Prune Cake, Beef a la Mode, Tennessee Chicken

Well guys, how ‘bout a couple recipes today? With all that has been goin’ on with our lives, lookin’ back in regards to the recipe department, the exact opposite was taking place…absolutely NOTHIN’ goin’ on. Well, that’s about to change! Mom gave me a recipe book many years ago that to be honest, I’d forgotten about. I was looking through my library the other day and found this dern thing.

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It was written by the ladies of First Presbyterian Church in Apopka, Fla., which is where my Mom and Dad live. They don’t attend this church, but Mom knows many, many of the ladies that do. Looking through it this morning, I found one recipe that kinda just, “jumped out” at me! If you read our column today you’ll know why. I just thought this would be a good tongue in cheek look at our, or my, life the past week! Why…cause the first recipe is…PRUNE Cake! Prune Cake:

• 1 cup Wesson oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 cup cooked, mashed prunes
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg

Mix ingredients well. Pour into 2 greased 8 inch cake pans. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Icing for Prune Cake:

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 box 10x confectioners sugar
• 1 stick margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together well, and spread on cooled cake. **(Dub’s personal recommendation) Eat very near outhouse! Jus kiddin’, Mississippi! Beef a la Mode:

• 3-4 pound beef shoulder roast
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup water
• Several whole cloves
• ½ cup vinegar
• Tomatoes
• 3-4 onions
• Browned flour

Brown beef roast in drippings. When brown on all sides, add 1 to two cups water and about ½ cup vinegar. When beef has boiled about an hour, add 3-4 onions, a bay leaf, and several whole cloves. Add tomatoes as well. About ½ hour before beef is done, or cooked to your own preference, thicken the gravy with flour browned in a little fat. Add salt and pepper to taste and more vinegar, if desired. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or noodles. Tennessee Chicken:

• 1 small jar of chipped beef
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 8 chicken breasts (boned and skinned)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 slices of bacon, cut in half

Cover bottom of 9x13 inch baking dish with one layer of chipped beef. Wrap ½ bacon slice around each chicken breast and place on top of chipped beef. Mix soup and sour cream well, and spread over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Bake, while covered, for 2 hours at 275. Remove cover and bake 1 additional hour or more, if needed.