COOK OF THE WEEK - TERRY KOCHER

“A MAN WHO LOVES TO BAKE ALL KINDS OF PIES!” That is how I’m describing our cook this week. Terry Kocher says he really enjoys making pies and should probably do it as a second job, but he hasn’t done that yet. Many meals they eat end with pie as the dessert. YUMM!
I visited with Terry Kocher while he was working at their old house in Dakota City making it ready for selling. Through the years they lived there, a lot of changes have been made to the house and at one time it was separated into two parts to make two apartments. He showed me through the home and showed me all of the interesting changes. I always think it is so interesting to see how a house can transform into a completely different look.
Terry and his wife, Robyn have been married for 33 years. Terry met Robyn at his cousin’s home one Christmas Eve. Terry was born in Waterloo, but grew up in Key West, FL. He graduated from Key West High School and Simpson College in Indianola. Robyn grew up in Santa Rosa, CA, graduating from high school in Santa Rosa. She graduated from Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. Robyn is a writer and works from home. Terry works for Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Pharmaceutical Company in Fort Dodge. Terry and Robyn have two sons. Wesley lives in Hillsboro, OR, and Benjamin is living in Dakota City.
Terry is active in the Humboldt County Democrats. His hobbies include politics, gardening and baking pies. Robyn’s hobbies include gardening, flowers, reading and taking pictures. Terry showed me some pictures Robyn had taken just with her phone and I could tell she certainly has an eye for color and design.
Terry listed their favorite meal as BBQ ribs, wild rice with almonds, corn on the cob and any kind of pie for dessert. He promised to share his pie crust recipe with all of us. So I’m listing that one first. He says he shares it with a lot of people! The other recipes he gets from different family members.

Pie Crust
5 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
2-1/2 cups Crisco or lard
(butter flavored Crisco
works well)
1 egg
2 tablespoons apple cider
vinegar
cold water
Place several ice cubes in a tall glass and fill with water. Mix flour, sugar and salt. Cut in Crisco/lard with your hands or a pastry cutter. Put egg, vanilla and vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup, fill balance with ice cold water from glass you filled with ice cubes and water. Blend egg, vanilla, vinegar and water. Add to dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. This makes 5 to 7 single crusts. This can be frozen. Place in fridge to thaw the day before you want to use it. DO NOT microwave to thaw!

Pork and Bean Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
This bar recipe has been mistaken for a spice cake bar.
(1 can) 16 ounces pork and
beans, drained
(1 can) 8 ounces crushed
pineapple with juice
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons baking
powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mash pork and beans and pineapple. Add the rest of the bar ingredients and mix. Bake in a sheet cake pan in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Frost with the following Cream Cheese Frosting when cooled.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounce package cream cheese
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup coconut
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir in nuts and coconut. Spread over cooled bars.

Praline Pumpkin Dessert
(1 can) 15 ounce pumpkin (not
pumpkin pie mix)
(1 can) 12 ounces evaporated
milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 package golden vanilla cake
mix
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans or
walnuts (I use pecans)
3/4 cup butter or margarine,
melted (I use butter)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 13 inch by 9 inch pan. Beat pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and pumpkin pie spice in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Pour into pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with pecans. Pour melted butter evenly over top of dessert. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly. To serve, cut dessert into 4 rows by 3 rows. Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice. Store covered in refrigerator. Makes 12 servings.

BBQ Sparerib Sauce
1 cup catsup
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoon brown sugar
4 tablespoons Worcestershire
sauce
dash each of Paprika, salt and
pepper
2 cloves crushed garlic
Stir together in large saucepan. Simmer covered for 10 minutes or until barely bubbling. Pour over boiled (40 minutes), de-fatted ribs and refrigerate until time to barbecue.

One Quart Pickles
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pickling spices
1 green or red pepper
1 medium onion
Cucumbers
Combine sugar, vinegar, salt and spices and bring to a boil. Slice washed cucumbers and place in a quart jar half full. Slice onion and pepper into jar. This should make a loosely packed jar, not firm. When syrup is boiling, pour over contents of jar to within 1 inch of top. Seal. Wait at least 3 days before using.
NOTE: This is a quickly made pickle, but one which will keep well if made as directed. The cucumbers have a fresh flavor which is delightful. The spices and peppers are optional, but add color as well as flavor.

Scalloped Oysters
1/2 cup stale bread crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
4 tablespoons oyster liquor
salt and pepper
1 cup cracker crumbs
1 pint oysters
2 tablespoons milk
Mix bread and cracker crumbs and stir in melted butter with a fork. Put in thin layer in bottom of shallow greased baking dish. Cover with oysters and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add half each of oyster liquor and milk. Repeat and cover top with remaining crumbs. Bake 30 minutes in a 450 degree oven.

Scalloped Corn
1/4 chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
dash pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup whole corn (drained) or
2 cups fresh corn
bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Sauté onion in butter until golden. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, paprika and dry mustard. Cook until bubbly. Remove from heat. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil and boil one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add corn and eggs. Stir. Pour into 1 quart baking dish. Top with bread crumbs. Bake 20 to 30 minutes in 350 degree oven. Makes 4 servings.

Pecan Bars
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups butter
4 cups flour
4 tablespoons cold water
Mix sugar and butter well. Then add pecans. Add flour, vanilla and cold water. Pour into 8 inch by 8 inch or 9 inch by 9 inch lightly greased and floured baking dish. Bake 30 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Danish Apple Bake
1 quart applesauce
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups toasted bread crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons sugar
Combine applesauce, bread crumbs, egg yolks, butter, cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar. Bake in greased 2-quart casserole dish at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Beat egg white stiff. Add 6 tablespoons sugar gradually and continue to beat until mixture stands in peaks. Add vanilla and stir. Top the Apple Bake with meringue and bake another 15 minutes or until brown. Makes 8 servings.

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.

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.