NW OH |Dec. 2015/Jan. 2016 | Issue 2

Salt Flavor for Everyday Life | December 2015/January 2016 | $3 A supplement of The Lima News

7

pro Christmas decorating tips

Let’s get cooking!

Taste of Home Dec. 8

Baker rolls in cookie dough Flour Loves Sugar, customers love Flour

20

recipes to jump-start your holiday season

2 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

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SHANNON WESLEY, DO PROCTOLOGY

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Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 3

JABER ALANZI, MD

DAVID A. ROSI, DO, FAOCO

Salt

Hide & Shake

Flavor for Everyday Life www.thesaltmagazine.com December 2015/January 2016 Publisher Editor Food Editor Layout Design Content Sales

Pamela Stricker Lora Abernathy Andrea Chaffin Jayla Wallingford Adrienne McGee Sterrett Natalie Buzzard

pstricker@civitasmedia.com labernathy@civitasmedia.com achaffin@civitasmedia.com jwallingford@civitasmedia.com amcgeesterrett@civitasmedia.com nbuzzard@civitasmedia.com

Contact Salt: editor@thesaltmagazine.com 3515 Elida Road, Lima, OH 45807 419-223-1010 Salt is published six times a year by Civitas Media LLC and is available through The Lima News. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue, in whole or in part, is prohibited. Salt is free to The Lima News subscribers and is also available for purchase at the office of The Lima News.

Please buy locally and recycle.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest @TheSaltMagazine.

Front Porch

Profile

4 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

Front Porch Profile offers a personal glimpse into the lives of notable people in our communities

By Lora Abernathy

Find the shaker in this issue and be entered to win a $10 grocery card. Visit our website, thesaltmagazine.com, and click on the Shaker Contest link at the top to be entered. All entries must be received by Jan. 4, 2016. Only electronic entries will be accepted.

In the October/November issue, the shaker was hidden on page 17.

Congratulations to our most recent winner, Herb Limbert of Wapakoneta.

You could be our next winner!

On the Cover This photo was taken by Amanda Wilson at Ivy Hutch Flowers & Gifts in Delphos.

Salt Flavor for Everyd

ay Life | Decem

7

ber 2015/January A supplement of

2016

The Lima News

pro Christmas decorating tip s

Let’s get cookin g!

Taste of Hom e Dec. 8 Baker rolls in cookie dough Flour Loves Sug ar, customers love Flou

20

r

recipes to jump-start your holiday season

Jeff Tracy

President Tracy’s Appliances & Sleep Source What’s your favorite Skittle flavor?

Anything red.

Superman or Batman?

Superman, but when they run out of bullets and throw their gun, I won’t duck.

Bologna or ham?

Ham with horseradish.

Which of your family members are you most like?

My father, Harold Tracy, because I sound just like him.

What song do you sing loudly in the car when no one’s watching?

Our national anthem on WLW radio at noon.

What would be the name of your reality TV show?

“A Life Well-Lived.”

What do you love most about your community?

Our community is a big family: great friends, wiser older generation, enthusiastic younger people, exciting events of all types, glorious seasons, and a great place to raise kids. Extremely proud to call this community my home.

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 5

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Salt CONTENTS

14

features

10 14 18 22 28 32

Let’s get cooking!

Taste of Home Cooking School Dec. 8 Bluffton’s Blaze of Lights

By Amy Eddings

LuLu’s Diner: An instant Lima classic

By Liz Young

The Christmas touch

By Adrienne McGee Sterrett

22

Rolling in dough

By Amy Eddings

A bright idea

By Adrienne McGee Sterrett

6 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

columns

4 8 9 40 42 43

Front Porch Profile

28

By Lora Abernathy

Publisher’s note

By Pamela Stricker

Salt notes

By Lora Abernathy

Chef Tyler’s deer-ly beloved smoked meatloaf sandwich

By Tyler Viars

Make room for the pantyhose reindeer

By Andrea Chaffin

Out & About

36

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Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 7

we’ve got something for everyone!

8 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

See a need, fill it; find a hurt, heal it A few years ago, I was on my way from Cincinnati headed north on I-71 to visit family in Canton.

I was somewhere north of Columbus when I passed a man and woman who were obviously broken down along the side of the highway.

My first impulse was to ignore their demise, whatever it was, but concern, especially for that woman, had me slowing down and pulling over to see what I could do to help.

The woman came bustling toward my car and I got out to meet her. As soon as she began to talk, I realized I wasn’t understanding much that she was saying, but recognized enough to know she was speaking Spanish.

I know a bit of Spanish, but not much. I’d had some brief audio lessons to learn some key words and phrases in Spanish to prepare for some mission trips I had been on in Mexico.

Somehow, we managed to communicate enough to understand they seemed to have run out of gas. I offered to take her to get gas while the man agreed to stay with the truck.

At the next exit, I bought a gas can and filled it with gas, as she seemed to not have money either. She kept calling me her “angel” in Spanish and thanking me for stopping.

I was feeling pretty good about my “random act of kindness” until…

We got back on I-71, headed south to the next exit so we could get back on and head north. When we got to the exact spot where the truck had run out of gas, to our surprise, the truck was gone! And I have a stranger in my car that I barely can understand. She kept shaking her head and did not seem to know what to do now.

Finally, I suggested we check the next exit where we had purchased the gas. I thought he may have gotten the truck started and gone there to find her. But he was not there.

I offered her my phone, but she could not track down anyone. I did not know what to do with her and she was very worried. I was able to reach a friend of mine who speaks fluent Spanish and she talked to her. My friend found out she was from Cincinnati and had no idea what happened to her husband. She did have relatives in Cincinnati that she thought she could reach later.

I ended up leaving her there after someone she reached finally answered her call and agreed to come pick her up. I hope it ended well. Not sure if that husband just thought this

would be a good time to split, or just got confused because of our lack of communication.

But it did not discourage my desire to continue to find practical ways to show God’s love.

In fact, as we begin to ponder our holiday giving, I thought I would pass on a few ideas that you might want to incorporate in your plans.

Here’s a few I’ve tried and some I have yet to try: • Fill a purse you no longer use with basic necessities such as warm gloves, a scarf, sock cap, protein bar, hair brush, chapstick, etc., and next time you see a homeless person, give it to them.

• Save those extra shampoos, soaps and lotions that they leave in the hotel room. Pick up some wash cloths when they go on sale, and fill a quart-size storage bag with both. Take it to the homeless shelter for them to share with their guests.

• Share some quarters with folks at the laundromat.

• Pay for the person behind you at the Taco Bell drive-thru (you might want to ask how much their order is before you offer to pay).

• Over-tip your server next time you eat out.

• Buy an extra turkey and all the fixings to go with it. Give it to someone you know who could use it.

I’m sure you can think of more. If so, feel free to share it with us on our Facebook page at facebook.com/thesaltmagazine.

However you choose to “gift,” I trust you will find time to ponder the significance of these holidays we celebrate, and that the meaning does not get swallowed up in the tremendous “noise” of getting things.

May you be blessed with hearts and minds that find creative ways to show you care.

Happy Holidays.

Pamela Stricker Publisher pstricker@civitasmedia.com

Salt Scoop Send us the recipe for your favorite cold-weather comfort food.

We may feature it in the next issue.

SaltNotes

Don’t judge, just pass the sugar

Congratulations to Teresa Maag of Leipsic who won for her Molasses Ginger Cookies recipe submitted for this edition of Salt.

Many years later, nothing has changed. I still consume candy as if I had an 8-year-old’s metabolism. A friend recently gave me several bags of jelly beans that had been left over from an event he organized. He thought I was joking when I informed him that I would put away at least one 20-ounce bag by the end of the day. I wasn’t. I did.

On the rare occasions there are no sugary treats in the house, sometimes I pretend I’m 5 again and head straight for that tiny bowl of brown sugar. The way I see it, I’m just matching what any candy I would consume would do for me anyway.

With the holiday season upon us, I become an obnoxious Christmas party guest; not because I say all the wrong things or wear the wrong clothes, but because I barely leave any cookies, cakes or pies for my fellow party-goers.

I start out with good intentions of “just having one,” but that resolve disappears as soon as my brain starts registering delicious.

Food fads come and go, along with warnings and advisories. In fact, in late October, it was announced that red meat could cause cancer. Ten years from now, it will probably be shown to help reduce cancer. Either way, I’m staying true to my love of both. Please pass the sugar.

Lora Abernathy Lora is the editor of Salt magazine. She is married to Gary, is mom to a Great Dane and yellow Lab, and trains and competes in triathlons. Reach her at labernathy@civitasmedia.com or on Twitter @AbernathyLora.

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 9

Visit our website, thesaltmagazine.com, and click on the Recipe Submission link at the top to be entered. Be sure and include a photo, too, if you have one. All entries must be received by Jan. 4, 2016.

Every submitted recipe will be entered in a drawing for a $25 grocery card.

My love for red meat is rivaled only by my passion for sweets.

After eating a slice of homemade cake in the break room, a co-worker walking past my office asked if I had any and if I liked it.

“Does it have sugar in it?” I asked.

“Yes,” she answered, her tone quizzical.

“Then, yes!” I exclaimed, doing my best to impersonate Buddy’s enthusiasm for maple syrup in the film, “Elf.” My love for sugar began very early in life, going back to kindergarten. My end-of-school treat was a tiny bowl of brown sugar. Mom told me years later there was a brown-sugar-is-healthy-forkids phase back in the 1980s.

As my obsession with sweets continued as a growing kid, my parents could always tell if I’d run out of my allowance for the week by glancing at the large volume of colorful Nerds, Skittles, FunDip or Jawbreakers wrappers and boxes piling in the trash.

My sweet tooth graduated to adult level when I started working my summer job at the West Virginia Division of Highways in college: I used sugar in my new coffee-drinking habit. I would pour so much sugar into the coffee, you could watch the level rise like a creek during a flood.

Let’s get cooking!

Taste of Home Cooking School and Expo set for Dec. 8

10 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

W

Who: The Lima News

hether you’re What: Taste of Home looking to be Cooking School and Expo simply entertained When: Expo, 4-7 p.m., or need a gameplan for some serious holiday cooking, plan show, 7-9 p.m. Dec. 8 to attend the Taste of Home Where: Veterans Cooking School and Expo.

Memorial Civic Center The event is Dec. 8 at Veterans Memorial Civic Center, Tickets: $10 general presented by The Lima News. admission, available at “It gives us a chance to the door connect with our audience and interact with our readers and provide a fun evening,” said Pamela Stricker, publisher of The Lima News.

The expo, with vendors and booths, will be from 4 to 7 p.m. The cooking show will follow, with Chef Eric Villegas preparing dishes on stage and sharing with lucky members of the audience.

Villegas was a popular presenter when he was here two years ago.

