COOK OF THE WEEK - TRAVIS JOHNSON

Travis Johnson consented to being our Cook of the Week from Bank Iowa this week but confessed that his favorite meal is really at any of the many great local restaurants right here in the Humboldt area. Sounds like Travis’s main interest just might not be cooking! Travis is a native of Britt and graduated from Buena Vista University. Travis is a universal loan officer specializing in agriculture, commercial and consumer lending. He is also Vice President at Bank Iowa. Travis has been at Bank Iowa since March of 2015. When asked what he liked best about working at Bank Iowa, Travis said, “The co-workers, meeting lots of great Humboldt people and a great atmosphere.” He went on to comment about the future of Bank Iowa and the Humboldt community. “I definitely see a progressive mind set in this area. We, at Bank Iowa, are always looking to help the community grow with the best bank products that will help to continue to build the future of Humboldt and surrounding communities,” Travis said. Travis listed his hobbies as hunting, fishing, and all kinds of sports. Some of his recipes sort of whisper the sound of a hunter and sound good enough to try. Except I would have to find someone to do my hunting, as I’m not a hunter. I’m thinking I could substitute grocery store meat for the venison or pheasant! What do you think???Chicken Spaghetti Alfredo Brown and shred boneless, skinless chicken breast. Stir into cooked spaghetti and add a jar of Alfredo sauce. (He likes Ragu.) Pour into a glass dish and top with Rice Krispies. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. Salsa Dip Brown one pound hamburger and drain. Add one jar of salsa and one pound of Velveeta cheese. Microwave until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips.Deep Fried Pheasant Cube up pheasant. Roll pieces in flour, then in beaten egg, then in crushed Saltine crackers. Fry in deep oil until done.Canned Venison Cube deer meat into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Put into pint jars. Add 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Fill the jars with water. Pressure cook at 10 lbs. of pressure for 75 minutes or check your pressure cooker directions for time.Strawberry Pretzel SaladCrust:2 cups crushed pretzels (about 8 ounces)3/4 cup butter, melted3 tablespoons sugarFilling:2 cups whipped topping1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened1 cup sugarTopping:2 packages (3 ounces each) strawberry gelatin2 cups boiling water2 packages (16 ounces each) frozen sliced strawberries, thawedadditional whipped topping, optional In a bowl, combine the pretzels, butter and sugar. Press into an ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. For filling, in a small bowl, beat whipped topping, cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Spread over pretzel crust. Refrigerate until chilled. For topping, dissolve gelatin in boiling water in a large bowl. Stir in strawberries with syrup; chill until partially set. Carefully spoon over filling. Chill for 4 to 6 hours or until firm. Cut into squares; serve with whipped topping if desired.Yields: 12 to 16 servings.Travis’s Slow Cooker Mexican Style Meat “This recipe can be used with chicken, beef, pork and even venison. It freezes well, and can be made into burritos, tacos, or any number of other Mexican-style dishes. This dish uses a lot of spice, so please be sure to adjust to your taste.”4 pound chuck roast1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon pepper2 tablespoons olive oil1 large onion, chopped1-1/4 cups diced green chili pepper1 teaspoon chili powder1 teaspoon cayenne pepper5 ounce bottle hot pepper sauce1 teaspoon garlic powder Trim the roast of any excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place the beef in the hot skillet, and brown it quickly on all sides. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and top it with the chopped onion. Season with chili peppers, chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce and garlic powder. Add enough water to cover 1/3 of the roast. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours, checking to make sure there is always at least a small amount of liquid in the bottom of the cooker. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking for 2 to 4 hours, or until meat is totally tender and falls apart. Transfer the roast to a bowl and shred it using two forks (reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid, if desired). Serve in tacos or burritos.Pheasant Wild Rice Hot Dish1 pheasant breast1 box Uncle Ben’s wild rice 1 can cream of mushroom soup1 can mushrooms1 package chow mein noodles1 can green beans or peas. Cut up pheasant breast into cubes and brown. Prepare wild rice as instructed on box. Combine all ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes to warm through or put into a crockpot on low for 3 to 4 hours. Sprinkle chow mein noodles on top and serve. If you are reading this, then you probably enjoy new recipes. If you would like to share some of your recipes with the community, YOU could be Cook of the Week. Please contact me, Sally Redenius, if you would like to be in this column some week. I can be reached by phone at 515-373-6346 or email me at sacuthbe@msn.com. I will be happy to email or send you my short questionnaire and set up a time to come and visit you at your convenience. I’m always looking for NEW Cooks of the Week. Also, if you are new in town, this is a good way to introduce yourself to the Humboldt community and surrounding communities. I look forward to visiting with you. The COOK OF THE WEEK 3rd Edition Cookbook is available. Cost per copy is $10.70, plus $4.80 shipping/handling. Order a copy today by sending a check or money order, along with name and shipping address, to: Humboldt Independent, 512 Sumner Ave., Humboldt, IA 50548.