Monthly Archives: January 2017
Joint worship service celebrates unity between Pickens churches
PICKENS — Last Sunday, members of Pickens Presbyterian Church, along with their brothers and sisters in Christ at Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church, held their first-ever joint worship service to celebrate unity.
During these times of national unrest between races, the churches feel as though it is vitally important for Christians to show love for one another and unity in Christ.
Griffin Ebenezer and Pickens Presbyterian have a strong history of working together to strengthen relationships with each other and building a bridge between the two churches.
As part of this ongoing effort, the two churches worshipped together at Griffin Ebenezer, with the Rev. Nath Briley from Pickens Presbyterian preaching, and following worship, all gathered for a shared meal together.
The event was a spirit-filled worship of the Lord and a time of building community in the name of Christ.
Soapstone set to host fundraiser
PICKENS — Soapstone Church invites everyone to a special fundraiser at the church, located at 296 Liberia Road in Pickens, this Saturday, Jan. 21.
The event will feature fine cooking and will be held from noon-8 p.m.
Visitors will enjoy true Southern cooking, including a fish fry, barbecue and fried chicken with all the fixings right from Mrs. Mabel’s kitchen.
For more information, call (864) 414-8470.
Courier Community Calendar 1-18-17
• Sertoma Club invites locals to meet
The Clemson Sertoma Club invites all interested local residents to attend its meetings.
The club meets at noon the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Occasions at Wedgefield, located at 1551 Eighteen Mile Road in Central. New visitors are always welcome.
• Pickens Lions plan meetings each month
The Pickens Lions Club is in need of new members. The club meets the first and third Thursday of every month at Pizza Inn in Pickens. Dinner begins at 6:40 p.m., and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to anyone.
• Family Discovery Project set by 4-H
Those interested will be able to learn about their family history, customs and quirks in an online family project sponsored by 4-H. There are no meetings, and the project can be taken as fast or slow as participants wish.
Cost is $10 for 4-H families and $20 for non-4-H members. Contact Pickens County Extension at (864) 878-1394 to sign up.
Dutch oven meals — big on flavors, easy on you
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
Dutch oven cooking maximizes meat flavor and minimizes labor.
Once the Dutch oven is filled with the meat of choice, plus other ingredients, it’s simply a matter of throwing it into a slow oven and forgetting about it until the timer goes off, hours later in many cases.
Other than being delicious and easy to prepare, these dishes are a great way to battle the chill evenings of winter.
One of the best things about them is the scent that fills the kitchen while they’re cooking.
I use a cast-iron Dutch oven, but there are several highly rated Dutch ovens on the market made from other materials that produce excellent results.
Caramelized Pork Loin
- 1 stick butter
- 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and 1-inch diced
- 1 (5-lb.) center cut, bone-out pork loin, butterflied
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/2 c. apple cider
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and diced apples and toss to coat. Sauté three minutes, without stirring to let the apples caramelize on one side. Toss and sauté another three minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
Butterfly the tenderloin by cutting the beef lengthwise down the center to within 1/2-inch of the other side. Flatten with a meat mallet.
When the caramel apples have cooled spread the mixture down the center flap of pork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the apple mixture down the center of the pork roast. Bring the two sides of the tenderloin up around filling to meet. Use butcher string and tie around the roll at one-inch intervals.
Season the stuffed and tied pork loin with salt and pepper. Sear the pork loin in vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, turning to get all the sides. Pour the apple cider over the pork. Roast uncovered for about one hour and 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 155 degrees F.
Remove from the oven and let rest, tented with foil, for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with pan juices.
Beef Burgundy
- 4 lbs. beef stew meat
- 4 c. French Burgundy wine
- 1/3 c. olive oil divided
- 8 slices lean bacon, chopped
- 1 c. flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 lbs. white mushrooms, halved
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 ribs celery, sliced
- 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 c. beef broth
- 2 boxes frozen pearl onions (10 oz. each)
- 1/2 c. parsley, chopped
Pre-heat oven to 325°F
Combine the beef and the wine in a resealable plastic bag or in a container with a lid. Marinate the beef for 3-8 hours. Strain wine and reserve. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat with two tablespoons of olive oil Add the bacon and cook until all the fat has rendered out and it is crispy. Remove bacon and let drain on paper towels.
Spread flour onto a plate and season with salt and pepper. Coat the beef by dredging it in the flour. Shake extra flour off beef and drop pieces in, a handful at a time to brown in the oil, adding more olive oil as needed. After the meat is browned remove and set aside.
Add the mushrooms and bay leaves, and cook until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and garlic, and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Deglaze the pan with the reserved wine from marinating the beef, scraping up all the browned bits.
Add the beef stock, bring to a boil and cook for five minutes.
