Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!

Articles from the 'recipe column' series


Sorted by date  Results 51 - 69 of 69

Page Up

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes|Updated Dec 22, 2011

    Holiday cooking can get hectic without planning ahead. Now would be a good time to revisit Mise-en-place. No, this is not a town in the south of France, but a French phrase, meaning “put in place”. The practice of putting everything in place in the kitchen, clearing the workspace, assembling all ingredients and utensils before starting to cook will make time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Clear the counters Read through the recipe Assemble ingredients. Gather bowls, pots and t...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes|Updated Dec 9, 2011

    December, Christmas shopping, seasonal programs and parties are rolling into full swing. Preparations for holiday meals and gift giving are foremost in the minds of most folks. Lecia Fink brought luscious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies to a recent community music event. This cake style cookie is filled with the goodness of pumpkin and spices as well as rich chocolate chips. Baking these cookies on parchment lined pans allows the cookie to bake more firmly than most cake style...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes|Updated Nov 23, 2011

    Threats that morning snow showers may materialize by Thanksgiving Day have been just that; threats (so far). Snow or not, it is always a good time for soup. Vicki Strang recently shared her recipe for Gypsy Soup, a highly seasoned vegetable mixture that would easily accommodate the addition of leftover turkey and feed a dozen or so football fans on game day. Gypsy Soup 4 Tbsp olive oil 2 cups chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 cups peeled, diced...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Updated Nov 10, 2011

    Sourdough waffles, there is nothing like them. For years, I had a wonderful sourdough starter that I kept going by using every couple of weeks. Due to not enough waffles, bread and biscuits being made, that starter died. When the latest Hospital Auxiliary cookbook came out I decided to try Pauline Schimke’s sourdough starter recipe. So far I have been very pleased with it. Sourdough Starter 1 package active dry yeast 1/2 cup lukewarm water 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups room t...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes|Updated Oct 27, 2011

    Frost has hit the pumpkins and just about everything else in local gardens. This weeks column includes a few recipes to use up the produce rescued from the frost, as well as some requested recipes. Numerous people asked for the recipe for a Caramel Cake that Bev Scherr brought to a coffee hour. She shared the recipe for Better Than Anything Cake, of which the Caramel Cake is one of the many variations. Following is the Caramel Cake directions. If you would like the other...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes|Updated Oct 13, 2011

    Nice rains last week could keep zucchini plants producing awhile longer. Jo Ann Hardt reported having a “ton” of zucchini on hand, and conducting an internet search for Zucchini au Gratin, her goal being making something tasty for Sunday dinner, and using up some of the bountiful squash supply. She found the following recipe on www.food.com. Zucchini au Gratin 3 cups shredded zucchini 1 1/2 Tbsp butter 1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 3/4 cup milk 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp gro...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Updated Sep 28, 2011

    Cooler nights are slowing most garden production. Zucchini though, seem to keep producing right up to the killing frost. Mrs. Jackie Winfrey of Quincy sent in her favorite zucchini jam recipe, Pina Colada Jam. She reports that this freezer style jam gets rave reviews. Pina Colada Jam 6 cups granulated sugar 6 cups shredded yellow zucchini 1 can (8ounces) crushed pineapple, un-drained 1/4 cup lime juice 2 packages (3 ounces each) pineapple gelatin 1 tsp rum extract Combine sugar, zucchini, pineapple and lime juice in Dutch...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Deutschesfest is always a bustling week in Odessa. Though local residents have been planning for a year and busily making preparations over the summer months, many things can’t be done until the last minute. Vegetable gardens burst at the seams with produce that needs attention and peaches, pears and apples tend to ripen at the same time. This weeks recipes will help take care of some of the bounty as well as providing interesting fare for your festival-going company. G...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Zucchini abound in Odessa gardens now that some hot weather has arrived. If you are looking for zucchini you don’t have to search very far, just ask a few neighbors or friends and soon you will have plenty to try the recipes in this column. I have been overwhelmed with zucchini recipes. Though I have plenty of zucchini, I have not enough time to test drive all these recipes. Joyce McClanahan agreed to test out Cindi Bell’s recipe for Vegan Zucchini Bread. She reported tha...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Two unusual recipes were submitted over the past couple of weeks. The first comes from Judy Scrupps, her response to my request for favorite zucchini recipes. She explained that it was a casserole but it turned out in a loaf that you sliced. This savory Zucchini Casserole loaf has a firm quiche/bread like texture and is easy to prepare. It may be served warm or cold, and I found the little bit leftover was good lightly toasted the next day. Zucchini Casserole (loaf) 2 cups...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Lovely, just ripe, peaches tempted me at the market this week. Remembering that I had saved an unusual peach based recipe from Better Homes and Garden Magazine, I purchased six and proceeded to make Cheesecake-Stuffed Peaches. The recipe is attributed to Dee Guelcher of Acworth, Georgia. Several cooking websites sent out email reminders that this is National Cheesecake Week. The hour or so baking time for traditional cheesecake seems a bit daunting during August heat, but...

