By Tina Huang
Staff Writer
Excitement characterized the reaction of multiple teachers when asked about any family recipes they would like to share. Right off the bat, they recalled memories of where and when the recipe they specifically thought of came about. For example, CHS counselor, Debbie Fruithandler, instinctively thought of her grandmother’s pies. After being enjoyed by friends and family for many years, it is obvious all of these recipes are ones that have withstood the test of time.
Winter’s French Bread
AP art history teacher Monica Winters has been making her famous French bread for 35 years. She makes bread so often that she can taste a difference in store bought bread.
“Store bought bread tastes like cardboard,” Winters said. “I make all of my bread. I make French bread about three times a year. I make [sourdough] about once a month, and I make [whole wheat] once a week.”
She emphasizes that French bread is the classic out of all the breads she makes.
“Whenever I get together with family, I have to make it,” Winters said. “Everybody likes it. Everybody eats it. It’s been a tradition ever since I started making it.”
She first made the recipe from a cookbook she received as a wedding present. Since then, she has tried variations, but keeping the original has been the best in her opinion.
Tip: Spray the bread with water every seven minutes when it is in the oven. It makes the crust chewy rather than hard.
Ingredients:
5 ½ to 6 ½ cups unsifted bread flour
2 packages active dry yeast (2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Directions:
In mixing bowl of standing mixer using paddle blade, combine two cups flour with yeast, sugar and salt. Blend in warm water and beat at medium speed for two minutes. Stir in remaining 3 ½ to 4 ½ cups flour, one cup at a time, and switch to dough hook. Dough should be stiff, but not dry; it should cling slightly to the sides of the bowl yet ball up around dough hook. Knead dough hook about five minutes more, adding a tablespoon of flour occasionally if dough seems too soft.
Coat the sides of a large mixing bowl with a couple of tablespoon of vegetable oil. Transfer the bread dough from the mixer bowl, turning to coat dough completely with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and allow dough to rise until light and doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours. You should be able to touch dough lightly with finger and leave an impression.
Punch down dough and divide in half. Cover with upside down bowl and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Press out each half on floured surface to make a rectangle, the roll up jellyroll fashion, pinching edges to seal dough. Place in French bread pan (optional) and repeat with other half. Allow other dough to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Carefully slash top with sharp knife.
Brush or spray loaves with water and place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Place a shallow pan of boiling water on rack below bread; or spritz loaves with water every five minutes or so. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Zugaro’s Laura’s Kentucky Pie
AP statistics teacher Michele Zugaro’s family has a tradition to name their recipes after where and who they get the recipe from. Laura’s Kentucky Pie is named after their old neighbor. Zugaro does not remember exactly how her family got ahold of the recipe, but she believes her kids really liked the pie and probably asked her neighbor for the recipe.
“The pie is delicious. It basically is just a big chocolate chip cookie. It is also really simple to make,” Zugaro said. “It would make for a great, quick desert after dinner.”
Tip: Enjoy when the pie is still warm.
Ingredients:
½ cup margarine, melted
¾ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
¾ cup pecans
¾ cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Mix in order given. Pour into unbaked 9 inch pie shell. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with dollop of whipped cream.
Anderson’s Zucchini Bread
In AP environmental science teacher Holly Anderson’s family, zucchinis and apples might as well be the same thing. For this zucchini bread recipe, when Anderson’s grandma first made the bread, she told Anderson’s uncle that it was apple bread. He ate some and believed it.
If you have doubts about making bread with zucchini, there is evidence that the bread is delicious.
“I introduced the recipe to a bakery I worked at in college, and they began selling it there,” said Anderson.
That is how good the recipe is.
Ingredients:
1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups of sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups flour
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
½ baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup pecans
Directions:
Mix eggs and sugar together. Add oil and grated zucchini. Combine dry ingredients, add to above mixture. Add vanilla and nuts. Flour and grease pan. Bake at 325 for one hour.
Fruithandler’s Grandma’s Strawberry Pie
“My grandma was an amazing pie maker. She was famous for her pies,” CHS counselor Debbie Fruithandler said.
Grandma Pezzie Kohut was so good at making her pies that she won a contest for her fresh strawberry pie recipe and was published in a newspaper article for the same recipe.
Just as well, every time there was some sort of gathering, it was up to her to supply her delicious pies.
Ingredients:
Bake and Cool One 9-inch pie shell
Bring to boil in a double boiler:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 large or two small cartons of strawberries
1 cup water
pinch of salt
Directions:
When thickened, add one box (3 oz.) strawberry Jello and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
When cooled, add fresh strawberries.
Pour into the baked pie shell and put into refrigerator to set. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream.
Use ½ pint whipping cream and add three tablespoons sugar and a few drops of vanilla.
Kennedy’s Mom’s Spanish Rice
“Spanish rice is the staple to any good Mexican meal,” KCBY director Irma Kennedy said. “I have struggled with cooking [rice] my entire life. My mother started teaching me how to cook when I was in fifth grade.
Kennedy wondered what she was doing wrong when she made her mom’s Spanish rice. She finally found out last summer when she was with her cousin.
Kennedy’s Tip: Boil the water. If the water is not hot, the rice will be pasty and sticky.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minute
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
3 cups* BOILING chicken stock or water (or vegetable stock if vegetarian)
- If using water, add 2-3 tbsp. Knorr Caldo de Tomate con Pollo (Chicken bouillon found in the Mexican food aisle), and 1tsp. tomato paste
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste (use this amount only when using chicken stock)
1 teaspoon salt
*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock or water for 2 cups of rice.
Directions:
1 In a large skillet, brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about four minutes, or until onions are softened.
2 In a separate sauce pan, bring stock or water to a simmer. (Do not add cold chicken stock or water. This causes rice to become sticky). Add tomato sauce, and salt (and Knorr bouillon if using water). Add rice to broth. Lower heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Turn off heat and let sit for five minutes. Rice will be fluffy.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6.
Richard’s Keith Cookbook
When asked whether or not Career and Technology Education teacher, Becky Richards, had an old family recipe she would like to share, she brought an entire cookbook full of family recipes. The oldest recipe in the book is from the 1800s.
“My grandmother was an incredible cook because her mother died when she was 9. She had to make meals for her two sisters, one brother and father starting at 9; so she cooked all her life,” Richards said.
The cookbook is obviously not just for recipes. It is almost like family history book. As Richards was looking through, she recalled many memories.
The recipe Richards decided to share is for apple salad, which is the oldest one in the book. It is a quick, simple, yet delicious recipe.
Ingredients:
7 apples diced
2 C pecans, cut into medium pieces
Sauce:
1 ½ C milk
1 C sugar
1 T flour
1 egg, beaten
Directions:
Cook the sauce over low heat, beating constantly. Pour the sauce over the apples and pecans. Chill.
