Shirley Kellicutt loves to cook.

“I grew up on a farm in Minnesota where you canned things for the winter. We didn’t have a freezer so we canned pickles, beets, tomatoes, tomato sauce and all kinds of fruits and vegetables.”

Kellicut’s home was a real working farm with cows and a “couple hundred chickens! I even went to a one-room schoolhouse. It was just a way of life,” she said, describing the small town she grew up in.

“I was raised with the Farmer’s Almanac Cookbook and many church cookbooks with tried-and-true recipes,” Kellicutt said. She showed me a fascinating Victory Lutheran Church Cookbook published in 1945 that was used by her mother.

“With such great food around us, you didn’t think of going to town and buying cookies or prepared food. Every Saturday we made brownies or cookies because we all brought our lunch to school.”

Living a simple life and producing most of the necessities helped to develop a lifelong interest in teaching others. Kellicutt started teaching cooking when she was 10 years old. “I taught my friend Zander how to make a pie and he demonstrated it in school. Then he taught the class to make it. They made the pies before Thanksgiving and one of the moms helped them make chicken soup.”

We talked about how the easy access to everything we need or want has changed our society, especially as it applies to children. Kellicut said, “What we have lost is the understanding of process and patience because you have to go through a process to get your product — you have to plan and measure.

“You have to know how to read the steps in making something. Kids don’t think about the steps you go through to get the end product.”

A few years ago, Kellicutt was asked to take on a fall cooking project for 4H. She worked with a group of young girls for eight weeks. She said: “I wanted them to learn how to read a recipe, how to measure and to contribute to their family holiday dinners. We made mac ’n’ cheese, cookies, and gingerbread houses — which really taught them process and patience!”

“I’ve always said if you can read, you can cook. I have a friend in Minnesota who can make a banana cream pie and a stew. I got him the Joy of Cooking cookbook and said to him, ‘now read.’ I love to learn about the anthropology of food: Where did it come from and what are its roots?”

Salmon Pizza Appetizer

1⁄4 cup fresh dill, chopped

Salmon cut in 1-inch pieces, enough to

cover top of pizza

1⁄2 red onion, chopped very fine

8 ounces cream cheese, warmed slightly

in microwave

1⁄4 cup capers

1 Boboli thin pizza crust

Preheat oven to 350° F. Toast the pizza crust in the oven until done.

Cover toasted crust with softened cream cheese. Top with chopped onion, salmon, capers and chopped dill. Serve on a large wood board and cut into squares.

Steamed Ling Cod with Tomato

and Orange

This dish goes great with white or wild rice.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1⁄4 cup small capers

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

2 medium navel oranges, peeled and

segmented, with membranes removed

One 14-ounce can diced, roasted-toma

toes with garlic and oregano, undrained

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

1.5 pound ling cod or cod fillets, cut into

2-inch pieces

1⁄4 cup of fresh dill, chopped, or 1

tablespoon dried dill

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the capers, orange zest, orange segments, tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the fish to the pan. Spoon sauce over the fish. Cover and cook for an additional 7 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.

Sprinkle with dill and serve.

Shirley Kellicutt loves to cook.

“I grew up on a farm in Minnesota where you canned things for the winter. We didn’t have a freezer so we canned pickles, beets, tomatoes, tomato sauce and all kinds of fruits and vegetables.”

Kellicut’s home was a real working farm with cows and a “couple hundred chickens! I even went to a one-room schoolhouse. It was just a way of life,” she said, describing the small town she grew up in.

“I was raised with the Farmer’s Almanac Cookbook and many church cookbooks with tried-and-true recipes,” Kellicutt said. She showed me a fascinating Victory Lutheran Church Cookbook published in 1945 that was used by her mother.

“With such great food around us, you didn’t think of going to town and buying cookies or prepared food. Every Saturday we made brownies or cookies because we all brought our lunch to school.”

Living a simple life and producing most of the necessities helped to develop a lifelong interest in teaching others. Kellicutt started teaching cooking when she was 10 years old. “I taught my friend Zander how to make a pie and he demonstrated it in school. Then he taught the class to make it. They made the pies before Thanksgiving and one of the moms helped them make chicken soup.”

We talked about how the easy access to everything we need or want has changed our society, especially as it applies to children. Kellicut said, “What we have lost is the understanding of process and patience because you have to go through a process to get your product — you have to plan and measure. “You have to know how to read the steps in making something. Kids don’t think about the steps you go through to get the end product.”

A few years ago, Kellicutt was asked to take on a fall cooking project for 4H. She worked with a group of young girls for eight weeks. She said: “I wanted them to learn how to read a recipe, how to measure and to contribute to their family holiday dinners. We made mac ’n’ cheese, cookies, and gingerbread houses — which really taught them process and patience!”

“I’ve always said if you can read, you can cook. I have a friend in Minnesota who can make a banana cream pie and a stew. I got him the Joy of Cooking cookbook and said to him, ‘now read.’ I love to learn about the anthropology of food: Where did it come from and what are its roots?”

Salmon Pizza Appetizer

1⁄4 cup fresh dill, chopped

Salmon cut in 1-inch pieces, enough to cover top of pizza

1⁄2 red onion, chopped very fine

8 ounces cream cheese, warmed slightly in microwave

1⁄4 cup capers

1 Boboli thin pizza crust

Preheat oven to 350 F. Toast the pizza crust in the oven until done.

Cover toasted crust with softened cream cheese. Top with chopped onion, salmon, capers and chopped dill. Serve on a large wood board and cut into squares.

Steamed Ling Cod with Tomato and Orange

This dish goes great with white or wild rice.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1⁄4 cup small capers

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

2 medium navel oranges, peeled and segmented, with membranes removed

One 14-ounce can diced, roasted-tomatoes with garlic and oregano, undrained

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

1.5 pound ling cod or cod fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces

1⁄4 cup of fresh dill, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried dill

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the capers, orange zest, orange segments, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the fish to the pan. Spoon sauce over the fish. Cover and cook for an additional 7 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Sprinkle with dill and serve.

Single Crust Apple Pie

5-6 large apples unpeeled, enough to fill a pie plate

1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar (use less sugar if the apples are sweet)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup butter cut in chunks

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 pie crust

1 egg

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Do Not Peel apples; just slice in 1/2-inch wedges and toss with lemon juice in a large bowl to keep apples from turning brown.

Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt on the apples and stir until they are mixed well.

Place pie crust in pie plate; fill with apple mixture and pile high; dot with butter. Fold crust over the apples.

Bake for 15 minutes and then remove from oven.

Brush top of the pie and pie crust with one beaten egg.

Bake for another 30-40 minutes at 350 F.

Macaroni and Cheese

1 cup uncooked macaroni

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup grated cheese

Cook macaroni in boiling water until tender; drain. Place macaroni in well-buttered dish.

Melt butter, add flour, then add milk.

Stir until thickened. Add grated cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and mixed until smooth.

Pour cheese sauce over cooked macaroni.

Bake at 350 F until top is golden brown.

Rice Krispies Cookies (from the 40s!)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

2 cups Rice Krispies

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup ground nuts (pecans are my choice)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream together butter and sugars; add eggs and beat well. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to butter and sugar mixture. Fold in oats, Rice Krispies, coconut and ground nuts. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.

Barbecue on a Bun

2 pounds chopped turkey or hamburger

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard or 1 teaspoon mustard

1 can chicken gumbo soup

Brown hamburger, onions and celery in olive oil.  In a casserole or oven roasting pan, add the other ingredients, stir and place it in the oven uncovered at 350 F for one hour. Stir. Serve on buns.