Recipe: Oven Meal of Chicken, Potatoes, Beans and Apple Cake

Here's the commentary and photos of last evening's oven meal. We substituted green beans for lima beans, and made pear cake rather than apple. And we did desire whipped cream on our cake, thank you very much.

Pear Cake Deluxe with whipped cream

One more thought about oven meals in general. It strikes me that an oven meal would be ideal for an evening when company's coming. I can't remember which crappy old cookbook I read this in, but a hostess should do her best to entertain company, not be in the kitchen the whole time. Oven meals make this possible.

Recipes for Oven Fried Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes, Buttered Lima/Green Beans, and Apple (or Pear) Cake Deluxe-- all baked together at 350* for an hour and a half-- below.

OVEN MEAL OF CHICKEN, POTATOES, LIMAS, AND APPLE CAKE

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 350^o. Prepare all dishes and bake together for 1 ½ hours.

OVEN FRIED CHICKEN

½ C flour

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¾ C butter, melted

3 lb chicken cut into serving pieces, or chicken parts

Mix together dry ingredients in a freezer bag. Brush each chicken piece with melted butter and place in bag. Shake bag to coat chicken pieces thoroughly. Pour remaining melted butter in bottom of a baking dish and arrange chicken pieces in dish in a single layer, skin side up. Bake uncovered.

SCALLOPED POTATOES

29 oz can whole white potatoes, drained

4 Tbsp butter

4 Tbsp flour

2 tsp salt

2 ½ C milk

2 ½ C shredded yellow cheese (any variety)

Slice potatoes and put in casserole or baking dish. Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour. Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring frequently, until sauce begins to thicken. Stir in salt and cheese, stirring, until sauce has thickened. Pour hot cheese sauce over potato slices. Bake uncovered.

BUTTERED LIMA BEANS

1 lb bag frozen lima beans

¼ C water

3 Tbsp butter

Put limas in a baking dish or casserole and sprinkle with water. Dot with butter. Bake covered.

APPLE (OR PEAR) CAKE DELUXE

1 2/3 C cake flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 C shortening

2/3 C sugar

2 eggs

2/3 C milk

2 C apples or pears, pared and sliced thin

1 C shredded coconut

Sweetened whipped cream (optional, for serving cake)

Sift together dry ingredients. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs to creamed mixture one at a time, beating after each addition. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to creamed mixture, mixing thoroughly. Fold in apple or pear slices and coconut flakes. Pour into a greased and floured 9 inch cake pan (round or square). Bake uncovered until completely done in center. Serve warm with whipped cream (if desired).