He is a Saginaw, Mich., native and now lives near Lansing, Mich. He cooked with his parents growing up, spurring a profession. He attended Anne Willan’s LaVarenne Ecole de Cuisine, Steven Spurrier’s Academie du Vin and the New England Culinary Institute. He has opened two restaurants, written two cookbooks and earned two Emmy awards for his show, “Fork in the Road with Eric Villegas.”

This year’s show will be themed toward the holidays, with Villegas showing the audience, step by step, how to prepare crowd-pleasing dishes that happen to be simple, as Taste of Home customers have come to expect.

Some ticket packages are “Taste of Home Holidays and Celebrations,” a seasonal cookbook offered by Taste of Home.

General admission is $10, available at the door. All attendees receive a goodie bag.

Major sponsors include Lima Memorial Health System, Tracy’s Appliances and Allan Nott Honda. The furniture sponsor is Gilberg Furniture, New Bremen.

Courtesy photo

Chef Eric Villegas is set to prepare dishes on stage during the Taste of Home Cooking School and Expo Dec. 8.

Taste of Home Culinary Specialist Kristi Larson addresses the crowd during the 2014 Cooking School.

File photo

Here are a few recipes to help the crazy Christmas rush:

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup mayonnaise Snack rye bread

Holiday Salsa

Directions: In a 3-quart slow cooker, combine the first five ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through and cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with rye bread.

You know it’s an amazing salsa when your guests hover around the serving bowl until it’s scraped clean. This boasts fresh cilantro, cranberries and just a hint of heat. — Shelly Pattison, Lubbock, Texas Start to finish: 20 minutes, plus chilling Servings: 12 Ingredients: 1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries 1 cup sugar 6 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened Assorted crackers or tortilla chips Directions: Place cranberries and sugar in a food processor; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the onions, cilantro and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

To serve, place cream cheese on a serving plate.

Drain salsa and spoon over cream cheese. Serve with crackers or chips.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin.

Avoid touching your face.

You’ll need only five ingredients to stir up this hearty dip that tastes like a Reuben sandwich. It’s requested at all the gatherings we attend. — Pam Rohr, Troy, Ohio Start to finish: 3 hours Servings: 40 (about 5 cups) Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups cubed cooked corned beef 1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

Creamy mashed potatoes get even better when topped with a savory trio of cheese, onions and bacon. Plus, these potatoes offer make-ahead appeal. — JoAnn Koerkenmeier, Damiansville, Ill. Start to finish: 75 minutes, plus chilling Servings: 10 Ingredients: 3 pounds potatoes (about 9 medium), peeled and cubed 6 bacon strips, chopped 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1/4 cup 2% milk 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 3 green onions, chopped Directions: Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain.

Drain potatoes; return to pan.

Mash potatoes, gradually adding cream cheese, sour cream and butter. Stir in milk and seasonings. Transfer to a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish; sprinkle with cheese, green onions and bacon. Refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove potatoes from refrigerator and let stand while oven heats.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Rice Salad

We have end-of-season picnics for my son’s flag football team. This makes enough to serve plenty of hungry boys and their families. — Dolores Deifel, Mundelein, Ill. Start to finish: 50 minutes, plus chilling and cooling Servings: 12 (3/4 cup each) Salad Ingredients: 3 tablespoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 medium butternut squash (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice 2 large sweet red peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 cup pine nuts, toasted 6 green onions, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons snipped fresh dill 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, coarsely chopped Dressing Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, oil and salt. Add squash; toss to coat.

Transfer to a greased, foil-lined 15-by-10-inch baking pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Remove from heat; cool completely.

In a large bowl, combine red peppers, pine nuts, green onions, dill, parsley, squash and rice. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350-degree oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Curried Turkey Vegetable Soup

Chock-full of veggies, this aromatic soup has just the right hint of curry. “It’s a delicious way to use your leftover holiday turkey,“ recommends Virginia C. Anthony, Jacksonville, Fla. Start to finish: 35 minutes Servings: 6 (2 quarts) Ingredients: 2 medium onions, chopped 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon curry powder 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 cup red potatoes, diced 1 celery rib, sliced 1/2 cup fresh carrots, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh sage, minced 2 cups cubed cooked turkey breast 1 1/2 cups fat-free half-and-half 1 package (9 ounces) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Directions: In a Dutch oven, saute onions in oil until tender. Stir in flour and curry until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Add the potatoes, celery, carrots, parsley and sage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1012 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in the turkey, half-andhalf, spinach, salt and pepper.

Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and soup is heated through.

Cherry-Glazed Chicken with Toasted Pecans

What started out as a way to use up some leftover preserves and cheese turned out to be a family winner dinner that I now make time and again. — Keri Cotton, Lakeville, Minn.

Start to finish: 30 minutes Servings: 4

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 11

Reuben Spread

Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Bake, uncovered, 40-50 minutes or until heated through.

Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each) 3/4 cup cherry preserves 1 teaspoon onion powder 2 ounces fontina cheese, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. Place chicken in an ungreased 11-by7-inch baking dish. Top with preserves; sprinkle with onion powder. Bake, uncovered, 18-22 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees.

Top with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with pecans.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350-degree oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream Cheese My husband and I both love the classic combination of beef and horseradish. He asks me to make this for dinner often, and I’m always happy to. Try serving with baked potatoes as a side. — Mary Lou Cook, Welches, Ore. Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 4

12 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

Ingredients: 4 beef tenderloin steaks (4 ounces each)

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced Directions: Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add steaks; cook 4-6 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for mediumrare, a thermometer should read 145 F; medium, 160 F; well-done, 170 F).

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and horseradish until blended. Serve with steaks.

Sprinkle with parsley.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Your guests are in for a sweet surprise when they try this unusual cheese ball: It tastes just like cookie dough. Rolled in chopped pecans, the chipstudded spread is wonderful on regular or chocolate graham crackers. I especially like it because it can be assembled in a wink. — Kelly Glascock, Syracuse, Mo. Start to finish: 10 minutes, plus chilling Servings: 16 (1 cheeseball) Ingredients: 1 package (8 ounces) cream

Salt Shakers

I am sending the photos of my vintage 1940s or 50s salt and pepper shakers, along with the matching lard jar.

They are in excellent condition and the lard jar still has the original price tag on it, as shown, and sold for just 20 cents. I am not sure if that was for the set or just the lard jar.

— Carole Martin of Greenfield In each issue of Salt, we try to feature photos of creative salt and pepper shakers from our readers’ collections. Please submit photos and descriptions to editor@ thesaltmagazine.com by Jan. 4, 2015 for consideration for printing in a future issue.

cheese, softened 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar 2 tablespoons brown sugar 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped Graham crackers Directions: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap; shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans. Serve with graham crackers.

Creamy Peppermint Punch

Almost too pretty to drink, Creamy Peppermint Punch is a real crowd-pleaser. Guests can help themselves, so you’re free to mingle. — Linda Foreman, Locust Grove, Oklahoma Start to finish: 10 minutes Servings: 16 (3/4 cup each) Ingredients: Crushed peppermint candies, optional 1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream, softened 1 bottle (1 liter) club soda, chilled 4 cups eggnog Directions: If desired, moisten the rims

of punch glasses with water.

Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on a plate; dip rims in candies. Set glasses aside.

Just before serving, combine ice cream, club soda and eggnog in a 4-quart punch bowl.

Serve in prepared glasses.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This recipe was tested with commercially prepared eggnog.

Slow-Cooker Chai Tea

The sweet and spicy aroma that wafts from the slow cooker as this pleasantly flavored chai tea cooks is wonderful. — Crystal Jo Burns, Iliff, Col. Start to finish: 8 hours, 20 minutes Servings: 12 (3 quarts) Ingredients: 3 1/2 ounces fresh ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced 25 whole cloves 15 cardamom pods, crushed 3 cinnamon sticks (3 inches) 3 whole peppercorns 3 1/2 quarts water 8 individual black tea bags 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk Directions: Place the first five ingredients on a double thickness of cheesecloth. Gather corners of cloth to enclose seasonings; tie securely with string. Add spice bag and water to a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 8 hours.

Add tea bags; cover and steep 3-5 minutes. Discard tea bags and spice bag. Stir in milk; heat through. Serve warm.

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For more information or tickets, please call 419-223-1010 40819267

Presented by

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 13

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Bluffton’s Blaze of Lights How one family’s Christmas tradition became a regional event

By Amy Eddings

14 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

M

any families decorate their homes and front yards for Christmas, hanging colored lights from the gutters and wreaths on the front door. Very few families have those public expressions of holiday cheer embraced by an entire community.

That’s what happened to the late Harry and Dorothy Reams’ display of painted plywood Christmas characters and scenes. Charming in their simplicity, quaint in their homespun quality, these folk art characters have become the heart of the Village of Bluffton’s Blaze of Lights holiday display and celebration, and the emotional center of many residents’ fondest holiday memories.

From the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when they are officially illuminated in a lighting ceremony, to the day after New Year’s Day, they silently watch over Bluffton’s commercial strip from iner Photos by Fred Ste the yard of the Bluffton Presbyterian Church at North Main and Cherry streets.

The tradition began in 1939 at the Reams’ farm east of Bluffton, in rural Jenera. Harry Ream, a farmer and handyman, and Dorothy Ream, a public school art teacher, mounted three white plywood deer in their yard. Then came a Nativity scene, placed under the eaves of their barn. Flood lights were added, to high-

light the decorations.

From time to time, the Reams created a new figure, Harry Ream sawing them out of plywood, Dorothy Ream painting them.

There was a mittened child depositing a letter for Santa in a big blue mailbox.

There was a little old woman sitting in a rocking chair, reading her Bible. The chair was motorized and rocked back and forth.

Neighbors noticed. Word spread.

“People would drive out to see it,” said Fred Steiner, CEO of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes and finances the Blaze of Lights. “I mean, nobody did this. There weren’t Christmas displays in the mid-1950s. This was one of a kind.”

Steiner said the effect of the Reams’ folk art display in that remote country setting was electrifying, in all senses of the word.

“If you can imagine, driving out in the country —” he paused, summoning his memories. Steiner, who’s 66, said he first saw the Reams’ Christmas display when he was in grade school. “Today, there are lights all over the place. There weren’t lights [then]. You could see this thing from miles away. You’d say, ‘Oh, there it is.’ ” “I just remember there were lines and lines of cars, and you just had to wait your turn,” said Terry Mullenhour, 63, head of Bluffton’s Cultural Affairs Committee, which manages the display. “Everybody had to turn off their headlights because you wanted to get the full effect, and if somebody didn’t turn off their headlights, everybody was mad.”

For nearly 50 years, the Reams kept up their holiday tradition, until Dorothy Ream died. Harry Ream approached several

Salt

Contributors Adrienne McGee Sterrett

Adrienne is the lifestyle/special sections editor for The Lima News.

She believes everyone has a life story worth sharing. Reach her at 567-242-0510 or amcgeesterrett@civitasmedia.com.

