDREY PRUETT
1 cup celery chopped
1 tbs. cooking oil
1 can sliced chestnuts, drained
1 can bean sprouts, drained
1 small onion chopped
2 cups chicken, cut into pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 large can of noodles

Sauté celery and onions in cooking oil. cook chicken until it falls off the bone. Mix chicken with cream of chicken soup, bean sprouts, water chestnuts and 3 tablespoons of broth from the chicken. Add onion, celery, salt and pepper to taste. Cook in covered casserole about 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Uncover and add noodles and cook another 5 minutes. Serve with soy sauce.

SQUASH CASSEROLE
SHELBY COWLEY - CENTRAL MINING OFFICE
1 - #2 can squash or 2-1/2 cups frozen or fresh squash
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 stick oleo
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 oz. cheese
1 box Ritz crackers

Grease baking dish with oleo, mix your first eight ingredients together.
Crumble a few of the Ritz crackers into the already mixed ingredients.
Mix a little of the grated cheese and into the mixture and continue to
alternate crumbled crackers and grated cheese until all has been used up.
Crumble a few crackers on top after all ingredients are well mixed. Dot
with butter and bake for 20 minutes in oven at 375 degrees. Do not cover
while baking. Serves 8-12 people

Sweet Potato Casserole
Lynn England
3 cups of mashed sweet potatoes (fresh boiled or can )
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tea. vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter
Mix together and pour into casserole dish.
Topping
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup of melted butter
Mix together and sprinkle over the top
Preheat oven to 350 degrees cook for 30 minutes.

CHEESE APPLES
JANE DAVIS (Husband Elbert works owl shift at No. 7 Mine)
2 cans sliced unsweetened apples
2 sticks of butter (not margarine) at room temperature
1-1/2 cups of self-rising flour
1-1/2 cups of sugar
1 pound of Velveeta cheese
Chill Velveeta cheese without wrapper for abut 30 minutes in freezer, then
grate or shred. Drain apples - mix butter and sugar together real good,
slowly add flour then cheese. Pour drained apples in a large long pan that
has been greased with shortening. Pour the mixture over the apples - bake
at 350 degrees for 30 -45 minutes.

DESSERTS

EASY LEMON POUND CAKE
I LOVE THE RECIPES AND JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE OF MY FAVORITE TO THE LIST.

1 BOX MOIST LEMON CAKE MIX
4 EGGS
3/4 CUP APRICOT NECTAR
3/4 CUP OIL

MIX ALL INGREDIENTS WELL WITH BLENDER TILL BATTER IS SMOOTH

BAKE ON 350 DEGREES FOR 45 - 60 MINUTES DEPENDING ON YOUR OVEN

LET COOL ABOUT 20 MINUTES THEN DRIP ICING OVER TOP WHILE CAKE IS STILL JUST A LITTLE
WARM

ICING
1/2 CUP POWDERED SUGAR
2-3 TBS LEMON JUICE

HOPE YA'LL LIKE THE RECIPE. RICHELLE SMITH ( EX-CMO EMPLOYEE & DAUGHTER OF RICHARD ABERNATHY RETIREE #3 MINE)

Mother's Christmas Molasses Cookies
This recipe comes from Jim Coombs who retired from JWR in 1997

I remember when I was a child, my Grandma Riley baked us cookies (her mother's recipe) on a four-legged coal burning stove. It was molasses cookies with raisins and we would fight for them they were so good!
Over time, the recipe disappeared and stoves and ovens changed in design too.  My wife Chris and I (me being the senior tester/baker) have been trying to recreate this cookie for some time.  About 10 years ago Chris was given a Florida cookbook by a member of the Jim Walter family.  It had a recipe that looked like a winner so with what we learned over the years, we finally came up with what I remember from my childhood days.
So at least to some degree from the memory of Grandma Riley, for Christmas 2002, we offer this recipe to the families of JWR to be shared with all.  I am pleased to say this is the cookie I dreamed of many times over as a child.

