What better way to celebrate than with a meal?

The Benton Heights Presbytereian Church is celebrating its 70th anniversary by issuing a cookbook to nourish the body as well as the soul.

The 200-page volume is packed with recipes from members of the congregation, carefully categorized into sections that aere introduced by appropriate Bible verses.

On the cover is a picture of the church’s stained glass window.

The cookbook is available at $15 — add $5 shipping costs for mail orders — from the church. The book will also be available at the church bazaar on November 5.

For information or orders, call Peggy Wiggins at 704-292-1012 or e-mail bhpres@hotmail.com.

Here are a selection of recipes from the cookbook.

Mrs. Pettigrew’s

Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

5 to 6 cups of chicken stock

6 to 8 medium white potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 pint half-and-half

Betty Crocker’s “Butter and Herb” instant mashed potatoes (don’t substitute, this really is the best)

Topping

Bacon bits

Colby/Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded

DIRECTIONS

Bring about five cups of chicken stock to a boil; add teaspoon salt and potatoes. Turn down to simmer just until tender (about 15 minutes). Remove potatoes from stock. Do not discard the stock. Mash potatoes (I don’t pulverize mine, just mash and leave some smaller chunks), then return to stock. Stir well and add half-and-half. Stir again. Open one package of Betty Crocker instant mashed potato mix; add as you like to thicken soup. Remember it will thicken more with a little time. If soup is too thick, add more chicken stock; if too thin add more instant potatoes.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Top with cheese and bacon in individual serving bowls.

Jane Vandiver’s

Marinated Aparagus

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds asparagus

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup tarragon vinegar

3 Tablespoons chopped pimiento

3 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1 jar chopped pimiento

1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 hard-cooked egg

DIRECTIONS

Trim asparagus, cook until barely tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Combine next eight ingredients in a jar.

Place asparagus in shallow dish and pour dressing over. Let stand at least 2 hours. Garnish with egg.

Callie Baucom’s

Reuben Casserole

INGREDIENTS

1 16-ounce can saurkraut, drained

1 12-ounce can corned beef, cut into small pieces

2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup bottled Thousand Island dressing

2 tomatoes, sliced

2 Tablespoons softened margarine

1/4 cup Pumpernickel bread crumbs (made with two slices of bread.)

DIRECTIONS

Place sauerkraut in a 1 1/2 quart casserole lightly coated wiht non-stick vegetable spray. Top with corned beef and shredded cheese. Conbine mayonnaise and bottled dressing; spread over cheese. Top with tomato slices. Mix softened margarine with bread crumbs; spread over casserole. Cover and cook 12 to 14 minutes in a microwave oven.

Inez Plyler’s

Peek a Bleu Chicken

INGREDIENTS

2 whole chicken breasts, halved, boned and skinned

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 pluys 1/16 white pepper, divided

3 Tablespoons salt

2 ounces Bleu cheese, crumbled

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

1/3 cup milk

1 Tablespoon flour

4 Tablesooons butter

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Pound chicken to 1/8 inch thickness. Brush chicken with lemon juice.

Sprinkle with salt and a dash of pepper. In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning about three minutes on each side.

Remove from heat, cover and set aside. To make sauce, place bleu cheese in small pan to melt, stirring constantly over low heat.

In small bowl, mix milk and flour, stir until smooth. Add flour mixture butter, the remaining pepper and nutmeg to melted cheese and cook, stirring constantly , about five minutes of until thickened. Gradually stir in cream and 1 Tablespoon parsley. Cook one minute longer.

Place pan with chicken over medium heat. Pour sauce over chicken and cook about three minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tablespoon of parsley.

Meme’s Sunday Roll

by Karen Massey

INGREDIENTS

3 envelopes yeast

2 cups very warm water

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

5 1/2 to 6 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup instant dry milk

1/4 mcup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Sprinkle yeast over water in large bowl. Add pinch of sugar, stir and let stand 10 minutes. Add and stir in remaining sugar, oil and salt. Sift three cups flour with dry milk, stir into yeast mixture. Mix until smooth. Stir in enough four to make a soft, sticky dough. Turn onto a floured surface,. Knead five minutes. Cover with bowl and let stand 10 minutes. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut wiht a floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, fold over and pinch together. Place on greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Brush melted butter on top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in size. Bake at 400 degress for 10 minutes. Makes two dozen.

Debbie Barbee’s

Apple Crunch

INGREDIENTS

15 medium apples

1 cup granulated sugar

Cinnamon to taste

1 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter, melted

1 box yellow cake mix

Pecans

DIRECTIONS

Peel abnd dice apples and put into a greased 3-quart baking dish.

Sprinkle with granulated sugar and cinnamon taste. Add water. In a bowl, mix together cake mix, brown sugar and melted butter (This mixture will be crumbly.) Spread over apples. Sprinkle top with a few pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until brown.

Pecan Pie by

Lyn Curlee Tarlton

INGREDIENTS

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

2 eggs

2 Tespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 mcup butter, melted

1 cup pecans

1 unbaked pie shell

DIRECTIONS

Mix sugars and flour. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla and melted butter.

Fold in nuts. Pour into an 8-inch pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees until set, approximately 445 minutes.

Peggy Bradley’s

peanut butter

cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup margarine

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teas. baking soda

DIRECTIONS

Cream margarine, peanut butter, and eggs; add both sugars. Sift dry ingredients and add to peanut butter mix. Using teaspoon, scoop our small balls of dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and press down with fork.

Bake at 375 for 5 to 7 minutes.