Comfort meals
When something as devastating as the crash of Flight 5191 hits a community, one of the first things we think about is how to offer comfort to the families.
The Kentucky tradition is to take a dish to the family’s home.
We searched our files and cookbook collections and came up with some really good recipes that can be delivered to families who need such meals.
While at the grocery, remember to pick up disposable baking pans and plastic containers.
Stuffed chicken breasts
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 box (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
1⁄4 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Using a meat mallet, flatten the breasts.
In a skillet, melt butter. Add onion and cook for 1 minute. Stir in drained, uncooked spinach. Add salt and pepper and shredded cheese. Stir until barely heated. Divide equally among flattened chicken breasts. Roll up and secure with toothpick. Place in a disposable baking dish and cover. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
Oatmeal pan cake
Cake:
1 1⁄4 cups boiling water
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons half-and-half or whole milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-13-2-inch pan. Combine the boiling water and oats in a small bowl; set aside to cool.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes, until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in the oatmeal until thoroughly blended. With mixer on lowest speed, gradually add flour mixture to bowl. Transfer to prepared pan, and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To make topping: While the cake bakes, melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the remaining topping ingredients and set aside.
When the cake is done, remove from oven and preheat the broiler. Arrange a rack about 4 inches from the broiler. Gently spread the topping across the cake. Place cake beneath broiler; watching carefully, broil it 1 to 2 minutes, until it turns lightly golden brown. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares. The cake is good served a little warm or at room temperature. Makes 12 to 16 servings.
(Source: The Cake Club: Delicious Desserts and Stories From a Southern Childhood by Susie Quick)
Summer squash casserole
1 stick butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package herb stuffing mix
2 pounds sliced squash
1 carrot, grated
1 medium onion, grated
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the butter with the stuffing mix. In a saucepan, cook the squash, carrot, and onion until tender; drain. Add 2⁄3 cup of the stuffing mixture to the squash mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream and soup and add to the squash mixture. Pour into a greased casserole dish and top with the remaining stuffing mix. Bake for 30 minutes.
(Source: Church Suppers by Barbara Greenman)
Amazing coconut pie
2 cups milk
3⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup biscuit mix
4 eggs
1⁄4 cup butter or margarine
1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup Baker’s Angel Flake coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender, combine the milk, sugar, biscuit mix, eggs, butter and vanilla. Cover and blend on low speed for 3 minutes. Pour the mixture into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Let the mixture stand for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the coconut. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve warm or cool.
If you don’t have time to cook, pick up a fruit tray at the market, but do put together this refreshing dip.
Fruit dip
1 cup sour cream
1⁄2 cup coconut
1⁄2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup raspberry yogurt
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve with fresh fruit.
Macaroni and cheese is always a comforting dish. This recipe is from Louise Hirschfield Moneyhon of Augusta. “Growing up in Maysville, our family of five kids always considered mom's (Clara Lee Daniels Hirschfeld) macaroni and cheese to be the very best in town,” she said.
Clara’s special macaroni and cheese
2 cups Carnation evaporated milk
1 16-ounce box Mueller’s elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 pounds Velveeta cheese
Pinch of salt
Heat milk in medium saucepan. Cut cheese into small pieces and add to hot milk. Stir until cheese melts. Add salt. Add hot, drained macaroni to sauce. Put in casserole dish. Dot with butter and cover top with crumbled Zesta saltine crackers. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes.
