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Holiday season with recipes from the community cookbook

One thing is certain: at Topeka Presbyterian Manor, we know how to eat — and cook! In 2010, the community compiled some of our favorite dishes into “Meals and Memories: Topeka Presbyterian Manor Favorite Recipes.”

The book, which includes recipes from both residents and staff, has become a go-to community resource. The assisted living staff keeps an extra copy in their area.

“Sometimes when we want to share a recipe, we pull out the cookbook,” said Holly Jaramillo, an assisted living supervisor.

Holly’s recipe for “Moss Family Cake” is reproduced below. She likens it to a zucchini bread, but the recipe calls for grated chocolate instead of zucchini.

“You don’t use icing, so the top gets a little crunchy, and that’s the best part — the crunchy top,” she said. “It’s become the traditional birthday cake in our family.”

Chuck Annis, a certified medication aide in assisted living, contributed a recipe for dilled pot roast he discovered in a 1970s-era cookbook called “Crockery Cookery.”

“I tried it and thought it was the bomb,” he said. “I’ve made it several times for the staff in our department, and it comes out perfectly every time.”

The secret: Chuck advises following the recipe exactly as written.

Holly said the cookbook lives up to its title “Meals and Memories.”

“It’s really nice because we flip through it sometimes and it’s a nice remembrance of some of the residents,” many of whom would prepare and share their own recipes with staff, Holly said.

With holiday gathering season approaching, we thought we’d share a few of our favorite recipes from “Meals and Memories.”

PARTY MASHED POTATOES

Ashley Zeckser

5 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cubed

3/4 cup warm milk, plus more if desired

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

Place potatoes in a 5-quart pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heatablespoons Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until tender; drain.

Combine the milk, 2 TABLESPOONS butter, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add potato, then let stand 5 minutes or until butter melts. Beat the potato mixture with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Blend in the cream cheese and sour cream. If the potatoes seem too dry, add a bit more milk and sour cream. Beat until fluffy and pour into casserole dish. Cut up remaining butter and place on top. Sprinkle with paprika.

Refrigerate and reheat in 350° oven for 20 minutes.

MEAT LOAF

Christie Patrick

1 pound hamburger

1 box chicken flavored stuffing mix

1 egg

ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 8x4-inch pan.

Knead hamburger, dry stuffing mix, and egg together and push into the bottom of the pan. Spread a thin layer of ketchup over the top.

Cover with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes.

DILLED POT ROAST

Chuck Annis

3-3 1/2 pounds beef pot roast

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 cup water

1 TABLESPOON vinegar

3 TABLESPOONS flour

1 teaspoon dill weed

1 cup sour cream

Sprinkle both sides of meat with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon dill weed. Place in slow cooker, then add water and vinegar. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until tender.

Remove meat from the pot. Turn control to high. Dissolve flour in a small amount of water, then stir into meat drippings. Stir in additional dill. Cook on high about 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in the sour cream, then turn off heat. Slice meat and serve with sauce.

Makes 6-7 servings

MOSS FAMILY CAKE

Holly Jaramillo

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (4 ounces) bar Baker's German chocolate

2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cup sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients together (except chocolate) for 7-8 minutes with an electric mixer. Grate the chocolate while batter is mixing. Fold the chocolate into the batter. Grease and flour a tube pan and pour the batter into it. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from pan to serve.

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