Special recipes for an extra-special cook, my retiring sister

I am excited to write the recipe column for today, as it features my very dear friend and oldest sister, Pat Baldwin. After working for 45 years at The Lutheran Home, she is retiring and hanging up her hair net and apron.

Pat started working at The Lutheran Home 45 years ago, thinking it world be a nice job until the spring when she would search for a "real job." The rest is history.

Pat loves the residents who live there and their families, and she has loved and said goodbye to many people over the course of the years. She's slept on her office floor when snow and ice were a threat, gone to work when she was too sick to be at work, she worked double shifts and missed many family holiday gatherings and Sunday worship services while serving others.

I am more proud of her than my buttons can take. Congratulations, Patty, on a job well done and a very much deserved retirement.

I know the kinds of food Pat enjoys, and so I chose a few recipes she likes, or ones I know she will like, and I hope you will, too.

Sweet and Sour Spaghetti

This recipe is about 37 or 38 years old and we still make it today. I originally got this recipe when I was in a high school home-economics class, and our family has enjoyed it ever since. It is by no means traditional Italian spaghetti; it is totally different from what you might normally think of as spaghetti. Although very different, it is still very good and tasty. We like plenty of cayenne pepper in it for a little heat.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 box sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 can tomato soup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained

Brown ground beef and onion in skillet, remove from skillet and drain. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until golden brown. To this same skillet, add back in the meat and onion mixture. Add remaining ingredients, except spaghetti, and simmer over low heat until hot, bubbly and thickened. Add sauce to cooked spaghetti and serve piping hot.

Serve grated Parmesan cheese on the side, if desired.

Ravioli With Apple Chicken Sausage

• 1 package (18 ounces) frozen butternut squash ravioli
• 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen creamed spinach
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 package (12 ounces) fully cooked apple chicken sausage links or flavor of your choice, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Prepare spinach according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage; cook and stir 2 to 4 minutes or until browned. Drain ravioli. Add ravioli, spinach, maple syrup and pie spice to sausage; heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

Cabbage, Sausage and Potato Soup

This recipe is nice and hearty, and comforting; it's full of the best savory flavors, and it's guaranteed to warm you right up. A perfect fall and winter go-to soup recipe, especially when you are retired!

• 1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium leeks, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds, white and pale green parts only
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 small green cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 pound red potatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Add sausage to a large stockpot and cook over medium-heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring and flipping occasionally, until the sausage is lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a separate plate, and set aside.

Add the olive oil, leeks, carrots and celery to the pan, and stir to combine. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the cabbage and garlic, and saute for 4 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock, potatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, cooked sausage, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and tender. Taste and season with a few generous pinches of salt and black pepper as needed.

Serve warm, or refrigerate in sealed containers for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

You can also use traditional kielbasa sausage, or any kind of smoked pork, chicken, turkey or vegan sausage that you'd like. (Bratwurst also works!)

Coconut Cream Pie

• 1 9-inch homemade pie crust
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
• Half and half, enough to make 3 cups combined with the coconut milk, about 1 1/2 cups
• 4 egg yolks, beaten slightly
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Place the whole can of coconut milk into a large measuring cup. It will measure a little over 1 1/2 cups. Pour the half and half into the same measuring cup on top of the coconut milk until you reach the 3-cup measurement. Stir to combine the half and half and coconut milk.

Place the coconut/half and half mixture into a medium-size, heavy-metal saucepan. Place the 4 beaten egg yolks, 3/4 cup of sugar, salt and the 1/3 cup of corn starch into the pan as well. Whisk to combine. Turn your burner on low. Place the pan on low heat and slowly whisk. Keep whisking, this is the part that needs just a little patience. It can take up to 15 minutes for the ingredients to thicken. Do not turn the heat up to speed the process. As you whisk, you will start to feel a slight resistance as you make your way around the pot. The pudding is starting to thicken. Don't walk away from the pot; when it starts to thicken it will happen all at once. Keep whisking until the pudding starts to boil; it will release thick bubbles that will come to the top like a little volcano. It has to reach this stage for it to set up properly. Once it starts to boil, whisk a little faster for a minute. Take the pudding off the heat and add the vanilla, butter and coconut. Mix to combine.

Pour the pudding into the pie crust while it's hot. It's going to fill the pie crust to the brim. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding, pressing down on the surface of the pudding slightly so the plastic wrap sticks to it to prevent a film from forming on the pudding when it cools. Refrigerate pie for about 4 hours. Top with homemade whipping cream. You can also top with meringue and toast in a hot oven, and add toasted coconut on top.

Cabbage And Noodles

Tender sweet cabbage, fluffy egg noodles and deliciously browned sausage are tossed with butter, salt and pepper. A comforting meal your whole family will love.

• 12 ounces kielbasa or sausage , sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped (approximately 6-7 cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup frozen peas
• 8 ounces uncooked extra wide egg noodles
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook sausage until lightly browned. Add remaining olive oil, butter and onion. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage and garlic. Cook until tender (10-15 minutes). Stir in peas, noodles and salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

A one-bowl chocolate cake recipe that is quick, easy, and delicious.

Chocolate cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup milk, buttermilk, almond, or coconut milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.

For the chocolate cake: Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well-combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well-combined. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.

Notes: The cake batter will be very thin after adding the boiling water. This is correct and results in the most delicious and moist chocolate cake you've ever tasted.

Frost cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Frosting:

This recipe is essential when it comes to retirement cakes and other celebrations.

• 1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), softened
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 5 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps. Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined. Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added. Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.

If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears too wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner's sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.