Amy Eddings sculptor and a wood carver. Choral groups sing Christmas carols and, at dusk, everyone counts down to the moment when a designated “switch hitter” flips on the more than 10,000 lights that give the festival its name.

Eighteen-year-old Patrick Rhonemus said that, as a kid, the Blaze of Lights held for him the anticipation of Christmas Eve, as well as the gleeful abundance of Christmas morning.

“Everyone’s all happy, there are lots of things going on,” he said. “I bugged my parents, I wanted to stay up the entire time, from when the parade went through to when they turned on the lights.”

Main Street isn’t the only section of Bluffton that’s aglow with the holiday spirit.

The Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce provides maps to visitors to other parts of the village where residents have established especially noteworthy displays. This includes a light show in a parking lot on the south side of town called Gift of Giving, which offers a more high-tech rendition of the experience the Reams created 76 years ago.

“It’s like a drive-in theater,” explained Steiner. “You drive in the lot, park, turn your radio to a certain radio station, and watch the show. It’s every 15 minutes, from 6 to 11 each night.”

He said last year, the Chamber handed out 500 maps.

“That’s how many vehicles are coming to Bluffton,” he said.

“I’m always surprised at the attendance, at how many people come out, sometimes in spite of the weather,” said Judy Augsburger, Bluffton’s mayor. “The atmosphere is really neat. It’s a wonderful community event.”

Amy writes for The Lima News.

She’s a former New Yorker and public radio host. When she’s not writing, she’s canning, cooking, quilting and gardening.

Reach her at 567-242-0379 or aedddings@civitasmedia.com.

Liz Young

Liz is a freelance writer for The Lima News. She is a special education teacher for the Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities. In her free time, she enjoys reading, movies and spending time with family.

Tyler Viars

A columnist for Salt magazine, Tyler’s cooking skills led him to be a top finalist on Fox TV’s “MasterChef” in 2014. With his platform as a chef and avid outdoorsman, the Wilmington, Ohio, resident’s goal is to facilitate what he calls the “Forest to Fork” movement.

| December | 15 Salt Salt | December 2015/January 2015/January 2016 2016 | 15

people who were deeply involved in Bluffton’s civic life, asking if the village would like to acquire it. One of them was Beverly Amstutz’s dad, Gene Benroth. “[The family] wanted to get rid of it.

[Dorothy] did most of the work,” Amstutz said. “Dad said, ‘No, let me find a place for it.’ He was a Presbyterian, my dad. So he asked the people at church, can we put it in the church yard?”

That was in 1986. Since then, the Reams’ display has grown from the approximately 40 figures they created to more than 120.

Others have contributed pieces, including Bluffton High School’s art students and church groups. A new piece is added every year.

“We usually keep it a secret,” said Mullenhour, who has made several figures and repairs the old ones. Sometimes, the new piece is announced during the lighting ceremony. “Sometimes, people have to hunt for it.”

She said her favorite is a little girl with a red dress.

“She has a huge sign with ‘Merry Christmas’ in all different languages,” Mullenhour said. “I just like her. She’s just a pretty little girl. She was the first piece I repaired, too.”

Mullenhour said the little plywood figure was riddled with screw holes where volunteers over the years had secured her to wooden stakes.

“She looked like she’d been shot. She had 12 to 13 holes right in her middle,” she said.

Bluffton officials and community leaders have built an entire holiday event around the simple painted figures. The Blaze of Lights includes a parade down Main Street, with floats, marching bands, horse-drawn wagons, antique cars and fire trucks.

Merchants decorate their windows and vie for prizes for the best one. There’s an ice

16 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

Readers Write

I really enjoyed reading all that was in (Salt magazine). I and my two daughters got a kick out of searching for (the hidden salt shaker).

Thank you for the morning fun.

Katelyn Gainok Lima ••• Just finished reading Salt. I loved it. Such interesting articles; brings back memories of some.

In the ‘60 and ’70s, my husband’s salesmen that called on him when he worked at Superior Coach would treat us at Milano Club on Market Street. Yes, and we still do talk about the club. It (had) unique furniture and (was) decorated so beautifully. It was probably the first restaurant that I had real Italian food.

I enjoyed your garden articles, also, and I am always ready to try a new recipe.

The ads were very attractive.

Linda Hoffman Van Wert ••• Congratulations on the first issue of Salt.

Loved it and (am) saving my copy for a slow time to savor it. This is why I read.

Always looking for new and refreshing ideas.

Now a dash of Pepper? Keep up the good work.

Norma Skeet Wolters Coldwater ••• Love the magazine so far. … Thank you for bringing it to the Lima area.

Betsy Potts Elida ••• I love the Salt magazine, and I will look forward to it every other month, though I would love to see it once a month. Great articles.

Linda Rae Pollitz Ottawa ••• I thoroughly enjoyed my first edition of Salt, and look forward to reading more issues. I worked as a typesetter and proofreader for a daily newspaper for almost 29 years and have ink in my blood. Thank you for a quality product.

Mary Michol Oen St. Marys ••• I really liked your magazine. I am looking forward to the next one.

Gwyneth Reasner Lima ••• My friend shared her Salt magazine with me, as I am out of your delivery circle. I found the interview/stories very interesting, as I grew up in Hardin County.

Jo Ann Carman Findlay

Reader Recipes Molasses Ginger Cookies Teresa Maag of Leipsic Ingredients: 4 cups flour 1 1/2 cups butter 4 teaspoons baking soda 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons cloves 2 eggs 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 cup dark molasses 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt Directions: Heat oven to 350 F. Mix together first 6 ingredients. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter. Add sugar, beating well. Add egg and beat well. Mix in molasses. Gradually add dry ingredients. Chill dough at least 1 hour.

Form dough into balls using about 1 teaspoon for each cookie. Roll cookie balls in additional sugar.

Bake on cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Let stand for 2-3 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

Death By Butter Cookies (A.K.A. Gooey Butter Cookies) Cathy Willeke of Lima

Ingredients: 1 box Duncan Hines butter recipe cake mix 1 stick butter 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese at room temperature 1 egg Directions: Combine all ingredients with electric mixer until well blended. Chill dough for two hours.

Roll into balls, about walnut size. Roll balls in powdered sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar when completely cooled.

Helpful Hint

Millie Fisher of Elida I wanted to share with you how to make the greatest grilled cheese sandwich. Make a cheese sandwich like you normally would, with cheese between two pieces of bread, or you can use grated cheddar cheese between the bread.

Spread butter generously on the outside of the bread, so the cheese will cling. Then, cover them with finely grated cheddar cheese and toast in a pan. Oh, so good and crunchy.

WIN A $25 GROCERY CARD

Visit our website, thesaltmagazine.com, and click on the Recipe Submission link at the top to be entered. Be sure and include a photo, too, if you have one. All entries must be received by Jan. 4, 2016.

Every submitted recipe will be entered in a drawing for a $25 grocery card.

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t n a t s n An i c i s s a l c a m i L The Best: LuLu’s Diner

By Liz Young

18 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Best is a series about places voted as the best in the region by The Lima News readers.

Tammy Hern and her husband, Randy, know to get to LuLu’s Diner early on Saturdays — by 9 a.m. at the latest — before the lines get too long and the place gets crowded. And it doesn’t matter which Lima location to which you go. If you don’t get there early, you wait.

But that’s OK with the Herns. LuLu’s, they said, is worth the wait.

They should know. Bona fide regulars, they have eaten breakfast every weekend at LuLu’s for the past several years — sometimes twice in a weekend. Which one they go to depends on what side of town they need to be after eating, Randy Hern said. Neither one is better than the other.

“The food is good and the portions are big,” Tammy Hern said. “But it’s really the atmosphere. The attention you get is amazing. You go to a chain restaurant and you don’t get this kind of attention. They treat you like family.”

Which is what owner Amy Musil was going for when she and her husband, Justin, opened the first LuLu’s six years ago.

“It’s a feeling of community and family that we want,” Amy Musil said.

It might not have happened at all.

Amy Musil was student teaching, planning on a career in education, but the idea of running a restaurant nagged at her. She wanted to create the perfect diner experience, something she and her grandmother dreamed up during a cross country road trip years ago.

Her grandmother, Linda Louise (known as LuLu) is the namesake and the inspiration for the diners. Amy Musil said her grandmother always wanted ice cream, and so maybe ice cream will be her next adventure.

“I was passionate about working with people, but I really wanted to come home and open a restaurant. My husband said if this is what your heart is telling you to do, then we’ll do it,” Amy Musil said.

So they packed up and moved. On Moth-

Photos by Craig J. Orosz

Justin Musil, co-owner of LuLu’s Diner, shows off the restaurant’s fruit pancakes, left, and its eggs benedict plates.

“I could have become a teacher, but if we don’t come back to our roots … if people go away to college and never come home, then what will happen to Lima?”

— Amy Musil

Waitress Lori Hinkle serves up Mickey Mouse pancakes to Aston Wright, 6, and waffles to his mother, Temple.

Drew Spieles, left, of Delphos, enjoys a cup of coffee at LuLu’s Diner while talking with his parents, Frank and Dodi Spieles of Lima.

half-pound burger with Swiss cheese and comes with fries or chips. Randy Hern ordered it; Tammy Hern wasn’t so sure about it.

“I did say ‘ewww’ to that one. (They) make things up and sometimes you wonder if it will be good,” she said. “But if you give it a chance, you go, ‘Oh my gosh. That’s really good!’”

Amy Musil said the bacon jelly burger was the result of “an overabundance of bacon.”

A staff member came to her and suggested making jelly for a burger.

“It’s thinking outside the box. … What can we give people that’s awesome and different,” she said. “We don’t want to be like any ‘Joe Schmoe’ around the corner. We want to give people what they want and a good quality product.”

Amy Musil said she enjoys creating in the kitchen, and indulges her interest in baking at the downtown location. While the diners focus on breakfast and lunch, the café and

Lori Hinkle, a waitress at the restaurant, picks up two breakfast plates from the kitchen window to serve customers.

bakery is “LuLu’s with a twist,” she said.

“I bake and I can’t do that at the other locations. We didn’t want to take anything away from the diners, so we dedicated downtown to baking. There’s limited seating, a salad bar and a small lunch menu,” she said.

And it gives Amy Musil the chance to work with area students. She might have left teaching for the diner, but working with kids remains a passion, she said. She also recently spoke at the Bath Middle School career day.

“The bakery gave me the opportunity to bring kids in, to mentor them and teach them job skills,” she said. “And the community has been so awesome to us, we wanted to give something back. I could have become a teacher, but if we don’t come back to our roots … if people go away to college and never come home, then what will happen to Lima?”

LULU’S DINER Diner West: 2114 Spencerville Road, Lima, 419-221-LULU Diner East: 1321 Bellfontaine Ave., Lima, 419-228-3447 Café and Bake Shop: 220 N. Main St., Lima, 419-228-LULU Hours: At both the West and East locations, 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. The downtown cafe and bakery is open 6 a.m.- 2 p.m. weekdays.

