In the Kitchen With Bettye Calhoun

 in Favorite Recipes / Now Magazines by

These recipes were contributed by Bettye Calhoun, a Corsicana resident, and originally appeared in the CorsicanaNOW May 2016 issue.

Chicken and Ham Gumbo

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup onions, chopped
  • 1/3 cup green bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. salt 
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 3 cups chicken broth, heated
  • 1 1/2 cups okra, cut into slices
  • 1 chicken, boiled, skinned, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 lb. ham, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 14.5-oz. can stewed tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. gumbo filé
  • 1 1/2 cups rice
  1. In a heavy, dark saucepan, combine flour and oil until mixture is smooth and dark brown.
  2. Stir in onions, green bell pepper and garlic; cook 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add salt and pepper; gradually stir in hot broth, okra, chicken, ham and tomatoes.
  4. Bring mixture to a boil; add gumbo filé.
  5. Cover; cook 30 minutes; serve over hot rice.

 

Bettye’s Mother’s Scripture Cake

  • 3/4 cup butter (Psalm 55:21)
  • 2 cups sugar (Jeremiah 6:20)
  • 6 eggs (Jeremiah 17:11)
  • 2 tsp. baking powder (Amos 4:5)
  • Pinch of salt (Luke 14:34)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. each nutmeg and cinnamon, or to taste (II Chronicles 9:9)
  • 3 cups flour (I Kings 4:22)
  • 2 3/4 cups raisins (I Samuel 30:12)
  • 2 cups ripe almonds, finely cut (Numbers 17:8)
  • 2 cups ripe figs, finely cut (Nahum 3:12)
  • 1 cup milk (Judges 5:25)
  • 2 Tbsp. honey (I Samuel 14:25)
  1. Combine butter and sugar; cream well.
  2. Add one egg at a time to butter mixture; beat well.
  3. Add baking powder, salt and spices to flour: mix together.
  4. Sprinkle a little of the flour mixture on the raisins, almonds and figs. Add the flour sprinkled mixture and milk to the butter and sugar mixture.
  5. Add honey; mix well.
  6. Bake in a tube or Bundt pan at 350 F for 1 hour or until done.

 

Bettye’s Sister’s Grape Salad

  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
  • 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 8-oz. sour cream
  • Small, seedless red and green grapes, to taste
  1. Mix first four ingredients well; add grapes; stir and serve.

 

Boneless Beef Brisket

  • 1 tsp. celery salt
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. onion salt
  • 4 oz. liquid smoke
  • 1 4-5 lb. brisket
  • 6 oz. Kraft Hickory Smoke Barbecue Sauce
  1. Mix first 5 ingredients well to make a marinade.
  2. In a large pan, marinate brisket; cover; refrigerate overnight.
  3. Still covered, cook brisket at 275 F for 5 hours; uncover and drain.
  4. Pour barbecue sauce over brisket; cover; cook at 275 F for 1 additional hour.
  5. Brisket will smell as good as it tastes after slicing and serving.

 

Stewed Cabbage Casserole

  • 2 Tbsp. meat drippings
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3 medium carrots, cut in rounds
  • 3 medium white potatoes, diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen whole kernel corn
  • 1 medium cabbage, chopped
  • 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen okra
  • 1 16-oz. can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp. each salt and pepper
  1. Mix meat drippings and water; spoon into large skillet.
  2. Put carrots and potatoes in skillet; add peppers and onion as a second layer.
  3. Add corn for third layer; add cabbage for fourth layer; add okra for fifth layer.
  4. Pour tomatoes on top of vegetables and spread evenly; add seasonings.
  5. Cover; cook 30 minutes over medium heat or until carrots are tender.