Ingredients
1 cup light brown sugar                  1/2 cup old coffee
1 cup shortening                            4 cups flour (level)
1 cup molasses (Brer Rabbit)          1 tsp. salt
3 egg yolks                                    2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups raisins (or to taste)               1/4 tsp. cloves
3 tsp. baking soda                          1 tsp. ginger

1. Mix sugar, shortening, molasses, eggs and coffee (by hand)
2. Mix flour, soda, salt & spices (Hint: save some of the dry mix to coat the raisins so they don't stick together when adding them to the batter).
3. Fold 2 into 1 a little at a time then fold in the flour coated raisins and any flour left over.  Do this by hand or you will ruin your mixer!
4. Spoon drop to an un-greased dark cookie sheet. Quantity equals 8-1/2 to 9 dozen. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 9 minutes and no more or they will be dry, I promise For a light colored sheet you might try 10 minutes.  They need to be moist coming out of the oven.  

ORANGE DELIGHT CAKE
JOANNE LANE - Central Mining Office, Accounts Payable
1 box yellow cake mix
1 box lemon instant pudding mix
3/4 cup Wesson oil
3/4 cup water
4 eggs
(ICING)
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tbs. melted butter
1/3 cup plus 2 tbs. frozen orange juice
Cake: Mix all ingredients well. Bake in angel food cake pan which has been greased and floured. Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
Icing: Mix and pour over cake while it is warm.

MOUND BARS
JOANNE LANE - Central Mining Office, Accounts Payable
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted margarine
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 cups coconut
1 - 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
Mix crumbs, powered sugar and margarine. Press into a 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 300 degrees. Mix milk and coconut. Spread over base and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with chocolate chips. Let set a few minutes then spread with remaining chocolate chips.

SOUTHERN PECAN PIE
PAMELA HANDLEY
Combine:
1 cup of sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil
Slowly add to mixture 3 beaten eggs
1 cup pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pour into 8 or 9 inch unbaked pastry shell
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes

EASY SOUTHERN LEMON PIE
PAMELA HANDLEY
1 can frozen lemonade (thawed)
1 (12 oz) whipped topping
1 can condensed milk
Pour into graham cracker crust and refrigerate (makes 2 pies)

PEANUT BUTTER HONEY BALLS
PAMELA HANDLEY
1 cup non-fat dry milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
In a small bowl, mix peanut butter, honey and graham cracker crumbs until
blended. Shape in one inch balls, roll in *coating and chill.
*Optional coatings - chopped nuts or confectioners sugar

Pamela also included this glossary of "Kid's Kitchen Terms"
Cookie - item that must be eaten in front of siblings (especially if it's
the last one)
Soda Pop - shake & spray
Table leg - percussion instrument
Leftovers - described as GROSS!
Napkin - any cloth object being worn such as shirt or pants

TINY CHEESECAKE TARTS
FAITH QUALLS - CENTRAL MINING OFFICE (retired)
1 Stick of real butter
3/4 cups of Graham cracker crumbs
2 - 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
3 eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar

Butter small muffin tins very heavy with soft butter. Put 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs in each cup. Shake to coat, shake out excess. Beat together cram cheese, egg yolks, and sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, bet egg whites until stiff. Fold beaten egg whites into cheese mixture. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees, then allow to cool. Fill indentation with 1/2 teaspoon of *sour cream topping. When completely cool, remove to serving plate and refrigerate. These may be made ahead and frozen, but put on fruit topping right before serving.

*TOPPING
3/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Mix well in baking dish. Bake 5 minutes at 400 degrees.

Makes 48. Optional: A small amount of additional toppings may be added. Try cherry, blueberry or strawberry pie filling; kiwi slices, grape halves, shaved chocolate or any other toppings you prefer.

BANANA PUDDING
REBECCA MILLER
3 cups milk
2-1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
6 eggs - separate and save egg whites for meringue
1 t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients above together in a double boiler and cook on low-med. heat until thick. Then add egg yolks and vanilla. Cook about 10 minutes.

Prepare pan with vanilla wafers and bananas (4-5 bananas). Then pour pudding over bananas.

MERINGUE
Beat egg whites, 1/8 cup sugar and 1/2 t. tartar until fluffy and spread over pudding and cook in oven until peaks are brown.

STRAWBERRY CAKE
JUDY LAKE - CENTRAL MINING OFFICE
1 box white or yellow cake mix
1-1/3 oz package strawberry Jell-O
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped pecans
4 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 small package of frozen strawberries
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients together, then add remaining ingredients. Beat on medium speed for three minutes. Pour into well greased bundt pan or 10" tube pan and bake for approximately 55 - 60 minutes. Delicious served plain or with whipped cream.

