Nobody knows country cooking like these East Texas folks; carrot casserole is but one example

While I was on the visit to my college roomie's house (I mentioned this in yesterday's blog), I spotted what I knew would be a dynamite cookbook. The book on her shelf was produced by the First Baptist Church of Longview, TX, and contained favorite recipes from members over the years. Now, you talk about a group of smokin' hot cooks—difficult to imagine any collection of folks who have it more together food-wise than these folks do.

Understand that the East Texas cook is just a different breed than are people in the rest of the world. People from East Texas tend to be gourmet country cooks. They just KNOW how to do everything to perfection—from the world's best stovetop fried chicken to everything-from-scratch. My cookbooks, Way Back in the Country and Way Back in the Country Garden, are paens of praise to this region of the country (from which my own forebears hail) and the good, basic foods that emanate from it. Many East Texas cooks are from families that originally migrated over from the Deep South, so the moonlight-and-magnolias ways of food prep are deeply ingrained. Furthermore the rich East Texas soil promulgated vegetable gardening at its finest, so East Texas cooks became inventive in their veggie dress-ups.

Time didn't permit me to leave with every recipe from this book that caught my eye. But Cafeteria Carrot Souffle was a must-copy. Anyone who's ever dined at Luby's or Wyatt's cafeterias remembers this dish from the serving lines. Hubby’s response when he tasted a sample: “Isn't this dessert?” It definitely could be, but the use of sugar and egg substitutes makes it a healthy choice and a good way to get all those benefits that carrots offer.

Thanks to Katherine Doane of FBC Longview for submitting this scrumptious choice for her church’s recipe book collection.

Cafeteria Carrot Souffle

2 pounds carrots, cooked and mashed

3 eggs, beaten (or 3/4 cup egg substitute)

3/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

powdered sugar

Combine mashed carrots with next 8 ingredients. Pour into greased 8-inch-by-8-inch casserole dish. Bake 350 degree for 30 minutes. Top with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Makes 6-8 servings.