Cooking in the West

This weekend is Veteran’s Day, and while war rages in the Ukraine, Israel, and fifteen other countries around the world according to Wikipedia, we honor the veterans of all wars. The World War II veterans are becoming fewer in number every day, so we have little time left to honor and thank them for their sacrifices. I want to thank all veterans for their service and assure them that their sacrifices do not go unappreciated.

There are so many poignant stories that have been shared by combat veterans of the horrors they experienced, but I would like to share one story I remember reading about Joseph Robertson, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 90. Joseph served in the U.S. Army for 26 years. He was an infantryman during World War II and fought at the Battle of the Bulge, the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States during World War II.

Joseph told his son-in-law, Jonathan Fish Jr. this story about killing a young German soldier, whose face remains etched into his memory. Joseph recalled, “I was hid behind the big tree that was knocked down or fallen, and I could see these Germans in the woods across this big field, and I saw this young kid crawling up a ditch straight towards my tree. So I let him crawl. I didn’t fire at him. But when he got up within three or four foot of me, I screamed at him to surrender. And instead of surrendering, he started to pull his gun towards me, which was instant death for him. But this young man, he was blond, blue eyes, fair skin, so handsome. He was like a little angel. But I still had to shoot him. And it didn’t bother me the first night because I went to sleep, and I was so tired. But the second night, I woke up crying because that kid was there. And to this day, I wake up many nights crying over this kid. I still see him in my dreams, and I don’t know how to get him off my mind.”

Let us not take our freedoms for granted. They have been paid for with blood and sacrifice by our veterans and their families. Let us never forget how precious our freedoms are and never forget to thank those who have preserved those freedoms!

I would like to share some favorite fall recipes this week!

Holiday Coffee Cake:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

3 eggs, divided and beaten

1/2 C. butter, softened

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

3 3/4 C. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

garnish with sliced almonds

Combine cake mix, one egg, and butter. Pat into the bottom of a greased 9 X 13 pan. Set aside. Mix remaining eggs, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together. Pour over cake mixture. Top with almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve warm with butter.

Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole:

2 1/2 C. seasoned croutons

1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned and drained

4 eggs

2 1/2 C. milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained

10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and well drained

1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese

1 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 t. dry mustard

Spread croutons in a 9 X 13 pan. Top with sausage. Set aside. Whisk eggs and milk until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour egg mixture over sausage and croutons. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes the next morning until eggs are set and golden on top.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake:

two 16 oz. pkgs. pound cake mix

4 t. pumpkin pie spice

2 t. baking soda

3/4 C. water

15 oz. can pumpkin

4 eggs, beaten

3/4 C. brown sugar, packed

3/4 C. chopped walnuts

1/2 C. flour

1/3 C. butter

Combine cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. Add water, pumpkin, and egg. Set aside. Blend brown sugar, walnuts, flour, and butter until crumbly. Set aside. Pour half of the pumpkin mixture into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Sprinkle half of the nut mixture. Repeat layers. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve warm.