STRAWBERRY ANGEL FOOD CAKE DELIGHT
SANDRA JANE DAVIS (husband E. L. Davis works at No.7 Mine)
1 Angel food cake
Pinch up cake into pieces into a large bowl. In another bowl, mix 1 can of Eagle Brand Milk, 1-8 oz. package of cream cheese (room temp.) and add a couple squirts of lemon. Mix and pour over the angel food cake, chill for 1 hour.

Use 1 jar of Marie's Strawberry Glaze and spread over chilled cake mixture and top with sliced strawberries.

BANANA CAKE
GINA KELLY - TRAINING CENTER
Combine 1 block of butter, 1-1/2 cups sugar and 2 eggs.
Add 1-2/3 cups plain flour, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, 4 tbs. buttermilk or 1 tbs. vinegar & 3 tbs. milk, 2 ripe mashed bananas, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional 1 tsp. almond extract).
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 30 minutes to 1 hour in lightly greased tube or loaf pan.

POUND CAKE
GINA KELLY - TRAINING CENTER
1 cup Crisco
2 cups sugar
1 cup eggs (5)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
2 cups cake flour (sifted 3 or 4 times)
Dash of salt (optional)
Cream sugar and Crisco, add eggs, vanilla, lemon and almond extracts. Add flour a little at a time. Add salt. Grease bottom only of tube pan, bake 1 hour in preheated 350 degree pan.

CRUSTY POUND CAKE (HEART HEALTHY)
Gina Kelly's Mother-In-Law's Recipe
3 sticks softened margarine
3 - 4 oz. containers of Egg Beaters
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream margarine in large mixer bowl; add sugar gradually and mix well
Add Egg Beaters, one carton at the time beating well
Add flavoring
Combine flour and salt; mix into batter until moistened
Spray tube pan (or 2 loaf pans) with Baker's Joy
Pour in batter
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour & 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
Cool in pan 15 minutes - turn out and turn right side up.

COCONUT MACAROON COOKIES
BRENDA LEWIS - CENTRAL MINING OFFICE
1 cup shortening (I use butter flavor Crisco)
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
2 cups flaked coconut
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup raisins (optional. I use golden raisins)

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and soda. Add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Add coconut, oatmeal, pecans and raisins. Drop by teaspoonful onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Yield: 4 dozen

This cookie is my family's favorite. They rarely have time to cool before they are gone.

GOLDEN FUDGE
BRENDA LEWIS - CENTRAL MINING OFFICE
1 cup granulated sugar
1 stick butter
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 LB (2-1/4 cups) firmly packed light brown sugar
2 (6 oz.) packages butterscotch morsels
1 (7-1/2 to 10 oz) jar marshmallow cream
1 cup nuts (I use pecans)

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add milk and blend. Add brown and white sugars. Stir over medium heat until well blended. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture forms a softball when small amount is dropped in cold water, about 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butterscotch morsels until blended. Stir in marshmallow cream until thoroughly blended. Add rum and vanilla extracts, raisins and nuts. Pour into 2 buttered, 8" square pans. When cool, cut into squares. Keep in a closed container.

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY PIE
SYLVIA ALGEE - CENTRAL MINING OFFICE
1 - 8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
Grape Jelly
1 chocolate graham cracker pie crust
1 - 8 oz. Cool Whip

Combine softened cream cheese with peanut butter. Spread onto pie crust.
Top with a sufficient amount of grape jelly.
Top this with Cool Whip.
Refrigerate

PAYDAY CANDY
Lynn England
3 cups salted peanuts
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups peanut butter chips
1 can of condensed milk
2 cups of miniature marshmallows
Place half of peanuts in a pan.
In top of a double boiler melt butter, peanut butter chips, condensed milk, and marshmallows heat until creamy, stirring frequently.
Pour over peanuts in the pan and spread evenly.
Place remaining peanuts evenly on top and press.
Refrigerate for about 1 - 2 hours, cut into squares and serve.

PEANUT BUTTER BAR COOKIES
Lynn England
Preheat oven 375 degrees
Butter 1 cup
Eggs 2
Sugar 1 cup
Vanilla 1 tea.
Brown Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Peanut Butter 3/4 cups
Mix above ingredients and set aside.
Flour 2 cups
Salt 1/2 tea.
Baking Soda 1 tea
Mix dry ingredients, add to above mixture.
Add 2 cups oatmeal and stir. Spread into baking pan sprayed with Pam.Cook 20 - 25 min.

