Cooking in the West

Being a recipe columnist implies a huge responsibility. One year many years ago, one of my infamous fan letters in the “Agri-News” complained, “The plum cake in Susan’s column was so bad my dog wouldn’t even eat it.” Turns out I had left out the word “self-rising” before flour in the ingredient list, and the reader ended up with plum colored hockey puck material. Recently, I made a mistake in one of my favorite recipes, Carol’s Heath Bar Cookies, but I did catch it and print a correction later. However, I realize not everyone catches the corrections until it is too late--such as my dear friend Bobbie Fellows of Big Timber, Montana.

Bobbie was the secretary at Big Timber Grade School when I got hired to teach junior high English there as a 21 year old first year teacher. Everyone knows that secretaries really run the school, and Bobbie did it flawlessly. Besides that, she had a heart of gold, and she took me and everyone else on the staff under her wing. She was our mother hen and a fine human being. Recently, Bobbie, who is now 90 years young sent me the following humorous yet heart wrenching note:

Dear Susan,

This letter is in regards to your Heath Bar Cookies recipe I clipped from the “Big Timber Pioneer.” I followed your instructions as listed. I had my Heath bars all ready to add, but being a cook of 90 years of age, I realized something was not right. So I stuck the bowl in the refrigerator and began to hunt for the Pioneer that I remembered had a correction about one of your recipes.

After sifting through three or four papers, I found the right column and learned that the recipe should have 3 eggs instead of 1. Because I only had 1 egg in the refrigerator, I had to wait until I could get to the store again. To make this sad story worse, this morning I added the other 2 eggs and put the dough in the refrigerator as required--not remembering to add the Heath bar bits. What would you suggest to remedy this? I’m worn out and hungry for some good cookies! Love, Bobbie

Well, as an epilogue, Bobbie made the cookies work, and they turned out all right, because that is just the never give up kind of person she is. I am sad that she had this experience due to my lack of proofreading skills, but her perseverance proved that “Carol’s Heath Bar Cookies” is pretty much a no fail recipe no matter what happens! I know Bobbie would agree they are amazing cookies that are worth extra trips to the store and the refrigerator--even if you are 90.

This week I enlisted the help of all five of the sweet, cute students at McLeod School to tell my readers how to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner. They had to include the price of the turkey and the cooking time and temperature. Be forewarned that these recipes are not test kitchen tested nor no fail in any way! Follow their cooking tips at your own risk!

Elliotte Stoltzfus (kindergarten, age 5): We have friends over. My mom cooks a turkey that costs 5 cents. She bakes it for 8 minutes at a hot temperature like 11 degrees. Then we bake pumpkin pie. You take pumpkins, mash them, and add cheese. You bake them for 12 minutes at 40 degrees. We also have bread and dressing. We give out gifts and play with our cousins.

Helen Burkholder (grade 2, age 8): We go to Grandma’s or Aunt Cece’s house. They cook the turkey that costs 2 million dollars for--that’s a hard one--20 minutes maybe at 7 degrees maybe? They cook potatoes and gravy and salad and pumpkin pie. After dinner, we play and pick up our toys, brush and floss our teeth, and go to bed.

Kamilo Little Calf (grade 2, age 7): First we buy a turkey for 73 cents. Then we cook it for 48 hours at 82 degrees. Then we make some chokecherry jam and cook some corn. We put the jam on the turkey and eat it. Then we eat a lot of leftovers!

Kaycen Stoltzfus (grade 1, age 7): First you start out with cranberry sauce. You use a machine that mashes the cranberries and puts them in a bucket. Then you stuff the mashed cranberries with marshmallows and candy that doesn’t have wrappers on it. Buy a turkey for 50 dollars and cook it for 20 days at a thousand million degrees. Put it on a plate and put dressing on it. Then make bread out of corn, make mashed potatoes, and invite 20 people from different countries. Eat dinner and have chocolate cake for dessert. After dinner we play hopscotch and tag, and the guests go home.

Millie Shakespeare (grade 2, age 7): Buy a turkey for 80 cents. Cook it for an hour and a half at 58 degrees. Cut up bread and put butter on it. We have carrots and mashed potatoes and gravy, and we have Halloween candy for dessert. We watch T.V., and then we go home.

Hopefully Bobbie will send me some recipes as soon as she recovers from her Heath Bar Cookie experience. In the meantime, my favorite holiday recipe of all time is this one that many readers have shared with me over the years--enjoy!

Here is a turkey recipe that also includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing -- imagine that. When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for cooks who don’t own a meat thermometer or are just not sure how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this a try if you dare!

Perfect Turkey with Popcorn Stuffing:

8 - 15 lb. turkey

1 C. melted butter

1 C. bread cubes

1 C. uncooked popcorn

Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt, and pepper. Fill the cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in a baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the oven. Listen for the popping sounds. When the turkey blows the oven door open and the bird flies across the room, it’s done!

This week I have legitimate holiday recipes from Nancy Bruce of Big Timber, Montana. Thanks, Nancy!

Nancy’s Pumpkin Cheesecake Dessert:

32 gingersnap cookies, crushed (about 1 1/2 C.)

1/4 C. butter, melted

5 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 C. sugar

15 oz. can solid-pack pumpkin

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

5 eggs, lightly beaten

dash ground nutmeg

maple syrup

Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into a 9 X 13 pan. Set aside. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in pumpkin, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add eggs, beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over the crust. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until the center is almost set. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares and serve with syrup. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nancy’s Chunky Apple Cake:

1/2 C. butter, softened

2 C. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

2 C. flour

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

6 C. chopped peeled tart apples

Butterscotch sauce:

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. butter, cubed

1/2 C. heavy whipping cream

Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Batter will be stiff. Stir in apples until well combined. Spread in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and springs back when touched. Cool for 30 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, combine butter and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until butter melts. Gradually add cream. Bring to slow boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and serve over cake.