Facebook: facebook.com/lulusdiner.lima

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 19

er’s Day weekend 2009, LuLu’s debuted with only a hand-painted sign in the window. The pair figured only friends and family would show; they hadn’t done any advertising.

“It filled up fast. The only advertising we had was word of mouth … and people saw the sign. I think, too, that it was a lot of good friends and people in the neighborhood who saw us working there,” she said.

Having that grand opening be so packed was “probably one of the best feelings I ever had,” Amy Musil said. “People we saw on our first day, now we see them every week.

They’ve seen us grow, and they’ve watched our family grow.”

Three years later, the second LuLu’s opened. Now there’s a LuLu’s in Bluffton and a café and bakery in downtown Lima.

And it’s a true family affair, Amy Musil said.

They treat customers like family because LuLu’s is her family. She and Justin Musil have a presence at all of the locations, managing, cooking and waiting tables — wearing all the hats — often with their children in tow. Her parents are involved with the business end of operations, and when Amy Musil gave birth to a son three days before the Bluffton diner was set to open, her mother stayed with her so Justin Musil could make sure everything went smoothly.

Now that baby also goes to work with Amy Musil.

“Customers actually take turns holding him while they eat. He’ll coo and cuddle with them,” she said. “When our older son was in preschool, he would come in and eat lunch every week with an elderly couple who were like grandparents to him.”

So, like Tammy Hern said, it could very well be that family atmosphere that creates the long lines gives LuLu’s an edge over other restaurants, but both she and her husband agree the food is top notch. Trust the regulars. They’ve had most everything on the menu.

“It’s not your average menu,” Randy Hern said. “They have a lot of different items, things you can’t get other places.”

A favorite for him is the jalapeno popper omelet: bacon, sausage, diced jalapeno, cream cheese and cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses. It takes up half the plate and comes with home fries and toast.

Tammy Hern likes to vary her choices, but said the breakfast bowl is a good selection, with scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, onions, home fries and green peppers topped with sausage gravy and cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses. It also comes with toast.

They always leave full, she said, and sometimes with a to-go box of what they couldn’t finish.

The lunch menu is just as generous and just as good, Randy Hern said, and it’s just as diverse. The bacon jelly burger has bacon bits in a sweet and savory sauce on a

In the kitchen with Alisa McPheron

By Amy Eddings

Alisa McPheron’s Brie en Croute

Photo by Amy Eddings

20 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

E

xpect the unexpected when you walk into Lima’s Fat Cat Diner. Like fake plastic spiders and cockroaches scattered along the white table tops.

(It was part of the restaurant’s cheeky Halloween decor). Like chicken fingers tucked inside a flour tortilla wrap, or sandwiches of cream cheese and bacon on cinnamon bread toast.

Chef/owner Alisa McPheron is full of unexpected surprises, too. At 49, she’s owned and managed three restaurants, while others in her industry that age have just started to strike out on their own.

She’s a diminutive woman with a big personality and over-sized smile. She loves baking cheesecakes, even sells online a special pan called The Perfect Cheesecake Solution, but she doesn’t like desserts. She’s a chef who loves to cook for others but rarely cooks for herself.

“I went shopping yesterday. It was the first time in two and a half weeks,” she said of her home kitchen. She laughed.

“That’s horrible, right? I eat out a lot.”

The most popular dishes on her fall/ winter menu are the pork tenderloin sandwiches and Reubens of hand-pulled brisket, but, here again, expect the unexpected with McPheron. She herself hasn’t eaten beef or pork in 20 years.

“I have salmon, tilapia and halibut in my freezer,” she said. “I should be living on the beach.”

In fact, this Lima native had her sights set on Miami when she graduated from the culinary program at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I.; but then her parents told her about a restaurant in Findlay that had just closed and, in 1993, she found herself, at age 25, running her first restaurant, Bistro On Main.

“I wouldn’t have done it, but my dad was like, ‘It’s a challenge!’” she said. “I didn’t know what I didn’t know.”

She knew enough, it seemed, to make a good go of it. Findlay, a city with plenty of chain restaurants, had a genuine hit, an independent place with a thoughtful menu and wine list, and an impressive array of homemade desserts, which most restaurants at that time didn’t offer.

“Everything you could buy at that time was horrible. It was the early 1990s,” she said. “If you bought from a purveyor, it was pretty much crap. So (I) had to figure

out how to make something that wasn’t the same thing that they were serving at the (chain restaurant) down the road.”

She said, “I brought something to the table to that town that it didn’t have.”

She decided, again with her parents’ help, to branch out to Lima. They sold Bistro on Main in Findlay and opened Main Street Bistro in an old, three-story brick building just south of Town Square, where Old City Prime steakhouse now resides.

Several years into that effort, with plans to expand into the building next door, there was a dispute with their landlord, a lockout, a move into the adjoining space, and a fire in 2010.

McPheron said she was not aware of the extent of the fire’s destruction at first.

“My dad called me up that morning and he said, ‘We’re going to have to do something about this,’ and I said, “We’ll get things cleaned up. It’ll be fine, Dad, we’ll figure it out.’ Because that’s what we always said to each other, ‘We’ll figure it out,’ ” remembered McPheron. “And he’s, like, ‘No, Alisa, I don’t think you understand. The roof has caved in two stories.’ ” They figured it out. Fat Cat Diner opened three years ago and business, McPheron said, is good. So are the social media reviews on Yelp! “One of my favorite spots,” said one. “Prices and food were great,” read another.

In another unexpected twist, no one’s more surprised at her sustained success and excellence than McPheron herself.

“I mean, seriously, I should not be doing what I’m doing,” she said, amazed at the plot twists in her life’s story. “I have a lot of stick-to-it. I don’t give up for anything. I just keep at it, keep at it, keep at it.”

And Lima benefits from this persistence.

Ingredients: 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed for 15-20 minutes 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled and cut into small dices 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon brandy 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts 1 8-ounce wheel Brie cheese 1 egg, beaten Directions: In a small sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the apple and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the brandy, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook the mixture until thickened and cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the sheet of thawed puff pastry in half. Place one half on the parchment paper. Set the Brie wheel onto the puff pastry. Do not remove the rind. Top the Brie wheel with compote and then with the chopped walnuts. Place the other half of the puff pastry sheet over the Brie. Press the sheets together to seal them, first the corners and then the sides. Brush with the beaten egg and bake in the preheated over for 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Serve with table water crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Alternate wrapping tip: Some Brie en Croute recipes suggest rolling out a single layer of thawed puff pastry to increase its size by an inch or two in each direction, instead of cutting it in half. Center the wheel of Brie on top of the pastry sheet. Bring all four corners of the sheet up over the Brie and twist slightly to form a bundle of dough.

Fat Cat Diner Where: 312 N. Main St., Lima When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.

Closed Saturdays and Sundays.

Phone: 419-879-1277 Website: fatcatdiner.com Try: Pork tenderloin sandwich, meatloaf wrapped in bacon on brioche bun, pumpkin cheesecake. The full menu is available on the website.

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22 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

Tips on decorating for the holidays

Ivy Hutch Flowers and Gifts

Where: 666 Elida Ave., Delphos Phone: 419-692-2222 Website: ivyhutchflowers.com Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays

By Adrienne McGee Sterrett While Ashley Etzkorn will gladly serve every customer with every need, it’s at Christmas when she and her shop come into their own.

Traditional fresh and silk flower arrangements and memorial gifts are available year round, of course, but by late fall, the sales floor is given over to Christmas trees decorated in a variety of styles, mantels filled carefully to near overflowing, knickknacks offered for seasonal touches and wreaths just waiting to bedeck your halls.

Etzkorn, owner of Ivy Hutch Flowers and Gifts in Delphos, wouldn’t have it any other way.

“No one’s sad when they’re shopping for décor,” she said. “It just seems like everyone’s always excited at Christmas.”

She enjoys the hustle-bustle of the season, even enjoying blasting Christmas music while she’s decorating the shop after hours.

“I love the atmosphere. Who doesn’t love the music playing and the snow outside?” she said, grinning. “The anticipation. Isn’t that what Christmas is?”

Etzkorn, 27, has a degree in event planning and tourism. She embarked on her journey believing wedding planning was her goal, but that was revised to floral arranging for weddings and other occasions.

After the commute to her work at a Findlay flower shop became draining, the Delphos native started shadowing, then working for, Sue Shrider, the former owner of Ivy Hutch, at its old location on the south side of town. She learned there for two years, and took the opportunity to buy the business from Shrider in 2012. That same year, Etzkorn moved the shop to its current location.

She bought the store in October and married her high-school sweetheart, Aaron, the following April.

Her intuitive husband has given her a red and silver ornament for Christmas for each of their almost-10 years together — in addition to becoming familiar with masonry bits while helping the business with exterior decorating at clients’ homes.

Photos by Amanda Wilson

Etzkorn’s decorating tips: Find what you love The first thing Etzkorn does to help a customer is take him or her to the wall of silk picks/branches. Cubbies divide each by type, with some branches heavily glittered to others matte and rustic.

What is that person drawn to and do they reach for? That first selection tells Etzkorn a lot about the customer’s style and preferences. It’s a good starting point.

It also helps Etzkorn see the preference. One person’s “rustic” could be another person’s “country,” which could also be described as “farmhouse table.”

They’re each a little different.

Mix and match Don’t be afraid to mix unusual things.

One Christmas tree displayed at the store looks traditional at first glance — red and green ornaments — but a second look shows smaller teal ornaments sprinkled throughout.

Another tree has ribbon as a main feature — and there are two kinds of ribbon in two different patterns.

Pattern-shy people, attention: Etzkorn has to force herself to combine things, too. She simply puts ribbons next to each other, one after another, to find striking pairings she wouldn’t have originally made.

“I just feel like people get hung up with trying to coordinate it so much,” she said.

Shine your light Is it too showy? Probably not.

“It’s the one time of year that you can get away with glitter, truthfully, and a little bit of gaudiness,” Etzkorn said. The trend seems to be leaning toward “a little bit overdone.”

One of the trees in the shop was decorated in shimmer-tipped pinecones the length of your hand. Balanced with a muted color scheme, the effect was glamorous instead of jarring.

But if you like unbridled joy, go for it.

“No one’s sad when they’re shopping for décor.”

— Ashley Etzkorn

Decorating Services

Ashley Etzkorn offers decorating services, both indoor and outdoor, private and corporate. Last year, she worked with Mechell Broadwater of Copper Shell Interiors to decorate Husky Lima Refinery and planned to do that again this year.

Her labor is billed hourly, with jobs ranging from doing a ribbon tree-topper (and leaving the rest of the tree to the client) to decorating an entire living room. She enjoys incorporating clients’ items into new designs. Call the shop for details.

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 23

Finding focus Where is the room’s focal point? What does the room need? Those are the first questions Etzkorn asks herself when decorating a client’s space.

