Carbin' in South Carolina

Myrtle Beach Cookin' (United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 1977) is a bit unusual. Most of the fundraising community cookbooks I see tend to be one-and-done deals.

But this book is from the 1994 fifth printing. This must have been pretty popular!

One thing that impressed me about this collection is the devotion to carbs. Some entries introduced me to carbs I'd never heard of before, like this recipe for Stuff 'n Such Hot Dogs.

What the hell was "Uncle Ben's stuff 'n such"? Apparently, it was an early and short-lived competitor for Stove Top stuffing mix. The recipe's persistence in the collection suggests the collection was not updated for subsequent printings.

Sometimes, the recipes are very practical, intent on saving carbs from getting stale or moldy. Got too many hot dog buns? Turn them into seasoned bread sticks!

These are basically just long, skinny croutons flavored with "crazy salt," lemon pepper, curry powder, and a stick and a half of margarine so they can "keep a long time."

Some of the recipes use carbs in non-standard ways. I didn't really expect to see mashed potato flakes turned into a dessert-y pie filling...

And yet, here they are, mixed with eggs, sugar, and lemon instant pudding, along with the more standard ingredients to reconstitute potato flakes. (And this is called "Irish Potato Pie" not to suggest that it's for St. Patrick's Day, but to let people know not to expect sweet potato pie!)

There are appetizer carbs coated in a layer of carbs to superficially resemble a fancy (and carby) sweet snack.

I was not expecting the bread cubes to be coated with a "frosting" of cheese, butter, and Tabasco bound with flour, but that's exactly what these are. (I'll bet I would agree with the assessment that they are "delicious," though.)

In case you want something a little lighter, I will end this with a vegetable recipe. (Still carbs, but they're considerably watered down in veggie form!) I kind of expected Mrs. Misey's Cucumbers and Onions to be a cool, salad-y preparation, perhaps with the titular veggies marinated in an oil-and-vinegar-based dressing in the fridge for a few hours before serving. Nope!

They're sliced up, layered, and cooked in a sauce that's half Ketchup and half chili sauce. (Not really sure why one merits capitalization and the other does not, but the stylistic choice adds interest.) I'm also not really sure why anyone would want hot cucumbers and onions under a slick of hot tomato-based condiments, but again, the choices got my interest.

I guess life on the beach can really spur an appetite for carby goodness! As can life in the Midwest when you're holed up inside for the winter... So I guess my point really is just that carbs are good. (Unless they're cooked under a layer of Ketchup and chili sauce.)