Real Cooking

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN CHERYL JOST
A short while ago we had some friends over for dinner and in the course of conversation, the other couple mentioned they had seen “Remember The Titans,” the new movie starring Denzel Washington.



“Is it worth the price of tickets?” I asked.



If I remember correctly, their reviews were mixed, but the husband’s view on one subject was strong.



“I don’t understand why film-makers insist on using 28-year-old actors to portray 16-year-old kids. This movie centers around a high school football team and the ‘kids’ don’t look like ‘kids’ at all.”



With passion rising in this voice, he continued: “I know it’s possible to find young, capable actors.” Then turning to his wife, he added, “Remember that movie we saw not too long ago? Now, that one was really good. It was based on the book we read this summer…what was the name of that thing?”



“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she replied. “What movie? What book? Do you mean the one we read while on vacation?”



One could see by her face that she was obviously puzzled.



“Yes, yes. That story was also about teenagers and in the movie, the actors were just perfect. They looked the part; they sounded real-every aspect was very authentic. I really liked that movie.”



Again, turning to his wife, he said, “Didn’t you?”



“Did you see this film without me?” she responded with an exasperated sigh.



It was then that the man sat bolt upright in his chair, his eyebrows rising in joyous surprise.



“I just realized that the movie I’m talking about was the one playing in my head as I read that book this summer. No wonder I enjoyed it so much-why everything was so realistic. It was my own imagination at work.”



Every time I think of that scene, I laugh out loud. He was so sincere, his wife so perplexed. It was just one of those moments that life gives you.



Imagination is such a wonderful thing.



With the end of October, my daughter finally had to decide on what costume she wanted to wear for the Halloween parade at school. After several days of deliberation, she came up with Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. Cleopatra, last pharaoh of Egypt. Cleopatra… had captured Meg’s imagination.



A couple of weeks prior to Halloween, my daughter and I immersed ourselves in Egyptian costuming. We studied pattern books and looked at Cleopatra costumes in stores and on the Internet all the while taking notes on what we wanted to incorporate (snake arm bands) and what we wanted to omit (side slits that show a little too much side) in the making of her costume.



In our search, we found a head covering that was “way cool” but “way too expensive,” so we decided to make our own version. Meg and I wove some golden cord together and, using Dad as our mannequin, formed a beaded Egyptian headdress.



I’m sure he was glad no one stopped by to see him that evening. He was just “way too cute” for words.



An old pleated curtain that I found in storage, a yard of golden sequined fabric and an old necklace found at the Et Cetera Shop, along with bits and pieces found in the craft box we keep at home, were somehow magically transformed into a royal gown by Oct. 31. All it took was a little imagination.



And a lot of hot glue.



Cleopatra, consort to Julius Caesar, wife to Marc Antony. My daughter’s search for costume information led her to pages of Egyptian history on the Internet.



She learned that Cleopatra was not the ravishing beauty that Hollywood portrays her as being. What Meg found was that Cleopatra was extremely intelligent and capable. It was through wit and charm that she seduced two of the ancient world’s most powerful men. She captured their imaginations and then she captured their hearts.



My girl wanted to be Cleopatra, a clever, glamorous, power-wielding woman. At least for one day, she wanted to imagine herself holding court in a grand palace or cruising the Nile on a golden barge. She wanted to emulate the strong queen whose legend endures even to our own modern age.



My son? He went as a hillbilly. Go figure.



Imagination is such a wonderful thing.



* * *



My recent column about Smart Chicken led to a surprise phone call from MBA Poultry’s CEO and president, Mark Haskins. It seems that someone-neither a Free Press staffer nor any member of IGA’s Vogt family…really-faxed a copy of my column to the founder of the company that produces those Smart Chickens that have impressed me so.



Mr. Haskins and I had a pleasant little chat about chicken, whereupon he invited me to stop by the plant for a tour sometime. He thought that I would be even more impressed with the chicken if I saw how the production lines operate and how clean the facility is. (No, I’m not getting kickbacks, not even free chicken.)



Maybe the next time we’re traveling through Nebraska, our family might have to pay a visit. In the meantime, I’ll keep buying Smart Chicken…it’s the smart thing to do.



Sorry, I can’t seem to help myself.



* * *



I love it when people ask me for recipes. One day I was in Dollar General and, as I approached the checkout, the clerk greeted me with a request for Sweet Potato Pie. Here it is…enjoy.







Sweet Potato Pie



3 or 4 large sweet potatoes (21/2 lbs.)



2 cups sugar



1/2 cup butter (not margarine) softened



4 eggs



1 tsp. cinnamon



1/2 tsp. nutmeg



1/4 tsp. cloves



1 can evaporated milk



1/2 tsp. salt



2 (nine-inch) pie shells, unbaked







Preheat oven to 375. Boil sweet potatoes in water until easily pierced with a fork. Cool slightly. Place cooked and peeled potatoes in a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Stir in butter and then beat in eggs, one at a time. Add spices, sugar and milk. Pour into pie shells and bake about 60-70 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

More from article archives
Tabor defeats Saint Mary 43-8
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TOM STOPPEL The 6th ranked Tabor College Bluejays put the...
Read More