If there is a mantel, that is the focal point and you should start there. She also thinks decorating a mantel is the most difficult job because there are so many options.

No mantel? Go with a big tree to make a big statement. Or, play up your sofa table. That surface almost becomes a mantel-like display area.

A mantel made by her grandfather showed off bright, shiny, glittered baubles.

“This is how I do my house,” Etzkorn said, gesturing toward the mantel, “gaudy glittery.”

Still unsure? Try pearl effects.

Etzkorn paired pearlized items with simple items with great results.

Less stuffy, more simple Unarranged is definitely a trend, she said. An iridescent-glazed pitcher on the shop’s display dining room table was filled with silk flowers — but loosely.

This looks like you just bundled it in your hands and dropped it in the vase. The tightly controlled, fussy look is more formal and will always be around — but unarranged has its beauty, too.

24 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

Compromising with your mate Etzkorn’s husband is a Dallas Cowboys fan, and, thus, he has Cowboys ornaments. The Etzkorns just bought a house, so there will be two trees, she said plainly.

Her parents still disagree over tree décor, she said. Her father loves big, old lights and old ornaments. Her mother likes a “pretty” tree.

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 25

“My mom has a pretty tree up somewhere else,” she said.

If you don’t have room for two trees? One idea is to use only the color scheme of the favorite team. The Cowboys’ silver and blue would work well for Christmas, and others not so much. (Ohio teams? Hmm.) Perhaps it’s just best to put the team ornaments on the tree and reach a truce.

Mind your budget Christmas décor can get pricey, but there are some shortcuts. Etzkorn suggested buying a premade plain wreath of quality and shape you like. Buy ribbon and décor separately so it can be swapped out when you tire of it.

Similarly, she suggested investing in a good, plain tree. Add picks to dress it up.

Just insert them at intervals around the tree, wiring in if needed. That way, you can add flocked picks and discard them when they yellow (and they will, she said), and go to red berries or whatever you’d like down the road.

“Do it yourself is really popular right now,” she said. “We just have things to help people along.”

Holiday Ham

Ashley Etzkorn always looks forward to this dish at her mother’s during the holidays.

26 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

Ingredients: 1 cup maple syrup 1 cup orange juice 1 cup ginger ale 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup honey 1 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries, halved 1 12-pound fully cooked, bone-in ham 1 15.25-ounce can pineapple slices in juice, drained Toothpicks Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, mix the maple syrup, juice, ginger ale, sugar and honey. Stir in the juice from the cherries and half the cherries.

Score the ham with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. Cuts should be about 1/4-inch deep.

Place the ham in an oven bag with the opening facing up and carefully pour the juice mixture over it. (It will look like a lot of liquid.) Pin the pineapples onto the ham with toothpicks. Pin the cherries in the middle of each pineapple, securing with more toothpicks. Close the bag, place in a large roasting pan, and cut a few small slits in the bag.

Bake for 2 hours. The internal temperature should be 160 F when done. (Be sure you’re not touching bone with the thermometer.)

Remove ham from the bag to a serving plate and let stand 10 minutes before carving.

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Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 27

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Rolling in dough Want to maximize your holiday cookie offerings? A prolific Ottawa baker has tips

Photos by Craig J. Orosz

28 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

By Amy Eddings Cookies are to Christmas what pies are to Thanksgiving — in a word, essential — and you can never have enough around for snacking, gifting and exchanging. That’s why Kathy Moening makes 150 dozen sugar cookies for her family every December.

Yes, 150 dozen. That’s 1,800 cookies.

That’s enough to feed a small army, and you could say Moening’s extended family is one.

She’s one of 11 children, all married, all with kids of their own. Like good soldiers, they rally around Moening and, with her husband, four daughters and two grandchildren, help bake and decorate those 1,800 sugar cookies in a single weekend. They call it Cookie Sunday.

“We only do these,” she said of the rolled-out sugar cookies. She’s not interested in gingerbread or chocolate snowcaps, German Pfeffernüsse or Italian pizzelle.

“This is Mom’s recipe when we were kids.

She made roll-out cookies and she just slathered frosting on them and we’d put on sprinkles. That’s what we grew up with.”

One look at Moening’s artful Christmas cookies shows she’s taken that “slather-andsprinkle” decorating style to new heights of precision, complexity and delight. It’s a skill that she was first drawn to during a different holiday.

“When I was in high school, a girlfriend of mine decorated cakes. She brought in a heart-shaped cake on Valentine’s Day, and it was beautiful. I said, ‘Someday, I want to be able to do that,’ ” said Moening. “When I got married and had kids, I bought a heart-shaped pan at Penny’s that had one decorating bag in it and five plastic blue tips, and I just practiced and practiced and practiced.”

Twenty years ago, Moening moved from cakes to cookies, taking up her mother Clara’s sugar cookie Christmas tradition.

“We got together on a Sunday at our house and we used to bake a pan [of cookies] and decorate them,” she said. “Everybody loves it.”

Over the years, the special baking day has grown into a multi-generational, week-

end-long event. Cookie Sunday now starts on Saturday, when her daughters spend the afternoon at Moening’s house near Ottawa, mixing and chilling the dough, rolling it out, cutting it into shapes and baking the cookies until they’re the color of a very milky cup of coffee.

“I’m usually at work,” said the 61-yearold, who works at a flower shop. “(They’ll) have nine pans going, three baking, three being unloaded and three being loaded, and (they’ll) just rotate them around the kitchen. It’s like well-oiled machinery.”

On Sunday, decorating day, Moening takes charge.

“You get a whole tray of the same cookie,” she said of her helpers. “You do 20 or 30 bells, somebody else does Christmas trees.”

They don’t go at it willy-nilly, either. Moening decides each cookie’s design. With some cookies, like Christmas cut-out bells, she does some of the more complicated finishing touches herself.

“I’ve been doing this for 40 years,” she said. “I get to put on the zigzags and the stars and the bows.”

Other family members keep pastry bags filled with colored frosting. Others distribute the cookies into cardboard boxes, covering them tightly with plastic wrap. Others start washing the dishes.

“I’m amazed at how many people buy cookies,” said Moening. She said making your own is so much better, and she prefers organizing Cookie Sunday to organizing a cookie swap.

“My daughter does it with her mother-inlaw and the sisters on that side of the family.

Everybody brings five batches that they make at home and they trade.”

As for her, she said, without a trace of irony, “I just never had the time.”

Want to host your own Cookie Sunday?

Here are Kathy Moening’s tips for hosting a cookie baking and decorating event for your family.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Disposable frosting (also known as icing or piping) bags. These are inexpensive and there’s no fussing with them during clean-up. When cutting them to size to attach the tip couplers, Moening recommends taking your time and making many small cuts. “Once you go too big, you ruin it. Too big is toast,” she said.

Frosting tips. Moening recommends buying writing, or drop, tubes in sizes 3, 6 and 14 and star tubes in sizes 14, 16 and 18. “They can do all their cookies with just that,” she said.

Frosting tip couplers. They make it easy to use the same color frosting for different decorative results. Just unscrew the collar of the coupler and swap out the tip.

Food coloring. Moening recommends Wilton Icing Colors in 1-ounce screwtop bottles. They’re sold online, on Amazon, and are also available at Hobby Lobby and JoAnn craft stores. Moening said white, red, green, black and gold are all you’ll need

for most cookies. Figures like Santa Claus or angels will require an additional color for their faces and hands, so keep this in mind. She also thinks the “right red” for Christmas is made with equal parts Wilton’s “Red” and “X-Mas Red.” Christmas cookie cutters. Larger shapes will be fun and easy to decorate but will cut into your yield. Smaller cookies will mean a higher yield, but a smaller decorating surface requiring more precision. Moening recommends starting out with seven to nine different shapes, with the majority of them of a medium size.

Trays. Kathy has a variety of cafeteriastyle or fast food plastic trays on which she places the undecorated cookies. Find them on Amazon.

Cardboard boxes. These are for boxing the cookies and sending them home with family and friends. The best kind are the short-sided ones used by food manufacturers to ship boxes of canned goods. “I get mine for free from Aldi,” said Moening.

Plastic wrap, for sealing the boxes.

Moening also recommends putting a piece of bread in the corner of each box before sealing it. “It gets as hard as a rock, but the cookie is soft as soft,” said Moening.

Lots of eager helpers! It goes without saying that to bake 150 dozen cookies, you’ll need some assistance. Pick a weekend that works for most of your family members and make an event out of it.

“Everybody brings snacks,” said Moening.

“It’s just a food fest here. We barely eat any cookies.”

A game plan: This starts with deciding how many cookies you want to bake and how much time you’re going to need to get that done. Can you do it all in one day, or will you need two, like the Moenings?

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 29

GET ORGANIZED: Write your grocery list. Kathy makes a cheat sheet to help with the shopping. Six batches of cookie dough made from her mother’s recipe, for example, will require 10 pounds of flour (that’s typically two bags of flour at the grocery story), five and a quarter pounds of sugar (a bag and then some) and 18 eggs.

Set up your space. Survey your kitchen. Set aside counter space for mixing and rolling out the dough.

Set up tables for decorating and for boxing and wrapping the cookies.

Moening sets up long folding tables in her sewing room for that.

Develop a strategy. Utilize down-time well. The dough needs to chill for at least a half hour, which is a good time to prepare staging areas for rolling and cutting. Use the 10-minute baking time to load and unload baking sheets, and choose a consistent design for each cookie and tell your decorating squad.

Organize your helpers. Who’s going to decorate? Who’s going to refill frosting bags? Who’s going to take finished trays of cookies and put them in boxes? Who’s going to clean up? Decide ahead of time.

Have fun. Enjoy the chaos, the camaraderie, the mess and the end results. “We never tell somebody their cookie is ugly,” she said. “That just wouldn’t be in the Christmas spirit.”

Grandma Clara’s Christmas Cut-Out Cookies Cookie Ingredients: 1 pound butter 2 cups sugar 3 beaten eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt

Cookie Directions: Cream butter. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla.

Mix in flour, baking soda and salt, one cup at a time. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

While chilling, preheat over to 350 F. Roll out the dough and cut into shapes. Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies are done when the edges turn a very light brown. Do not overbake. Cool on wire racks and decorate with frosting. Makes 9 dozen cookies.

Frosting Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Crisco shortening 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla (Kathy prefers white vanilla flavoring to vanilla extract because it’s not as strong) 2 pounds powdered sugar 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk Frosting Directions: Add all ingredients into a bowl and beat well. Frosts about 7 dozen cookies, so you’ll need to increase this recipe by half to frost one batch of Grandma Clara’s cookie recipe. Moening suggests smearing extra frosting on graham crackers. Frosting will keep well in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator for a week.

