COOKING SCHOOL FEATURES LILBOURN WOMAN'S RECIPES

Angie Holtzhouser of Lilbourn had a dream -- and that was to publish a cookbook that would preserve the recipes and traditions of her family and friends for future generations.

Being a sixth generation Irish American, she particularly wanted to include old family recipes for such favorites as Irish Soda Bread, Irish Stew and Oatmeal Lace Cookies.

But she also wanted to include wonderful Southern recipes and stories of her childhood.

The culmination was her best-selling cookbook "Drop Dumplin's and Pan-Fried Memories."

Holtzhouser will be a special guest at the Southern Living Cooking School April 30 in Cape Girardeau.

The show should attract close to 5,000 people to two shows -- 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Holtzhouser will be at the Southeast Missourian booth in the exhibition hall throughout the day, signing cookbooks and baking up some of her favorite recipes for taste-testing.

The cooking school is co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian, Schnucks and the Cape Girardeau County Area Medical Alliance.

Tickets are $3 and can be purchased at all Southeast Missourian offices, 301 and 430 Broadway in Cape Girardeau and 108 S. Hope in Jackson; the Scott County Signal in Chaffee, The Banner-Press in Marble Hill; Schnucks at 19 S. Kingshighway; and from auxiliary members.

Children 12 and under will be admitted free of charge.

The medical alliance will award all proceeds from the show to area charities.

"Drop Dumplin's" has sold 8,000 copies since August and is going into its third and largest printing to date -- 10,000 copies.

The recipes come with names like "Martha's Fiesta Chicken," "Aunt Susan's St. Louis Raisin Pie" and "My Daddy's Favorite Pecan Pie."

She plans to serve sips of "White Lingtnin' Party Punch" at the cooking show along with some other favorites.

Her book also includes recipes from a number of well-known restaurants along the Mississippi. The restaurants, in turn, are helping her sell the book. For example, three recipes from the N'Orleans Restaurant in Cape Girardeau are included in the book: "Mr. Tibbs' Shrimp Creole," "Red Snapper in ginger Court Bouillon" and "Cafe Brulot Diabolique Royal N'Orleans Style."

The book also includes a recipe for the famed `throwed' rolls at Lambert's in Sikeston. The rolls are a perennial favorite: eaten by more than 2.2 million people last year alone. Holtzhouser's version is for a 36-roll batch.

Holtzhouser will be at one of more than 65 exhibitor booths at the Show Me Center during the cooking school. Those wishing more information about exhibitor booths can contact Kim Mitchell at 335-6611. Ext. 231.

In addition, the Southeast Missourian will publish a recipe keepsake section Sunday. It will feature recipes from Southern Living's national sponsors of the cooking shows. In all, the magazine will present 40 of these shows this year.

All attendees will also receive a gift bag filled with coupons, gifts, gadgets and a Cooking School Cookbook from Southern Living with more than 150 recipes.