Frosting
Confectionery Sugar 1 lb.
Peanut Butter 1/2 cup
Vanilla 1 tea.
Mix enough milk to reach spreading consistency. Spread over warm bars and let cool.

REECE CUPS
Lynn England
1 cup peanut butter (melted in microwave)
1 cup butter ( melted in microwave)
Mix well
1 lb. confectionery sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
Mix well and press into pan.
1 - 12 oz. package chocolate chips
Pour over mixture in pan and refrigerate for 30 - 45 min. cut into squares and serve.

BREAD PUDDING
Judy Gibson
One loaf (one pound) cinnamon raisin bread (not iced)
One quart milk
Three eggs slightly beaten
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Two tablespoons vanilla
A pinch of nutmeg
Three tablespoons melted butter/margarine

Break bread into small chunks. Place in large bowl. Add milk and let soak ten minutes. Work mixture with hands until milk is absorbed. Combine eggs and next four ingredients. Stir into bread mixture. Pour into 13 X 9 X 2 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.
Glaze
Two cups powdered sugar
Three teaspoons lemon juice
One teaspoon warm water

LIME PIE
Joe Spransy
‘Nilla vanilla wafer pie crust
2 cans Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup (8 oz. bottle) of Real Lime lime juice
1 can (approx. 16 oz. by wt.) crushed pineapple
5 drops of green food coloring
1 container of Cool Whip
To Prepare the Filling
Drain the juice from the crushed pineapple -- you can use less than a large can if you think that you will not want as much pineapple in the mixture. (The juice can be the basis of a cool beverage while you prepare the pie.) Empty the two cans of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk into a mixing bowl. Add the lime juice and food coloring, and mix slowly being careful not to slosh the juice out of the bowl. (I usually mix the ingredients with a rubber scraper/spatula.) When the milk and juice have been thoroughly mixed, add the drained pineapple and blend together well.
Pour the filling into the store-bought vanilla wafer crust [unless you have time to crush 3/4 of a box of vanilla wafers, and blend those crumbs with 3 Tbs. of sugar and 2 Tbs. of margarine and press into a pie pan and bake at 250 degrees for a few minutes until just a little brown - cool it down before adding filling.] Of course, a graham cracker crust can be used as an alternate. There may be a little too much filling for the pie shell, in which case pour the remaining filling in a bowl and store in the refrigerator until the kids get home from school.
Chill pie in refrigerator for a few hours, and serve topped with Cool Whip. Will serve 8 persons.

SALADS

BROCCOLI SALAD
LINDA PIPER
6 cups broccoli flowers
1 cup dark raisins
1 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DRESSING
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons vinegar

VEGETABLES

OVEN FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
DON SANSING - CENTRAL MINING LAB (retired)
6-8 medium size tomatoes (sliced 1/4" thick)
2 cups dry corn meal mix
6-8 slices bacon cut into 1 inch squares
salt & pepper
non-fat cooking spray (PAM)

Sprinkle salt and pepper over each slice of tomato (both sides) and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the salt to draw moisture from the tomato so they appear wet. Roll each tomato slice in dry corn meal mix until coated completely (you may need to press the meal mix into the slice with your fingers if the slice is not completely covered).

Arrange the tomato slices on a baking sheet that has been very lightly sprayed with non-fat cooking spray. Place a 1 inch square of bacon on the top of each tomato. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees until crisp and golden brown, about 30-45 minutes.

NOTE: Green tomatoes with a whitish appearance have a higher sugar content than solid green ones and have a less acid flavor when cooked. The darker green tomatoes generally are more acid and will have a more tart taste when cooked - also slightly pink tomatoes may be used although they may not cook as crisp as whiter colored ones.

The bacon releases just the right amount of fat to fry the tomatoes without giving them a heavy greasy taste. It also gives them a slight smoky flavor that most Southerners prefer. Adjust salt and pepper to taste before serving.

A non-fat version is to forget the bacon and spray the cooking sheet more heavily with cooking spray before adding the tomatoes and spraying the tops of the tomato slices before baking. If you prefer the smoky flavor, rub a few drops of liquid smoke to the baking sheet.

CORN PUDDING
Judy Gibson
2 Cans Cream Corn
1 Small Can Evaporated Milk
5 Tablespoons Self Rising Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar 4 Eggs
1Stick Oleo or Margarine
Dash of Salt
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a 9 X 13 pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven until thick and bubbly. (Approximately 45 minutes).

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