Since this is the month of all things cooked, baked and bragged about, I thought I would share some recipes from the kitchens of writers and editors right here at this newspaper. Some were handed over willingly, others with some trepidation. But all are down-home dishes that are eaten and enjoyed with family and friends.
Maggie Yowler, editor of the Enon Eagle shared her wonderful recipe for Sausage-Stuffed Squash. Her notes included this: “we call it “squashage”. Her family adapted it from a recipe in Taste of Home cooking magazine. As most often happens, it turned out better than the original. Maggie shared that her family has a history of cooking and baking that reaches beyond their own kitchen. But that’s another story.
Bonnie McHenry, a staff writer for all four KBA newspapers shared a very refreshing Fruit Salad with Sour Cream Dressing. Chilled, it can be a side dish, dessert, or centerpiece for a party buffet. Bonnie notes that according to individual tastes, other fruits can be added or substituted.
Andy Grimm, editor of the New Carlisle News and office manager for all things important newspaper-wise, is a very busy young man. But he does love sweets. I happen to know from personal experience that he (and his father, Dale) will accept all manner of baked goods during office hours; Andy is the newspaper’s main taster of traditional and experimental recipes. After all, what would a newspaper be without that brave soul that goes beyond mere words, getting to the meat of a story? His favorite dessert by his own admission is Cherry Crisp.
Finally we come to Dale Grimm himself. Of his expertise in the kitchen he had this to say: “Me in the kitchen is a dangerous situation.” While that may be true, he shared two down-home recipes that sound great for cold winter evenings and weekend breakfasts. His first submission was Pepper Steak, which he “got down pat while his wife was disabled and having a bad day. She would shout out directions from the bedroom and after three or four times, it stuck in my memory. She wouldn’t trust me cooking anything else.” (Maybe there is something to him saying he is dangerous in the kitchen after all.)
When Andy confided in me that his dad had a secret recipe, I wasn’t sure whether I should ask, but I went out on the proverbial limb and found that Dale is a better cook than he gives himself credit for. Breakfast Muffins is his take on the McFastFood icon. A much better take I might add. Dale said, “I always told my kids that it was similar to the breakfast sandwiches at fast food restaurants, but better because I use real eggs, real ham and real cheese.”
I have a feeling Dale knows more about cooking than he’s letting on. There might be a whole story just lurking in his kitchen, like those forgotten ingredients in the back of the cupboard just waiting to be opened up for a culinary story of some magnitude.
Comments? Contact Connie or any of our cooks via this newspaper. Have a recipe you would like to share? Email Connie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Maggie’sSausage-Stuffed Squash
One acorn squash
½ pound breakfast sausage, ground
3 tablespoons chopped onion
½ cup thinly-sliced tart apple (peeled)
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ cup sour cream
Dash of salt and sugar
1/3 cup diced Velveeta cheese
Halve the squash, remove seeds, and smear with a light layer of butter and honey. Place cut side down in baking dish. Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until tender.
Meanwhile, in small skillet, cook sausage and onion till done, then add apple and cook till tender. Drain.
In separate bowl, combine flour, egg and sour cream. Mix into sausage mixture.
Turn squash over, fill with sausage mixture. Top with salt, sugar. Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes in 350 degree oven. Add cheese cubes to top and bake for another 5 minutes.
Dale’s Pepper Steak
½ pound stir-fry steak strips
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 medium onion
1 can beef gravy
2 tablespoons butter
Worcestershire sauce
2 cups rice
Prepare rice according to directions. Brown steak strips in greased pan. Cut peppers into strips, cut onion into quarters and separate layers.
When steak is brown, add peppers, onion, gravy and butter. Add two or three shakes of Worcestershire sauce. Stir all ingredients. Cover and simmer over low heat until peppers and onion are tender. Serve over hot rice. Serves -3.
Dale’s Breakfast Muffins
English muffin
Large egg
Sliced ham (amount to suit your taste)
Real cheese (I never use sliced “processed cheese product”)
Butter
Toast the muffin. Fry the egg and ham in lard. (Vegetable oil doesn’t quite cut it.) Lightly butter the muffin. On the bottom of the muffin place egg, ham and cheese in that order. Salt and pepper to taste. Put the top on the sandwich. As a variation, use two strips of thick sliced bacon instead of ham and cook the egg in the bacon grease. “See, there’s nothing to it.”
Traditional Cherry Crisp
Filling:
5 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened tart cherries
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon almond extract, optional
Topping:
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup butter
¼ cup chopped pecans
If cherries are frozen, thaw them but do not drain. Mix in the sugar and flour. Pour into an 8 or 9-inch round baking dish.
For the topping, mix together all topping ingredients, cutting in the butter till mixture forms crumbs. Sprinkle over cherry filling. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping golden. Serve warm with ice cream.
Easy Cherry Crisp
2 cans cherry pie filling
½ box yellow cake mix (dry)
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup melted butter or margarine
In 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish, spread pie filling. Sprinkle the ½ box of cake mix over top of cherries. Sprinkle on the pecans. Drizzle the melted butter over the dry cake mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Note-seal the remaining ½ box of cake mix in zip top plastic bag and store in freezer for another crisp later.
Bonnie’s Fruit Salad w/ Sour Cream Dressing
1 can pineapple in juice, drained
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 banana, sliced
1 apple, cubed
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon orange juice
In large bowl, lightly toss all fruits together. In small bowl, blend sour cream, honey and orange juice together. Pour over fruit and toss well. Serve or chill for later use.
