Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 17 August 2000 — Page 22

The Muncie Times, August 17, 2000 page 22

COOKING

By Tara Carter Lorene Thompson doesn’t consider herself a cook. But others who have enjoyed her meals think otherwise. Thompson has been cooking for 40 to 50 years. She started in the kitchen with her mother and sister. She, however, got her best experience when she moved to Muncie. A neighbor of hers, Alyce Findley and her sister-in-law, Jesse Findley, (now both deceased), were caterers in Muncie. They would ask her to help them clean up while they prepared the food. Thompson would clean up. But she would also get some cooking tips as she did so. Asked who she thinks is the best cook in her family, she said, “My sister. When a person can take food fresh from the garden and make it taste so good, you have to have a special talent. She just created things. Must be a special blessing from God.” Thompson said most of the dishes she cooks she learned from someone else. “If I want to be different, I just add ingredients,” she said. She also said that it takes her two tries get a dish perfected. “If I cook something once, I know what needs to be added or taken out,” said Thompson. Thompson, along with other members of the church, cooked 25 years for college students at Antioch and then at Union Baptist Church.

Lorene Thompson, one of Muncie’s outstanding cooks

She felt it was important for the students attending church to have home-cooked meals on Sunday. She retired last year. Thompson said that no two people’s food tastes alike. However, she said the secret to every good dish is the seasoning. Thompson shares five of her favorite recipes below: Lorene’s Greens Salt pork Joel bacon Hog bone Kale greens Collard greens Cabbage Glory greens Cook the Joel bacon,

hog bone and salt pork in the water. Add a can of beer (optional). Take the meat out of the pot and add the greens and cook them until they’re tender. Then add the cabbage. Finally, after the cabbage is tender, add the Glory greens. Mushroom Chicken 1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 can of mushroom soup (cream or golden) 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup cooking sherry Fresh mushrooms (optional) Mix the soup, sherry and sour cream. Place chicken in a baking pan. Pour the mixture on top of the

chicken and bake for about 45 minutes. You can use the mixture as a gravy on top of rice or mashed potatoes. Old Fashion Southern Blackberry Cobbler (on top of the stove) 1 can of blackberries (or any other fruit) 1 cup water Sugar (sweeten to taste) 1 stick of butter 1 tablespoon of nutmeg 1 tablespoon of vanilla Biscuit dough Grape juice (optional) Biscuit Dough 2 cups flour 2 tablespoons crisco 1/2 teaspoon salt enough water for soft

dough Roll dough about 1/4 inch thick, cut into strips and then squares. The square should be about 2 inches long. Heat up the fruit mix and drop dough into the hot mix. Southern Fried Corn 6 ears of corn 1/2 cup bacon fat 2 tablespoons of flour 2 tablespoons of sugar 1 cup of water 1/4 cup of milk Steam the corn and cut it off the cob. Scrape the cob for any extra juices. Mix all the ingredients together. Put bacon fat into a heavy skillet on low heat. Put the mix in and cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until tender. Lorene’s Pound Cake 3 cups flour 3 cups sugar 6 eggs 2 sticks of butter 1/2 cup of Crisco 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon of vanilla and lemon Cream the sugar, butter and oil. Add the eggs in one at a time, beating after every addition. (1/2 minute per egg). Add the flour and milk alternately. Grease and flour a tub pan. Put the mix in and put in nonpreheated oven. Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done.

If you know anyone who is an outstanding cook please contact The Muncie Times at (765) 741-0037.