Add the browned beef back to the pan with the pearl onions and bring the pot up to a simmer. Put the Dutch oven into the oven for 1/1/2 to 2 hours.
The beef should be tender enough to pull apart with a fork. To thicken the sauce, cook until it’s the thickness you prefer. Remove the bay leaves, taste and adjust seasoning. Top with chopped bacon bits.
Dutch Oven Pork Roast
- 6 lb. pork roast
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbsp. pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 c. cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Peel and slice the garlic cloves.
With a small knife, pierce the top of the roast and force garlic slices into the cuts. Rub the roast with salt and pepper.
Place bay leaves in the bottom of a cast-iron Dutch oven. Set the roast on top of the bay leaves, fat side up.
Mix the vinegar and thyme in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour over the top of the roast.
Bake the roast for three hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 to 155 degrees F. Baste the roast with the drippings frequently during cooking.
Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Dutch Oven Chicken in White Wine
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 (4 lb.) chicken
- 1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
- 1 c. dry white wine
- 1 (10.5 oz.) can chicken broth
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder, and brown on both sides. Remove chicken to paper towels.
Spoon off chicken fat, and return pan to stove. Stir in mushrooms and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. Remove to a medium bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix together basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Season with garlic salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Stir in wine, and add to onion and mushrooms.
Return chicken to Dutch oven. Pour mushroom mixture and broth over chicken; cover, and cook over low heat until meat begins to fall off the bone, about 1 1/2 hours.
Courier Legals 1-18-17
The publisher shall only be liable for an amount less than or equal to the charge for the space of the item in error in the case of errors in or omissions from any advertisement, and only for the first incorrect insertion
Courier Notice to Creditors 1-18-17
The publisher shall only be liable for an amount less than or equal to the charge for the space of the item in error in the case of errors in or omissions from any advertisement, and only for the first incorrect insertion.
Courier Trespass Notices 1-18-17
In the state of South Carolina, trespass after notice is a misdemeanor criminal offense prohibited by section 16-11-620 for the South Carolina Code. Those who enter upon the lands of others without the permission of the owner or manager shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor trespassing. All persons are hereby notified and warned not to hunt, fish, cut timber or trespass in any manner whatsoever upon the lands of the undersigned:
Courier Classifieds 1-18-17
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Joint worship service planned at Griffin Ebenezer with Pickens Presbyterian
On Sunday, January 15, members from Pickens Presbyterian Church along with their brothers and sisters in Christ at Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church will be celebrating their first ever joint worship service to celebrate unity. During these times of national unrest between races, these churches feel as though it is vitally important for Christians to show love for one another and unity in Christ. Griffin Ebenezer and Pickens Presbyterian have a strong history of working together to strengthen relationships with each other and building a bridge between the two churches.
As part of this ongoing effort, the two churches will worship together at Griffin Ebenezer with The Rev. Nath Briley from Pickens Presbyterian preaching, and following worship, all will gather for a shared meal together. This event promises to be a spirit-filled worship of our Lord, and a time of building community in the name of Christ.
Easley shooting ruled justifiable homicide
EASLEY — A shooting that claimed a man’s life last month has been ruled a justifiable homicide by the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office announced last week it was officially notified by the solicitor’s office that a complete review of the facts surrounding the use of lethal force by an Easley homeowner was conducted.
Chief deputy Creed Hashe said evidence at the scene corroborated Jeremy Sterling’s version of the events that occurred the morning of Dec. 14 and resulted in the death of 27-year-old Justin Michael Smith, of 29 Cooperfield Ave. in Piedmont.
According to Hashe, Sterling told police he found a man inside his home on Prince Perry Road after returning from work shortly after 8 a.m. The homeowner told police the intruder appeared to have forced entry through a rear door and was in possession of the homeowner’s property, including several guns.
Hashe said the man charged the homeowner when confronted, and during a brief struggle, the homeowner was able to gain control of one of the guns and fire several shots at the intruder, who fell onto a back deck while trying to leave the home.
When deputies arrived at the scene less than two minutes later, they found Smith inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds, Hashe said.
Hashe said crime scene technicians found and recovered evidence indicating that the back door of the home had been kicked in and that numerous areas within the home had been searched and rummaged through prior to the shooting. Evidence was also collected that corroborated statements by the homeowner that the rounds were discharged while both men were inside.
During the course of the investigation, the sheriff’s office also discovered unrelated stolen property that linked Smith to a break-in previously reported by the Easley Police Department.
Detectives from the sheriff’s office later presented the solicitor’s office with the evidence.
After being advised by the solicitor’s office that the homeowner has statutory immunity from prosecution under the Protection of Persons and Property Act, “as set forth in the S.C. statutory and case law,” Hashe said no criminal charges would be filed.