  • Zuchinni recipes address seasonal garden excess

    Laura Estes

    Zucchini proves out again to be the one thing you can grow anywhere under just about any set of conditions. Soon, most of us will have had our fill of sautéed young zucchini and chilled sliced zucchini dipped in ranch dressing, and will be scouting around for new ideas to use up this summer bounty. Cindi Bell left me a large packet of recipes for zucchini, including her fabulous Zucchini Banana Bread, before she moved this spring. There are enough recipes to make a small book,...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    You never know what you will find hid among the zucchini. To make a long story short, the cookie recipes that we had been waiting for were in with a packet of at least a hundred zucchini recipes, which I filed away until zucchini season. So for all who have been waiting for Cindi Bell’s Ginger Snap recipe, here it is. Ginger Snaps 3/4 cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1 egg 1/4 cup black strap molasses 2 cups flour, sifted 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp each ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves Granulated sugar f...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    School is out and the swimming pool is open. Soon young entrepreneurs will be setting up lemonade stands to earn money for swimming and other summertime activities. Personally, I try to never pass by a children's lemonade enterprise. I like to encourage budding business owners. Following are some tips for operating a successful lemonade stand. 1. Make your signs big. Use an extra wide marking pen to make lettering that can be read from half a block away so customers have time...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Do we dare think summer is here after having one eighty degree day? Let’s just assume so and get on with the season of chilled party dips, cold salads and fruity desserts. Several requests came in for Rhonda Kuch’s Bacon Dip. She found this recipe in a magazine a number of years ago, and over time has adjusted it to accommodate new products available today. The recipe that follows is the original, with Rhonda’s adjustments in the following paragraph. Bacon Dip 8 ounces softe...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Spring seems to have crept in by the back door. Chives are about to bloom, mint is poking up bright stems of fresh green leaves and rhubarb is growing lush and tall. A few sunny afternoons have brought thoughts of picnics and barbecues. Rhonda Kuch was recently in charge of a snack buffet that needed to be available for several hours in the afternoon. She solved the keeping cold things cold dilemma by filling an infant size inflatable pool with ice and nestling the dip...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Asparagus, grown in the USA, has arrived in local markets. Maybe spring has sprung, after all? At a recent Sunday dinner, Barb Walter prepared Oven Roaster Asparagus, a simple but delicious way of preparation she learned from Jean Starkel. Roasting at low temperature, the dish can cook in the oven while at Sunday worship or any other time you want food ready to serve on returning from a two to three hour event. Stalks retain their rich green color and since there is little...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Spring arrived March 20th, according to the calendar, and though we have had a few days over 60 degrees, the wind is cold, the ground is cold and I am waiting until Mother’s Day to plant potatoes. Cold weather aside, it hasn’t diminished the number of baby and wedding showers on Odessa calendars. Following are a couple of flavorful recipes ideal for any spring gathering. Lois Iksic called in search of a lemon cream pie recipe that called for fresh lemons. Here is my favorite r...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Laura Estes

    Spring potluck meals brought a number of salad recipe requests. Dolores Cook brought a yummy elegant Molded Seafood Salad to a recent luncheon. The recipe is attributed to Mrs. Gale Salo in the 1967 edition of the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Cookbook. Dolores states that the secret to this recipe is to chop onions, celery and olives very fine. Dolores uses a fish shaped mold for this salad but individual molds or a clear glass bowl could also be used. This recipe would make a...