Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
This recipe is for Oscie Gatliff of North Little Rock.
"My dad's favorite pie was raisin pie," Gatliff writes. "Can you tell me how to make raisin fried pies?"
I didn't find a recipe for raisin fried pies in our archives, but I did find this one at cooks.com. If you have a better one you'd like to share, please send it to the address below.
Raisin Fried Pie
1 pound raisins
1/2 orange, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 lemon, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
Unbaked pie pastry (store-bought or homemade)
Oil for deep frying
Place raisins, orange and lemon in saucepan with water to cover. Cook for 15 minutes; remove from heat. Add butter and sugar. Mix well. Chill in refrigerator. Roll pie pastry on a lightly floured surface; cut into 4-inch circles and place 2 tablespoons raisins in the center of each circle. Fold over and press edges together. Fry in deep hot oil until brown. Alternately, bake pies in a 350-degree oven until browned.
Steve Caver, formerly of North Little Rock and currently living in Mexico, shares this recipe for "homemade Velveeta."
Depending on the type of cheddar cheese used, this could be an inexpensive substitute for the smooth-melting, process cheese.
Homemade 'Velveeta'
1 (1/4-ounce) packet unflavored gelatin
6 tablespoons powdered milk
1 cup boiling water
1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, covering all sides and leaving excess to hang over.
Place gelatin and powdered milk in blender or food processor. Pour boiling water over top and pulse to combine. Add cheddar and puree mixture until smooth.
Pour and scrape cheese mixture into prepared loaf pan, smoothing it into an even layer with spatula.
Fold excess plastic wrap over the cheese, pressing it against the surface, ensuring it is completely covered.
Refrigerate at least 12 hours or until set. Cheese will keep refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for about a month.
Makes about 22 ounces.
Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:
kbrant@arkansasonline.com
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food on 09/21/2016