Happy Hanukkah!
CP&L Marketing, Cooking Class, unknown location, no date (1940s). From Carolina Power and Light (CP&L) Photograph Collection (Ph.C.68), North Carolina State Archives. Call no. PhC68_1_403_3.
Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa or New Year’s Eve, food is an inherent part of many holiday gatherings. Some have special recipes they only make during this time of the year.
Be sure to check out the NCpedia entries about food and its history in North Carolina. Perhaps you will extract a few gems of information to share at the next holiday party. Breathe a sigh of relief that we now have refrigeration when you read the entry on food preservation. Cooking in the 1800s will also leave many thankful for grocery stores and ovens.
Below is a recipe that has been a huge hit at staff potlucks at the Government & Heritage Library in the past. It’s one of Secretary of State Elaine Marshall’s family recipes. While assembling the ingredients you may again be thankful for grocery stores, refrigeration and ovens!
Spinach Cheese Bake Recipe
1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1 box corn muffin mix
8 oz. sour cream
2 eggs (beaten)
6 Tbsp. butter (melted)
1 can french onion soup
4 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
Stir together all ingredients, except the cheese, until well blended. Pour mixture into a greased 10 in. round or equivalent baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes (until the top is lightly browned). Sprinkle the cheese on the top and bake for an additional 5 minutes (or until the cheese melts). Serve immediately. Serves 8.
What are your favorite holiday recipes?
