By Deborah Gertz Husar
Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Shannon Larson adds a pinch of patience and a dollop of extra time to almost every recipe.

The extra ingredients clear the way for getting her children -- Forrest, Elliot and Olivia -- involved in the cooking process.

Supper preparations on a recent night found all three busy in the kitchen under Larson's watchful eye. Olivia washed potatoes at the sink, Elliot measured ingredients and Forrest, the oldest at age 10 and trusted with a sharp knife, peeled and chopped vegetables.

"He wants to be a chef in New York City," Larson said.

The menu featured Cheddar Chowder, a recipe Larson began making while living in Minnesota, and the family favorite is included in "The Artist's Palate," the new Quincy Art Center cookbook.

"It's just a real winner with kids," Larson said.

Paired with Larson's Quick Cheese Bread, adapted from a recipe in Cook's Illustrated, and the tasty, pretty Salad, a recipe from Judy Siebers, the soup makes a flavorful and filling family meal.

Fresh Apple Cake, a cookbook recipe from Signe Oakley, already has turned into a Larson family favorite. Topped with the optional glaze or left plain, "it is wonderful," Larson said. "It keeps really well."

The cookbook even caters to the newest member of the Larson family, a Saint Bernard, with Doggie Biscuits, a recipe from Linda Buechting.

The cookbook project grew out of food featured at openings over the years at the center where the in-house motto is "come for the food and stay for the art."

"The hors d'oeuvres are always kind of known in the community," said Siebers, who headed the cookbook project with Linda Buechting.

"We've got some really great cooks at the Art Center. Art Center members, friends of the Art Center contributed to the cookbook," Siebers said. "We have a variety of different things from very easy to difficult and not just American foods. There are Asian food items, other ethnic recipes."

The center began selling the book during the opening of this spring's "Feast for your Eyes" show featuring food-related art.

"We thought it would be a fun thing to do," Siebers said. "It really came together quickly for us."

The book's cover, designed by committee member Linda Buechting, takes a playful approach incorporating an artist's palette and food. "Instead of colors on a palette, it has a tomato for red, carrots for orange," Siebers said.

For Larson, who moved from Pennsylvania to Quincy two years ago for her husband Brian's job, the Art Center provided a fun way to get the family involved in the community. The kids took classes, she volunteered, and now she teaches preschool classes.

"I love it," she said. "Quincy has such great culture for such a small town. The Art Center, blues in the district, there's always something to do that's family oriented."

Now the center offers a way to get a taste of Quincy, even with ethnic foods, the latest favorite of the Larson children.

"The kids are good about eating different foods," Larson said. "We lived on the East coast and had access to fresh fish. We always find something we really like wherever we live."

Contact Staff Writer Deborah Gertz Husar at dhusar@whig.com or (217) 221-3379

Cheddar Chowder

FROM FORREST, ELLIOT AND OLIVIA LARSON

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups diced potatoes, preferably Yukon gold

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese

1 (15-ounce) can cream-style corn

1-2 cups thawed frozen corn

8 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled

additional cheese and bacon for topping

In a large saucepan, add stock, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until tender; do not drain. In a stockpot, make a white sauce by melting the butter, stirring in the flour and whisking in the milk. Add the cheese, stir until melted. Add cream-style corn, thawed corn, crumbled bacon, reserved broth and cooked vegetables. Stir well, and heat, but do not boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with additional cheese and crumbled bacon if desired.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Quick Cheese Bread

FROM SHANNON LARSON

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

3 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 1/4 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, beaten slightly

3/4 cup sour cream

Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan (or two smaller pans) with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly on bottom of pan.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cayenne and salt to combine. Using rubber spatula, mix in cheddar, breaking up clumps, until cheese is coated with flour. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, egg and sour cream. Using rubber spatula, gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (batter will be heavy and thick); do not overmix. Scrape batter into prepared pan or pans; spread to sides and level surface with rubber spatula. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over surface.

Bake in center of oven at 350 degrees until deep golden brown and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Check in several spots to ensure that the toothpick does not hit a pocket of cheese.

Cool in pan on wire rack five minutes. Invert loaf from pan, and continue to cool until warm, about 45 minutes, before cutting.

NOTE: This bread is incredibly rich, and the Parmesan cheese gives it a flavorful crust.

Salad

FOM JUDY SIEBERS

Romaine lettuce

Fuji apples, cut up

cashews

dried cranberries

finely grated Swiss cheese

Lonzerotti's Sweet Italian dressing (low fat)

Combine the above ingredients in proportions desired and to taste. Serve immediately.

Fresh Apple Cake

FROM SIGNE OAKLEY

3 cups chopped, peeled apples

1 cup chopped nuts

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Peel and chop apples; set aside. Chop nuts; set aside. Measure dry ingredients; set aside.

Beat oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla on low speed until creamy. Add dry ingredients; beat until stiff. Add apples and nuts. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. Glaze cake if desired. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream or ice cream; cake also can be frozen.

Apple Cake Glaze

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 stick margarine

Mix all ingredients in saucepan, and boil for three minutes over medium heat. With toothpick, poke holes in top of cake while still warm. Pour boiling glaze over top of cake.

Doggie Biscuits

FROM LINDA BUECHTING

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons brown sugar

6 tablespoons meat drippings (bacon or from a roast)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 teaspoon beef bouillon

1 egg

1/2 cup cold water

Mix together all ingredients except the meat drippings, egg and water. Cut in the drippings until mixture resembles corn meal. Mix in the egg. Add just enough water to make the mixture form a ball. Pat dough, then roll and cut into shapes, using a dog bone cutter. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes. Cool and serve.

NOTE: When I would make these for my cocker spaniel Purdy, she knew they were for her and would hover around the oven while they baked.