Blessings at Noon

Blessings at Noon: The Sacred Harp Cookbook is the work of St. Louis Sacred Harp singers, edited by Karen Isbell and Shelley Robbins. Containing recipes from Sacred Harp singers all over the United States, the book is currently out of print. Selected recipes follow, reprinted with permission.

  • Oven Fried Chicken
  • Italian Sausage Casserole
  • Green Tomato Casserole
  • Blackberry Cake
  • Old Fashioned Coconut Cake
  • Cocoa Pie
  • Oven Fried Chicken

    Margie Lee Dietz, Atlanta, Georgia, originally submitted to the Gainesville (Georgia) Times by Mrs. R. Parks Segars.
    1      whole chicken, cut in pieces
    1      stick butter or margarine
    1C     flour
    2      eggs
    2T     lemon juice
    1T     paprika
    1/2t   onion salt (optional)
           Rice Krispies(TM) or cracker crumbs
           salt
    
    Wash and salt cut up chicken pieces.  Drain well.  Melt
    one stick butter or margarine in baking dish.  Coat chicken
    with flour, then dip in the following mixture: eggs, lemon
    juice, paprika, onion salt.  Roll chicken in crushed Rice
    Krispies or cracker crumbs.  Place in baking dish and bake
    at 350 degrees for one hour.
    
    

    Italian Sausage Casserole

    Peggy Loddengaard, Hillsboro, North Carolina
    1 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage, cut in 1 inch lengths
    2 cloves garlic
    2        medium onions
    1 can    whole tomatoes, mashed
    1t       basil leaf
    1/2t     oregano leaf
    1T       parsley, chopped
    2        zucchini, thinly sliced
    1/2C     uncooked rice
             parmesan cheese, grated
    
    In skillet, brown sausage pieces.  Drain well on paper towel.
    In fat in pan (or oil) saute onion and garlic.  Add remaining
    ingredients (except cheese) and bake in casserole dish for one 
    hour at 350 degrees, until rice is done.  Add a bit of water 
    if necessary.  Sprinkle cheese on top.
    
    

    Green Tomato Casserole

    Bill Schrader, Madison, Alabama
    2        firm green tomatoes, sliced
    1        large onion, sliced thin
    2C       cheddar cheese, shredded
    1/4C     bread crumbs
    1/2C     parmesan cheese, grated
             salt and pepper to taste
    
    Grease a two quart covered casserole.  Salt and pepper the
    sliced tomatoes.  Place a layer of tomatoes in the bottom of
    the dish.  Cover with onion slices.  Cover with shredded 
    cheddar.  Repeat the layers one or two more times.  Top with
    parmesan and bread crumbs.  Cover and bake about 20 to 25
    minutes at 350 degrees.  
    
    Remove cover and continue baking until liquid is fairly
    well absorbed and top is slightly brown (about 20 minutes
    more).  Remove from oven, cover, and let stand 5 minutes.
    
    

    Blackberry Cake

    Virginia Killian, Lookout Mountain, Alabama
    2C       fresh blackberries
    1C       shortening
    2C       sugar
    2        eggs
    1t       vanilla extract
    3C       flour
    2t       baking soda
    1/2t     salt
    1t       ground cloves
    1t       ground cinnamon
    1C       raisins
    1C       pecans, chopped
    
    Put blackberries through a food mill to remove seeds, then
    set aside.  Cream shortening and sugar till light and fluffy.
    Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well.  Combine dry ingredients.
    Add to creamed mixture alternately with blackberry pulp,
    beating well after each addition.  Stir in raisins and
    pecans.  Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch
    bundt pan.  Bake at 300 degrees for one hour and 25 minutes.
    
    

    Old Fashioned Coconut Cake

    Edith Creel Tate, Dora, Alabama
    This recipe was handed down by my mother [Annie Reid Creel] to her girls. I have the copy she wrote in her handwriting.
    Cake:
    
    3      eggs
    3/4C   sweet milk
    1/2C   butter
    2 1/2C flour
    3t     baking powder
    1/2t   salt
    1 1/2C sugar
    1t     vanilla
    
    Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add dry
    ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla.  Bake in
    three layers at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
    
    Filling:
    
    1      coconut, grated, or 12oz frozen coconut
    1C     sweet milk
    3/4C   sugar
    1 t    vanilla
    2      egg yolks (save whites for icing)
    2T     flour
    
    Mix and cook over medium heat until thick, stirring
    constantly.  Spread between layers.
    
    Icing:
    
    2      egg whites
    1C     white Karo syrup
    
    Boil syrup and pour over beaten egg whites and beat 
    until smooth.  Spread over top and sides of cake, and
    sprinkle with coconut.
    
    

    Cocoa Pie

    Nora (Mrs. W.A.) Parker, Birmingham, Alabama
    Pie:
    
    3/4C   sugar
    1 1/2T cocoa
    1 1/2T plain flour
    3      eggs
    1t     butter or oleo
    1t     vanilla
    
    Beat eggs well.  Mix sugar, cocoa, and flour well.  Add
    beaten eggs, milk, and vanilla to sugar, flour, and cocoa.
    Mix well.  Then add butter.  Cook until thick on top of
    double boiler.  Pour into ready baked crust.  Top with
    meringue.  Bake in moderate oven, 350 degrees until golden
    brown.
    
    Meringue:
    
    2      egg whites
    1/4t   cream of tartar
    1/4t   vanilla
    5t     sugar
    
    Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks
    form.  Gradually add sugar, beating till stiff and
    glossy and all sugar is dissolved.  Spread over pie
    to edges.
    

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