30 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

Recipe Index

Alisa McPheron’s Brie en Croute.................................. 20 Caramelitas...................................................................... 38 Cherry-Glazed Chicken................................................ 11 Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball......................................... 12 Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes...................... 11 Creamy Peppermint Punch........................................... 12 Curried Turkey Vegetable Soup................................... 11 Death By Butter Cookies................................................ 16 Grandma Clara’s Christmas Cut-Out Cookies............ 30 Holiday Ham.................................................................... 26 Holiday Salsa................................................................... 11 Meatless Loaf................................................................... 35 Molasses Ginger Cookies............................................. 16 Reuben Spread............................................................... 11

16 Rice Krispie Treats.......................................................... 38 Roasted Butternut Squash & Rice Salad....................... 11 Slow-Cooker Chai Tea................................................... 12 Smoked Meatloaf Sandwich.......................................... 40 Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream Cheese.............. 12 Vegan Country Style Gravy........................................... 35

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Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 31

• Attention to detail is the difference between something good and something great.

A br ght dea Delphos man creates Christmas tradition

32 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

By Adrienne McGee Sterrett The glitter on the floor of his garage, while shining its very heart out, doesn’t come close to matching the twinkle in his eye.

Larry Deitering is a man who loves Christmas. It’s fair to say Christmas loves him back.

Deitering has put up lights at his house east of Delphos every year for decades.

He and Diane were married in 1966, and they bought their current country house shortly after that. From the get-go, Deitering insisted on decorating for Christmas.

“When I was at home, Christmas was something else,” he said, explaining he grew up at 483 S. Main St., Delphos, during the 1950s. He is now 71 years old. People didn’t decorate too much outdoors then, but most everyone had a tree in the front window. He remembers during longer car rides that he and his brother would count the Christmas trees as the houses whizzed by.

“Christmas was something special. …

I often thought, boy, if I ever get a house, I’m decorating it. And I just kept it up.”

The very first year, he put up exterior lights across the gutter of his ranch house. One straight line. It would grow.

The retired Ohio Steel worker also worked part time at the Leader store in the Lima Mall years ago. He remembers watching a man make a Christmas window display at the store. The man was using tin cans with the bottoms screwed to a wood backer, with big Christmas lights strung in the cans so the lights would illuminate the hollow can and glow outward to the viewer.

“And I said, ‘Hark!’ There we go. That’s the thing I want to do,” he said.

Stumbling upon a source for quantities of empty coffee cans, Deitering first made a star. Then a green tree. Then two eight-foot candy canes. Each can was painted to match the theme and given a heavy dose of glitter before he set them out in the yard.

Trouble is, he figures they each weigh about 120 pounds. And the cans, being metal, rust.

Bright idea No. 2 came later. Coming across a catalog of commercial 2-D

decorations that towns might purchase to hang from light poles, Deitering was inspired by the shapes. He figured out — trial and error — how to bend smalldiameter PVC pipe just so with a heat gun. He further figured out — again with the trial and error — how to drill holes through the pipe at regular intervals to accommodate Christmas lights.

Demonstrating his technique, the drill bit complained rather loudly about the job, and a whiff of “hot” wafted through his family room-turned-workshop.

“And I’m out in the other room trying to watch television,” Diane Deitering deadpanned, spurring laughter from both.

With a little electrical magic — shortening or lengthening the strands to include just the right number of bulbs needed for the design — a shape is born.

“He’s not a patient man any way but right here,” his wife said.

So far, he has made snowflakes, a bike with chasing lights on the wheels, two kinds of trees, two types of angels, three or four types of deer, wreaths, a star, a candy cane, Merry Christmas (each letter separate and three feet high) and his crowning glory — Santa and his sleigh for the roof.

The roof display took four years of planning. The biggest issue? Wind.

“I didn’t want it to blow over to the neighbors,” he said, laughing. So far, it’s OK. “I never say never.”

Not one to sit for too long, Larry Deitering starts putting out lights usually the first week of October. He still climbs up on his roof to arrange lights and patrols his lighted display once an hour, no matter the weather, to do safety checks. And he’s always thinking about how to add to it. He was contemplating a path through the yard with solar and rope lights, and a long-time dream has been a train shape.

“There’s so many things I want to do — and I will,” he said, grinning. “I don’t count how many lights by the way. Don’t ask me that. Whatever it takes to look good.”

Add the Christmas music that the Deiterings play via a speaker in the yard, and their house is a regular tourist attraction. They are both tickled that so many

people drive by to view.

There was only one year he considered not putting up the lights. It was 1990, and he was depressed about losing his job. His 95-year-old neighbor called him, concerned that the lights hadn’t yet made an appearance. She offered to pay the electric bill.

It was then when the Deiterings realized just how important the display is to people in the area.

“Well, I’m just glad people love them, because I love them,” he said. “I enjoy other people enjoying it. That’s why I don’t charge them for it.”

It’s a feeling that has been passed down to his son, Kevin Deitering.

“Growing up, I’m always remembering friends would come over, and we could actually play football and whatever in the front yard because it was so bright,” he said, laughing at how well the yard was illuminated.

Now grown and with three children, Kevin Deitering also decorates his rural Kalida home with lights at Christmas.

“Everyone has a hobby. I guess I’m kind of taking after him a little bit,” he said. “Especially when you got a dad when you ask for lights he’s got, like, five boxes full of them.”

Kevin Deitering finds himself getting excited about getting things ready right after Halloween.

“I guess family is the biggest thing.

And the whole feeling of Christmas. It’s the best time of year,” he said.

A LIGHT HABIT Larry Deitering started with the big, classic bulbs. He speaks of C9s and C7s like they’re family members.

Problem is, they’re energy hogs.

He started transitioning to LED bulbs about five or six years ago and has found a new friend. His energy bill has actually stayed about the same, even though he guesses he has about 50 percent more lights on display.

He speaks well of the 50-light strands of LEDs, as they “seem to last forever.”

He can’t help buying more lights, though, receiving gift certificates for that purpose as Christmas gifts. It’s such a major hobby to him, and has been for years.

He remembers an after-Christmas sale at one retailer, a deep-discount sale he was certain not to miss.

“And it was a snow storm, so it was ideal. So nobody showed up but … me,” he said.

IF YOU GO When: On or before Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve Where: 6060 Defiance Trail, Delphos (near the U.S. 30 ramp at state Route 309)

Photos by Amanda Wilson

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 33

A very vegan Christmas How to enjoy Christmas without butter, eggs, honey and cheese

34 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

By Amy Eddings Vegetarians have to get creative this time of year.

Christmas feasting typically centers around a showstopping animal dish, like a big, 20-pound turkey, a standing rib roast of beef, or a showy, stuffed pork loin roast.

Italians keep vigil on Christmas Eve, eating seven different seafood dishes for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Even the fictional Whos in Whoville in Dr. Seuss’ classic, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” sat down at their Christmas table to enjoy a Roast Beast.

It takes some imagination in the kitchen to come up with vegetarian dishes that pull equal psychic weight in our collective holiday memories and imaginations.

Imagine, then, what it takes for vegans, who also don’t eat any foods that come from animals, such as milk, cheese, butter, eggs and honey, foods that vegetarians often rely upon to make those center-of-the-table holiday casseroles and gratins.

Jennifer Calvelage is up for the challenge. She’s got ways of replicating roast beef with gravy, cheesy veggie gratins, Parmesean-cheesy Caesar salad, eggnog and Christmas sugar cookies without the butter, eggs, dairy and meat.

“There are better alternatives. There are healthy cookies. There’s actually healthy eggnog,” she said. “Pretty much everything you can make, you can make vegan.”

Calvelage proves it by holding plant-based cooking demonstrations at church social events around northwestern Ohio and southern Michigan, where she’s from. On a recent Sunday evening at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Lima, she showed 25 attendees of a monthly supper club how

to make a meatless loaf from beans, whole grains, chopped nuts, chopped vegetables and peanut butter.

“I do this because I want to get the message out that (vegan) food doesn’t have to be disgusting,” she said. “You have to make it taste good. You have to make it look good, too.”

In a vegan kitchen, ground chia and flax seeds act as binders in place of eggs. Coconut oil, like butter, is spreadable at room temperature and imparts a pleasing taste in baked goods. And the thick, cloudy juice from a can of chickpeas can be whipped like egg whites to create merengues for pies.

Calvelage, 34, has been a vegan vegetarian since becoming a Seventh Day Adventist 12 years ago.

“Not all Adventists are vegetarian, it’s not a doctrine,” she said. “It’s mostly because it’s healthy. Our bodies are the temple of God. I’m just using my body to glorify God and not put things into it that would harm it.”

While many of the attendees at the plant-based supper club enjoyed second helpings of their dinner of meatless roast, a baked potato with a cheesy sauce of coconut oil and carrots, a kale salad and gluten-free muffins made with flax seeds, coconut oil and almond milk, most said they were not ready to celebrate Christmas with an entirely plant-based meal.

“We could try it,” Nancy Kuhlman, 62, said with a throaty laugh. “I don’t know how it would go over with my family.

I probably would just not tell them.”

Stephen Sites, 43, said he started his journey toward a plant-centric diet two years ago, when “I got sick and tired of being sick and tired.” He no longer eats poultry, fish or meat, and said that change

“Pretty much everything you can make, you can make vegan.”

— Jennifer Calvelage

Jennifer Calvelage shows off pretty, vegan merengue cookies made with chickpea juice instead of egg whites.

RESOURCES Looking for more vegan recipes? Try some of these websites. amychaplin.com: Amy Chaplin is the former executive chef of New York City’s renowned vegan restaurant, Angelica Kitchen, and the author of the award-winning cookbook, “At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen.” manifestvegan.com: Allyson Kramer runs the vegan food site for about.com, writes cookbooks and takes mouth-watering photos of her dessert creations, which include pumpkin pecan cheesecake and peanut butter banana ice cream. viveleveganrecipes.blogspot.com: Dreena Burton’s easy-to-use website provides several ways to search for recipes, including a “flipboard” that lets visitors scroll through photos of dishes from her popular books, “The Everyday Vegan,” “Vive Le Vegan” and “Eat Drink and Be Vegan.” ohsheglows.com: This popular recipe blog includes Angela Liddon’s thoughts on motherhood (she recently had a baby) and a “Vegan 101” page with posts such as “10 Tips for Eating Out as a Vegan.” has helped alleviate chronic depression. But he’s not yet willing to take the next step toward veganism.

“Eggs and cheese are still in my diet,” he said. “I like them.

But that shouldn’t be the reason I continue doing something that I know is better not to do.”

Calvelage understands her audience’s hesitation. It’s easy to avoid meat, poultry and fish. It’s harder to avoid eggs, cheese, milk and butter,

especially because they’re the foundation of so many other common foods. To commit to being vegan means a commitment to your kitchen, to making food yourself. And that takes time.

“There’s a learning curve, just like there is with any other type of cooking,” she said. “We didn’t all start out as good cooks. It takes years.”

But, she adds, “it’s totally possible.”

Gravy without butter, flour or meat juices?

Sure!

This vegan gravy is made with raw cashews and cornstarch.

