In early December of 1977, food editor Laurin Stamm began a weekly recipe column titled “From the Kitchen of The Cypress House.” The column ran continuously through November of 2000, featuring one or two recipes each week, and totaling more than 1,150 recipes over the 23 years.

Checkout, a current weekly column that features various food stories, events and recipes, looks back at some of the most popular recipes from The Kitchen of the Cypress House, and perhaps a newly discovered one every now and then.

July 25, 1979:

 When bell peppers get plentiful — as they are now — it’s time to serve them stuffed. Filled with ham or shrimp or ground beef mixture, there is nothing more tasty than stuffed green peppers.

Mrs. Stamm Sr. passed this recipe on to us years ago. I think it’s my favorite, although Louis Theobald has one using shrimp that is also delicious.

 

Stuffed Bell

Peppers, Creole

12 peppers for stuffing

2 onions, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup oleo

1 1/2 cups ground ham

1 cup water

1 cup tomato juice

1 can tomatoes

2 eggs, well beaten

2 cups cracker crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

2 or 3 drops Tabasco

1 teaspoon sugar

Seasoned bread crumbs

 

Cut the peppers in half; remove seeds and inside section. Parboil 5 minutes in water with a little sugar added. Drain. Sauté the chopped bell pepper, onions and garlic in the oleo until tender. Add the ham, water, tomato juice and tomatoes. Cook until some of the liquid has been absorbed. Add the cracker crumbs and beaten eggs. Add the seasonings. Stuff the peppers lightly with the mixture. Top with bread crumbs and a pat of butter or oleo. Bake at 350° for about 20 to 30 minutes.

 •

August 9,1979:

This past weekend was a hot one. And almost anything cold was refreshing to drink. The most delicious, most refreshing drink of the weekend, however, was a new slush my sister-in-law, Janie Selby Fields, served to us at her home in Clinton.

 

Sangria Slush

1 can crushed pineapple

2 1/2 cups red wine (Rose)

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons grated lemon rind

 

Blend the first five ingredients in a blender on high. Add the lemon rind to taste. Pour into a 9 x 9-inch pan and freeze. Shortly before serving, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let the slush soften. Break up the mixture with a spoon and put into glasses. Garnish with orange slices to serve.