By Deborah Gertz Husar
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
Debbie VonderHaar adds a sweet and simple finishing touch to almost every meal.
"We're dessert people," VonderHaar said.
Just don't expect anything too time-consuming on the table, even dessert, for her husband, Jim, and their children, Cory, Courtney, Andrew and Alex.
"I love to make things from scratch, a lot of different stuff but not fancy," VonderHaar said. "I like things where I have the ingredients right here at home."
VonderHaar stocks ingredients for Sugar Cookies, a recipe from her mother-in-law, and Chunky Chippers, a favorite cookie recipe discovered back in 1983 in Family Circle magazine.
The key ingredient is how long to bake the cookies to satisfy the whole family.
"My husband and I like crisp cookies. The kids like soft and chewy, so I try to take some out early enough," she said.
The family loves pumpkin and cheesecake, so VonderHaar combines them in Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. Just as popular are Caramelized Crispix, a sweet snack especially popular among the staff at Washington School, where Courtney teaches, and quick-to-fix Raisin Bars.
"They're real easy. You do them all in one bowl," she said.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake is a Sunday morning treat -- "the kids really like it," she said -- and one-bowl Banana Nut Bread is a family favorite recipe from VonderHaar's first cookbook that can be a snack or part of a meal.
"My mom was a good cook. I can remember her rolling out pie crust, but I never cooked a lot until I got married," she said. "I had a Betty Crocker cookbook and a phone to call my mom or mother-in-law. My mother-in-law was a good cook. I cook a lot like her. I always wanted to show her I could take good care of her boy."
The whole family eats well when Chicken Crescents are on the menu. "They look real fancy, but they're so easy to make," VonderHaar said.
Sweet and Sour Pork, another favorite of almost the entire family, comes from a St. Dominic's cookbook recipe and features tender pork in a flavorful sauce.
"Anybody can cook. You just have to want to do it. Just get a cookbook," VonderHaar said. "I like to do it, and it makes you feel good when people like what you make."
The family eats dinner together almost every night, even during the busy basketball season, with VonderHaar the main cook for her family.
"They all like to eat," she said, but "nobody's interested in cooking except my oldest. When he was in college, I made him a book for Christmas of all Mom's favorite recipes."
Contact Staff Writer Deborah Gertz Husar at dhusar@whig.com or (217) 221-3379
Chicken Crescents
1 package crescent rolls
3 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon pimiento
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
Separate rolls into four squares and place on cookie sheet. Press perforations smooth.
Blend cream cheese and butter. Stir together with remaining ingredients. Place equal amount of filling on each crescent square. Fold four corners into the center. Brush tops with butter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Sweet and Sour Pork
1 1/2-2 pounds pork, cubed
green pepper strips
onion chunks
rice
1 large can pineapple chunks
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup flour
Drain pineapple, and mix juice with water, vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar; set aside.
Combine flour, salt and pepper. Use to dredge meat. Cook meat in skillet in 2 tablespoons oil until browned; drain off extra oil. Pour in pineapple juice mixture. Cover and simmer one hour. Uncover and add pineapple, green pepper and onion. Cook 10-15 minutes. Serve over rice.
Caramelized Crispix
1 (12-ounce) box Crispix cereal
1 cup (or to taste) any combination of honey roasted peanuts, almonds or cashews
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white Karo syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Melt butter. Combine with brown sugar and syrup. Boil 2 1/2 minutes in microwave. Add baking soda, and stir until foamy. Pour over cereal and nuts in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for six minutes, stirring every 1 1/2 minutes. Spread out on waxed paper to cool.
NOTE: Recipe also can be used for caramel corn. Substitute 3-4 quarts popped corn for cereal and nuts.
Banana Nut Bread
2-3 bananas (1 cup mashed)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons oil
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup nuts
Mash bananas with mixer or potato masher. Add egg and oil; mix. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into a greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan, and cool before slicing.
Chunky Chippers
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 cups chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
Beat together butter, peanut butter, eggs, sugars and vanilla. Add flour, soda and salt, and blend well. Sir in chocolate chips. Drop teaspoons of dough about two inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (eight-ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add nuts. Set aside 3/4 cup of mixture. Press remainder into bottom of an 8-by-8-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool slightly.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, spices and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Pour over baked crust. Sprinkle on reserved topping. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes. Cool, then cut into bars.
Raisin Bars
2 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup oil
3 cups flour
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
In a large bowl, place all ingredients except boiling water in order; do not stir. Pour boiling water over, and then mix thoroughly. Pour into a 17-by-11-by-2-inch pan (jelly roll) that has been greased. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until light brown. While hot and still in pan, drizzle with a thin glaze of frosting made from 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Cut into 1-by-3-inch bars.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with sour cream. Add vanilla, and mix. Pour half of batter into a greased 7-by-9-inch pan. Add half of topping. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean.
For topping, combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 cup nuts, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 2 tablespoons butter.
Sugar Cookies
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is the size of peas. Stir in oil.
In another bowl, mix together well sugar, eggs and vanilla. Pour over the flour mixture, and stir well.
Drop by heaping teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of a glass wrapped with a damp cloth and dipped in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
NOTE: Chill dough for several hours to make rolled, cutout cookies.
Contact Staff Writer Deborah Gertz Husar at dhusar@whig.com or (217) 221-3379