Jennifer Calvelage’s Guide to Creating Your Own Meatless Loaf

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine the protein, whole grain, chopped nuts or nut meal, liquid and binding.

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Vegan Country Style Gravy Ingredients: 2 cups warm water 1/2 cup raw cashews or brown rice flour 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon tapioca starch, arrowroot or cornstarch 2 tablespoons olive oil (omit if using raw cashews) 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons Braggs liquid aminos 1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast Flakes 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder Directions: Blend 1/2 cup of the water and remaining ingredients until very smooth. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups water and finish blending. Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick.

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Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 35

Ingredients: 1 cup beans or soy protein, such as tofu 2 cups of a whole grain, such as uncooked rolled oats, cooked brown rice or quinoa flakes 1/2 cup chopped nuts or nut meal, such as cashews, almonds, peanuts or sunflower seeds 1 to 1 1/2 cups liquid, such as soy milk, almond or other nut milk, or vegetable broth 2 to 3 tablespoons of a binder such as peanut butter, soy flour, tapioca or potato flour 1 cup tomatoes, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon oregano or basil 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil

of Lima s b l 0 4 SE 20 !

40819318

Photos by Amy Eddings

A meatless loaf, topped with ketchup, and a cheesy sauce made with carrots and coconut oil instead of cheese.

Flour Loves Sugar

36 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

By Adrienne McGee Sterrett

Shannon Maxey bakes every day to keep up with Etsy orders, counter sales at Brewed Expressions coffeehouse and other outlets, events, corporate gifts and farmers’ markets.

On a recent week, she had 43 orders placed on a Wednesday, each with two dozen cookies. (That’s 1,032 cookies, for the math disinclined.) And she had them ready for delivery Friday morning.

“It’s challenging on those days,” she said. “Every box you take on, you never know what doors that will open. …

I’d do it all over again.”

And it all started with her grandmother’s chocolate chip cookie recipe.

A Van Wert native, Maxey, 26, went to Bowling Green State University for a year, was a live-in nanny in Hawaii for almost two years, studied at the Aveda Institute hair school in North Carolina, met her South Carolina-raised husband, and returned to Van Wert to be with family, daughter and husband in tow.

Seeking a way to add to the family income while staying at home to raise her daughter was a must. She saw during her nanny days who the kids ran to when they skinned their knees, and she vowed then and there she wasn’t going to let anyone else raise her children.

During a visit to her grandmother, with whom she lived until she was 5 years old, an idea formed. Grandma Patricia Haas was baking cookies for church that day.

“That was kind of where it started,” she said. “All of my memories of her are in the kitchen. … We’ve always been close.”

Working out variations on that chocolate chip cookie recipe led to starting Flour Loves Sugar in January 2012.

(She developed the name after a weeks-long brainstorming session and worked on the logo with designer friend Alicia Springer, Spruce and Willow.)

A friend suggested Etsy. Local business started picking up, especially after she made cookies available via a now-closed coffeehouse. Finding a new outlet in a newer coffeehouse has continued that route for customers, and she uses social media to organize, too.

Why has it succeeded so far?

“You can’t just love to bake cookies,” she said, with her rapid-fire, marketing-savvy way of speaking. “I think what has made it successful is I equally love those other aspects of the business.”

She enjoys baking, of course, but the interaction with customers at markets is key, as is how you present yourself professionally with logos and branding, and marketing skills. Maxey also went the extra step and became a state-licensed home bakery.

The product, of course, happens to be word-of-mouth driven. And all of those mouths praising her skills have just taken a bite of a Flour Loves Sugar cookie — always made in small batches, by hand, with no preservatives.

“I think it’s the texture of the cookie and the quality of the ingredients,” she said. “Every one is made the way

Van Wert mom, on quest to stay home with family, finds business success

Photos by Pretty Plain Janes

“I think it’s the texture of the cookie and the quality of the ingredients. Every one is made the way your mom, your grandma, made them in her kitchen.”

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 37

38 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

your mom, your grandma, made them in her kitchen.”

Each cookie must have a chewy center and be slightly crisp at the thick edges.

For uniformity and proper baking, she uses a cookie scoop to give a “nice dome.”

And flavor combinations are also extremely important to her.

“In the beginning, it was trying to create these core flavors,” Maxey said, explaining a sampler box offers several types of cookies so they look nice on the buyer’s platter. “And I think people have come to expect that.”

There are 10 “core” flavors, and seasonal staples are rotated in. Selections include Red Velvet, Pumpkin Cinnamon Oatmeal, Hot Cocoa Mallow, Peanut Butter Cup, Caramel Apple Cider, Strawberry Lemonade, Toffee Mallow, Monster, Orange Creamsicle, Cookie Loves Brownie, Pretzel Scotch, Cranberry White Chocolate — the list goes on. And on.

“Just try to stay on top of the trend of flavors,” Maxey said of her decision-making process.

Her husband, Josh, who helps her bake and works markets when she is too busy to do it herself, wants to grow the business even more.

“He is actually Flour Loves Sugar’s biggest cheerleader,” she said. “I definitely wouldn’t have made it this far without him.”

Where Flour Loves Sugar will go remains to be seen, but the business has weathered some incredible personal turmoil. The Maxeys’ late son lived only 43 days. They knew before he was born that his illness would be terminal, and they are immensely grateful for the time they could spend with him.

And now, she is expecting again, due in April. Her preschool-age daughter pushes her to do her best.

“I hope (Flour Loves Sugar) gives her the courage to pursue her dreams,” she said.

“If you have something that you love … you should do it. You should figure out what is important in your life” and make it happen, she said.

Rice Krispie Treats

Caramelitas

Ingredients: 1 1/2 sticks butter 1 10-ounce bag mini marshmallows 6 cups Rice Krispies 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Ingredients: 32 caramel squares, unwrapped 1/2 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup salted butter, melted 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup flour 1 cup rolled oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. We are browning the butter, so you want it to cook low and slow, and you’ll need to stir it frequently and watch it closely.

As it’s cooking, butter a large bowl, and measure your cereal and salt into the bowl. Also butter an 8-by-8-inch pan in which your cereal will set.

As soon as your butter is nutty brown, turn off the heat and stir in the marshmallows. Once combined and the mallows are melted, pour right into the bowl of cereal and salt. Mix until combined and pour into the shallow pan.

At this point, I like to give them a few minutes before pressing them down because, around here, we like our Krispies thick and gooey.

Now, grab a piece of wax paper and press them into the pan.

Wait until completely cooled, cut and enjoy.

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine caramels and cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Once completely smooth, set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats and baking soda.

Pat half of the oat mixture into the bottom of an 8-by-8-inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle chips evenly over the crust, top with caramel sauce, and then crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top. Return to oven for additional 16-20 minutes, until outside edge is lightly brown. The center will still be a bit “wet” in appearance but will set when cooled.

Let the pan cool completely before cutting, and store them at room temperature — not in your refrigerator.

Shannon Maxey’s Cookie-Baking Tips • “Choose a recipe from a source that you feel is reputable.” A random Internet search will result in lots of recipes. Some work beautifully; some are not the best.

• “Choose a recipe that does not intimidate you.” If you don’t know what a word means or what a technique is, find another recipe.

• “Do not substitute any of the ingredients. Baking is a science.” Baking soda and baking powder are not the same.

• “Choose quality ingredients.” Butter, not margarine. Use quality chocolate, especially if the chocolate is a key flavor.

• “A lot of people, where they go wrong, is they overmix their batter. Get out your wooden spoon.” She also uses a stand mixer, but dough needs to be treated gently.

Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 39

Chef Tyler’s Deer-ly Beloved Smoked Meatloaf Sandwich

By Tyler Viars

40 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

There are three things I love: whitetail deer, smoking barbecue and meatloaf.

Combine them together in the form of a sandwich, and this cook is happier than Winnie the Pooh inside the honey jar.

While on “MasterChef,” we, in fact, had a meatloaf challenge and I plated a dish eerily similar. Although they loved the flavor, the judges classified it more like a burger and less like a “loaf.” In my opinion, they can kiss it! (I mean that in the nicest, most peaceful way.)

Meatloaf versus burger aside, I crave this sandwich.

Living below the Mason-Dixon Line for a number of years, this was a staple on many beloved barbecue restaurant menus. The chips, smoky chipotles and earthy poblano combined with the oak-cooked venison bring a surprising new flavor to the boring, common meatloaf.

Toast some sourdough bread, add a slather of aioli, some bread and butter pickles, crispy onion straws, and finish it with gooey melted cheddar cheese, and it is guaranteed to send anyone’s taste buds into orbit.

Now, that I am foaming at the mouth, it is time bust out the Weston grinder, turn on the music and pour your favorite libation.

Let’s get cookin’ in camo!

Serves 6-8.

Meatloaf Ingredients: Oak chips or other hardwood of choice 2/3 cup ketchup 1/4 cup tomato paste 2 ounces chipotle peppers in adobo, sauce included 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (it may seem odd, but it adds great depth) 6 ounces ruffled, kettle-style barbecue potato chips (nacho cheese chips are awesome as well. AKA: Doritos) 3 cloves garlic 1 medium carrot, quartered 1 poblano, seeded 1 medium sweet onion, quartered 1 tablespoon duck fat or unsalted butter 1 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 pound venison shoulder roast 2 ounces pork fat

1 pound pork shoulder 3 large eggs 12-16 slices of quality cheddar cheese slices 12-16 pieces of fresh sourdough bread Butter for toasting bread Bread and butter pickles for serving Onion straws Zesty Aioli Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup ketchup 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper Directions: An hour prior, place the Weston grinder components in the freezer.

Using the large die, grind the pork, pork fat and venison into a Weston lug. Next, switch to the smaller die and repeat. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.

Preheat a smoker or oven to 250 F and add the hardwood.

Combine the ketchup, tomato paste, chipotle peppers and cocoa in a large mixing bowl. Remove approximately 1/3 of the mixture into a separate bowl.

Using a food processor, pulse the potato chips until they are the consistency of bread crumbs. Add the potato chips to the 2/3-ketchup mixture.

Now, add the onion, carrot, garlic and poblano to the food processor and finely chop.

With the duck fat, heat a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetable mixture to the skillet with the sage and kosher salt. Cook the vegetables for approximately 3-5 minutes or until they soften and begin to brown. Add the vegetables to the ketchup and potato chips and stir to thoroughly combine. Let the mixture cool for roughly 10 minutes.

Using the best kitchen utensil — your hands — add the ground mixture to the ketchup and potato chips and thoroughly combine. Shape the combination into a compact, rough 10-inch long by 2-inch high by 4-inch high loaf. Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let set for 45 minutes — minimum.

Meanwhile, combine the aioli ingredients

Photo by Tina Marie

and let refrigerate for the flavors to meld.

Coat the meat with the reserved glaze.

Wrap the meat in aluminum foil and smoke for approximately 40 minutes. After the time has allotted, remove the foil and smoke for another 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135 F and remove.

