Jan/Feb 2010
The sweetest things in life come straight from the heart. This is especially true for this issue’s featured cook, Karen Kirk of Rainsville. “Cooking for people allows me to show them I love and care about them,” says Kirk.

Kirk especially enjoys baking sweet treats for her family, friends, fellow faculty members at Plainview High School and church family at Broadway Baptist Church.

This expression of love through cooking began during Kirk’s childhood. Her mother, Kay Johnson, showed affection to her children by feeding them homemade meals.

“Mom had to leave for work by 6:30 each morning, but she always had a hot breakfast on the table for us,” she recalls. “And, my family ate a home-cooked meal around our dinner table every night.”

Today, Kirk has a very busy schedule. She teaches Geometry, and she and her husband Todd spend much of their time keeping up with their three kids, Rusty, 15, Will, 12, and Kolbi, 8.

“My family is always on the go,” says Kirk. “But, I make an effort to plan around all that we have going on so we can eat together.”

Kirk has passed her love of cooking on to her daughter, Kolbi. “I really love cooking chocolate chip cookies with her!” Kolbi says about her mom.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Kirk is sharing several sweet recipes, including her mother’s famous fudge and great-grandmother’s tea cake. She encourages readers to try these special recipes, but remember the most important ingredient is always love.


RECIPES

Old Fashion Tea Cakes

1-3/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
3-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
 
Cream butter and sugar; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and flour and mix until well blended. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour to make the dough less sticky. Cookie cutters may be used on rolled out dough or you can shape dough into medium sized balls and then gently flatten them. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes. These cookies can be eaten plain or with chocolate icing.

Chocolate Icing

3 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1-1/2 sticks butter
3/4 cup milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter; add milk, cocoa, and sugar. Slowly bring to a rolling boil while stirring. Boil for 1-1/2 minutes. Remove and
set in cold water. Add vanilla. Beat with a mixer until icing thickens. Spread on top of cookies.

Basic Cookie Dough

2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 can Eagle Brand milk
2-1/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter, Crisco, and Eagle Brand milk and mix until smooth. Add brown sugar and eggs and mix well. Add vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and add to mixture. Mix in your favorite add-ins. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough at least two inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 375º.

Strawberry Cake

1 white or strawberry cake mix
1 large box strawberry JELL-O
1 stick butter
4 eggs
1 cup finely cut up strawberries

Combine cake mix, jell-o, butter and eggs and beat until smooth. Add strawberries and mix well. Pour into a greased 13" x 9" glass pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350º.

Icing

1 box confectioners sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup finely cut up strawberries

Melt butter and add sugar and strawberries. While the cake is still warm, poke small holes all over the top of the cake. Pour icing evenly over the top.

Peanut Butter Fudge

1 stick butter
1 small can evaporated milk
3 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
2 large Tbsp. peanut butter

Melt butter and add milk and sugar. Slowly bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Reduce to low heat and cook 15 minutes. Remove and add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix well and pour into a butter dish.