Meet the chefs

Thanks, Mom, for passing down your recipes! 

 

 

I asked Mom how she learned to cook, and she responded that she learned by watching and cooking with her Mom and Grandmothers.  They were always patient and answered her questions. 

This recipe cookbook is meant to replicate this - Mom is always just a phone call away!

 

 

 

Nana - Peg Kreye - made every holiday meal fit for royalty. Her Christmas Ham is famous! 

 

 

Mom - do you have any cooking advice for us?

"Cook what you like to eat.  Try different recipes, and try doing different things with the recipe to make it taste better to you.  Be innovative and imaginative, thinking about what you like - spicier, not so spicy, ect.  Meal cooking recipes are suggestions, most desserts you need to follow the recipe more carefully.  Feel free to try subbing M&M's for chocolate chips... stuff like that.  Be creative and have fun!"


 

 

 

Grandma Judy Wagner made everything with care and love. Don't miss out on her Spicy Pineapple Zucchini Bread!  

 

 

Story time with mom: "One time when I was about 8 or 9, my Mom wasn't feeling well so Dad asked my sister, Karen and I to make chili.  

We were getting to the part to add spices, Karen was holding the chili powder and Dad walked in.  He insisted you did not put chili powder in the chili, and we could not convince him you did.  We waited until he left the kitchen and promptly added the chili powder.  He later declared it delicious, and we never admitted to the chili powder." 


 

 

 

Cassie has added her own flavor to the mix - veganizing Mom's recipes and incorporating flavors from other cuisines. 

 

 

 

Do you have a favorite memory from teaching any of us kids how to cook?  

"John wanted to learn how to cook a turkey at Thanksgiving.  I got the bird out and in the sink, then called John and asked if he still wanted to cook the bird.  When he said yes, I had him take it out of the packaging and run water over it, and check for feathers.  Then I told him to check inside the bird for the "extras".  He just looked at me and when I said to reach in and pull out the gizzards and stuff, he about turned green, but completed the task.  After washing his hands a few times, we went on to the next steps of stuffing and buttering the bird, covering it and putting it in the oven.  I baste the bird every 30 to 45 minutes, and by the third round of basting, he decided cooking the turkey was a lot of work." 


 

 

 

Turns out, John grew into a successful chef himself. Check out his wings! 

 

 

 

And, a special THANK YOU to all of the other contributors!