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At church dinners, congregation members get to socialize and share a meal, feeding souls twofold. The menu almost always includes vegetables like potatoes and macaroni and cheese — if you don’t count macaroni and cheese as a vegetable, you might not be from the South! ALM reached out to local churches to request delicious recipes from members, and the ladies who responded did not disappoint! If you’re not sure what to make for your next potluck, check out these seven soul-satisfying dishes.

Swedish Apple Pie

Submitted by Cindy Kirk

St. Michael the Archangel, Woodstock

• 5 firm apples (Granny Smith, Fuji, etc.)

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar, divided

• ¾ cup melted butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup flour

• 1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease/oil a pie pan. Peel and slice enough apples to fill the pan approximately ⅔ full with firm apples. (If apples are not tart enough, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.) Sprinkle the apples with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sugar. Combine the melted butter, sugar, flour and egg. Pour the mixture over the apples. Sprinkle the top with remaining cinnamon sugar. (While baking, the batter will spread down into the apples and create a pie crust simultaneously.) Bake until deep golden brown, around 40-45 minutes. Chill and serve cold with whipped cream.

Note: Substitute ground/powdered oatmeal for the flour to make the recipe gluten-free.

Mom’s Potato Casserole

Submitted by Dottie Preuhs

The Way Woodstock Church

• 32 ounces frozen hash browns

• ¾ cup melted butter, divided (½ cup and ¼ cup)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• ½ cup chopped onion

• 1 can cream of chicken soup

• 8 ounces sour cream

• 10 ounces Velveeta, cut into chunks

• 2 cups crushed cornflakes

Thaw potatoes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix potatoes with ½ cup butter, salt, pepper, onion, soup, sour cream and Velveeta. Spread in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

Place crushed cornflakes in a bowl and mix with ¼ cup melted butter. Spread evenly on top of the potato mixture. Bake for 1 hour.

Four Cheese Macaroni

Submitted by Tammy Winter

Heritage Presbyterian Church, Acworth

• 16 ounces elbow macaroni

• ½ cup feta or blue cheese

• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1½ cups shredded jack cheese

• ¼ cup butter

• ¼ cup flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ⅛ teaspoon pepper

• 3 cups milk

• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

Cook macaroni. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch glass pan. Pour macaroni in the pan. Add feta and parmesan to hot pasta. Add half of the shredded cheeses to the pasta. Mix.

In a pot on the stove, make a roux by melting butter over high heat. Add flour, salt and pepper. Using a whisk, bring to a boil. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Reduce to low, and stir to thicken. Add remaining cheese. Mix roux into the pasta. Top with remaining shredded cheese, and sprinkle bread crumbs on top.

Bake to heat through and melt cheeses, until brown on top, 30-45 minutes.

This recipe can be multiplied for larger crowds.

Summer Fruit Cake

Submitted by Jean Lovmo

Little River Methodist Church

Woodstock

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup sour cream

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• Fresh or canned fruit of choice

You’ll need a 9-inch springform pan, the bottom lined with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for a shiny pan or 350 for a nonstick, dark pan. Beat eggs and sugar on high for 5 minutes. Add sour cream, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium until just blended. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients until blended. Add to egg mixture and beat on low until blended. Don’t overbeat. Pour half of the mixture into the pan; top with fruit. Pour the rest of the mixture in the pan, covering fruit. Top with fruit, and bake 50-60 minutes. Cool in pan, remove ring, dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Note: This recipe can be made with different summer fruits, such as chopped strawberries, pineapple, blueberries and canned pears.

Arleen’s Rhubarb Torte

Submitted by Cindy Kirk

St. Michael the Archangel, Woodstock

• ¼ cup butter or margarine

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons hot water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 cup flour

• 2½ cups chopped rhubarb (½ inch pieces)

• ½ cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Beat. Add water and vanilla. Mix. Add dry ingredients, and mix well. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Bake 45 minutes in an 8-by-8-inch or 9-by-9-inch pan. Top with sauce (recipe below) when serving.

Caramel Sauce Topping

• ½ cup butter

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup sugar

• ½ cup whipping cream

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Place butter, sugars and whipping cream in a quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil for 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla. Serve sauce hot.

Easy Chicken Pie

Submitted by Lisa McBurnett

McHelen Baptist Church, Canton

• ½ stick melted butter

• 1 cup broth

• 1 can cream of chicken soup

• Salt and pepper

• 3 cups shredded chicken

• 1 cup milk

• 1 cup baking mix

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix butter, broth and soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a 13-by-9-inch pan, layer chicken with the mixture. Combine baking mix with milk and pour over the chicken mixture. Do not stir. Bake for 45 minutes.

Cheddar Cheese Meatloaf

Submitted by Janis Forrester

McHelen Baptist Church, Canton

• 1½ pounds ground beef

• 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• ¾ cup oatmeal

• 1 egg

• 1¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• ¾ cup milk

• 8-ounce block sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend meat with mushrooms, onion, oatmeal, egg, salt, pepper and milk. Dice cheese into ½-inch cubes. Mix into meat mixture, distributing cheese evenly. Bake in a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan for 60 to 75 minutes. Pour off liquid. Cool before cutting.

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