Do not fret about “undercooked” pork. The carryover cooking will take the meatloaf to 140 F. Tent the loaf with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes.

The last 10 minutes of rest, butter and toast the sourdough bread slices and preheat the broiler.

Slice the meatloaf into half-inch slices, place on one slice of sourdough. Top it with a slice of cheddar cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese is completely melted. Add the aioli, pickles, onion straws and other slice of bread to complete the sandwich.

If you have not already, devour. If you have restraint (I never do), I would prefer to pair it with some homemade barbecue potato chips and a big icy mug of Great Lakes Oktoberfest. Remember to always cook, share and enjoy!

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Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 41

Loving Your Family Like Our Own!

Make room for the pantyhose reindeer she would ask. “That’s my favorite!”

At age 22, I had enjoyed I knew I was in troudecorating my tree at my ble when she walked new contemporary house. into Texas Roadhouse It did not include any carrying what can only felt, or Popsicle sticks, or be described as the buttons or Elmer’s glue. I pantyhose reindeer. had purchased glass and Glancing at the homeceramic bulbs, white made Christmas decoralights and a delicate star tion in one of my mother’s for my very own grownhands — and the bag My sister, Amanda, and my best friend, up tree. likely full of many more in Mallory, pose with a construction I did not want the her other hand — I quickly paper reindeer and wreath. pantyhose reindeer. I ordered a margarita. did not want to hear the She was proud of herself embarrassing stories and grinning wildly. she shared about the It was a week or so creation of the pantyhose after Christmas. About a reindeer. I did not want to dozen family and friends see the waitress snickering had gathered at the busy as Mom passed around the restaurant to celebrate various decorations. my 22nd birthday.

To cope with the situation, Apparently, we The year my mother brought my sister, best friend and I would need another the pantyhose reindeer to Texas Roadhouse began to pose for photos with seat at the table for the for my 22nd birthday. Turns out, margaritas the cheesy crafts. pantyhose reindeer. go great with pantyhose reindeer.

“Take these home,” Mom I had seen it before. pleaded after watching our sarMom attached the reindeer to Many times, actually. castic photoshoot. “You need to the wall, but I’d be willing to bet The first time I saw it was have these for your own house.” it involved something compliwhen I created it in preschool.

“No, I don’t,” I argued.

Want to see a happy 4-year-old? cated like a thumbtack.

Eventually, I thought we came The Christmas tree was Give her a wire coat hanger, a to a compromise. I would keep always adorned with these pair of tanned hosiery, a couple a couple things, but pitch the homemade goodies, such as wiggle eyes, a red cotton ball rest. my kindergarten photo with and a hot glue gun. And alas, “No!” she exclaimed. “You “1994” and “Anbrea” scribbled the reindeer was born. can’t throw this out!” in the handwriting of a little girl And, after that, the reindeer She cradled in her hands a who often confused D’s and B’s. returned each year.

15-year-old, upside-down, white There were more reinAt our first house, I rememStyrofoam cup with a gold pipe deer made from glittery pipe ber it being placed on top of cleaner handle sticking out of cleaners and Popsicle sticks in a holiday-themed table in the the top. It was supposed to be a second grade. And my thirdliving room with Santa figurines grade masterpiece: a sprawling bell. Or maybe an ornament. I and hand-me-down pine-cone couldn’t tell.

Santa colored and glued onto wreaths. Because of the bend But if I wasn’t going to keep it, a white piece of paper in a star in its wire coat hanger frame, it she would. shape. It made Santa look like a wouldn’t sit completely upright.

Last year, a couple items starfish.

Later, it was joined by more made it on to my tree. The I thought they were tacky school projects: the construc“Anbrea” ornament was tucked and, as a middle and high tion paper reindeer, the candy into the back. schooler, I was more than cane made from beads and Admittedly, I found myself happy to “forget” to place those the mistletoe in the shape of showing it off to a couple holiornaments on the tree.

— what else? — my 6-year-old day guests.

Mom would come out to toes.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It inspect my decorating.

As time went on, the pantyis kind of cute, I guess,” I stam“Where’s that Santa made hose reindeer found its way mered. out of the toilet paper roll?” on the walls. I’m not sure how

42 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

By Andrea Chaffin

Maybe pantyhose reindeer can stay after all.

Pantyhose Reindeer Materials: Pantyhose in a brown color Metal hanger Brown construction paper Scissors Craft eyes Glue Red Pom Pom (black if you prefer) Directions: Trace your hands (or your kids’ hands) on the brown construction paper. Cut them out and set them aside.

Take your metal hanger and stretch and bend it until it looks like a wide, nicely shaped diamond or something long and not so wide, if that is how you want your reindeer to look.

Take the pantyhose and stretch them over the diamond shape, making sure the top of the pantyhose goes to the top of the hanger. Knot it well and cut off the excess pantyhose.

Glue the cut-out paper hands on the top of the reindeer, one on each side, so they look like antlers.

Glue your craft eyes into the center of the pantyhose where the eyes would be.

Glue the red Pom Pom to the bottom end of the diamond to make a red nose.

Set aside to dry.

ANDREA CHAFFIN Andrea is the food editor of Salt magazine. An OSU graduate, she enjoys singing in the car, photography and spending time with her two fur kids. Reach her at achaffin@civitasmedia. com or on Twitter @andeewrites.

ALLEN COUNTY

Compiled by Lora Abernathy

Dec. 20

“Daily & Vincent Spirit of Christmas Tour,” 7 p.m., Crouse Performance Hall, Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, 7 Town Square, Lima. Call 419-224-1552 or visit limaciviccenter.com.

Dec. 6-Jan.2

Bluffton’s Blaze of Lights, Bluffton.

Dec. 8

Taste of Home Cooking School and Expo, 4 p.m., sponsored by The Lima News, Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, 7 Town Square, Lima. Call 419-223-1010.

Dec. 31

Dec. 8

Dec. 12

The 5K Reindeer Run and Rudolph Chase, presented by The Lima News, in partnership with St. Rita’s Health Partners, 9 a.m., New Mercy Health Elida School Health Center, 101 E. North St., Elida. Call 419223-1010 or visit limaohio.com.

Dec. 12

“Bells, Brass, and Bows,” 7:30 p.m., Crouse Performance Hall, Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, 7 Town Square,

Sponsored by The Lima News, the Taste of Home Cooking School and Expo is Dec. 8 in Lima.

Lima. The Lima Symphony Orchestra and the Lima Symphony Chorus join together to feature traditional favorites, sacred carols and whimsical twists on familiar standards.

Call 419-222-5701 or visit limasymphony. com.

Dec. 12-13, 19-20

Delphos Canal Museum Christmas Tree and Wreath Festival, 1-4 p.m., Delphos Canal Museum, 241 N. Main St., Delphos. Call Marilyn Wagner at 419-692-4496.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Register for Yoga and Fitness classes online at clients.mindbodyonline.com or call 567-940-9888.

Gift Certificates Available!

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Offering: Wicked Winks Lash Boutique, Massage Therapy, Clothing, Skin Care, Essential Oils and Much More!

Jan. 8

ArtSpace/Lima Photography Club Exhibit Reception, 6:30 p.m., 65-67 Town Square, Lima. Call 419-222-1721, email artspacelima@woh.rr.com or visit artspacelima.com.

Jan. 15-17, 22-24

“Dreamgirls,” 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Encore Theatre, 991 North Shore Drive, Lima. Call 419-223-8866, email encore@mw.twcbc.com or visit www. amiltellers.org.

Jan. 16-17

“Baroque by Candlelight,” 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Lima, 4

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We carry supplies for coin collectors.

Enter to win 1/10 ounce Gold Coin in our Monthly Drawing We have Silver Christmas rounds

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Beautiful Floral Arrangements & Gifts for All Occasions!

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Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 43

Reduce stress, slim down, tone up and increase flexibility with our Yoga & Fitness programs for every level of experience.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with “Symphantasy!” 7:30 p.m., Crouse Performance Hall, Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, 7 Town Square, Lima. Call 419-2225701 or visit limasymphony.com.

40819270

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical,” 7 p.m., Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, 7 Town Square, Lima. Call 419-224-1552 or visit limaciviccenter.com.

Out & About

Out & About

Feb. 6

“Close to You: The Music of The Carpenters,” 8 p.m., Crouse Performance Hall, Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, 7 Town Square, Lima. Call 419-2241552 or visit limaciviccenter.com.

AUGLAIZE COUNTY

Dec. 13-Jan. 1

New Bremen Historic Association Christmas Tree Festival, Lockkeeper’s House, New Bremen. Call Diane Paul at 419-629-2856 or email rdpaul@nktelco.net.

HANCOCK COUNTY Dec. 10-13, 17-19

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!” Fort Findlay Playhouse. Call 419-422-4624.

Dec. 18-19

Dec. 7-Jan. 31

Holiday Lights Display, Armstrong Air & Space Museum, 500 Apollo Drive, Wapakoneta. Call 419-7388811 or visit armstrongmuseum. org.

Dec. 10

Christmas at the Museum, 4-6 p.m., Armstrong Air & Space Museum, 500 Apollo Drive, Wapakoneta. Call 419-738-8811 or visit armstrongmuseum.org.

Dec. 12

Santa Shuffle 5K, all day, Armstrong Air & Space Museum, 500 Apollo Drive, Wapakoneta. Call 419-7388811 or visit speedy-feet.com.

Gala Opening Weekend Celebration featuring “The Toy Shoppe,” starring actor Alan Thicke, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 5 and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Marathon Performing Arts Center, 200 W. Main Cross St., Findlay. Call 419-423-2787 or visit marathoncenterarts.org.

Jan. 8

Comedy Night featuring Drew Hastings and Jeff Bodart, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m., Alexandria’s, 132 E. Crawford St., Findlay. Call 419422-4624 or visit alexandriasfindlay.com.

Comedians Drew Hastings, pictured, and Jeff Bodart, are set to perform Jan. 8 at Alexandria’s in Findlay.

When You Think Italian, Think

Milano Cafe

When you dine at Milano's you ARE dining with family.

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2383 Elida Road, lima

Where Quilting is Divine

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44 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

Serving Lima Area for Four Generations Strong!

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ut & Abou

p.m. Jan. 17 at St. John the Evangelist Church, Delphos. Call 419-2225701 or visit limasymphony.com.

Dec. 19

“Love and the Outcome,” featuring Jodi King and Chris Rademaker, 7:30 p.m., Marathon Performing Arts Center, 200 W. Main Cross St., Findlay. Call 419-423-2787 or visit marathoncenterarts.org.

Stocking and Bicycle Giveaway, 2-4 p.m.

The Kenton Full Gospel Church is in need of stocking stuffers and new or gently used bicycles to give away. Call 567-674-4228.

Jan. 22

Findlay First Edition and Pantasia, 7:30 p.m., Heminger Auditorium, Findlay High School.

Jan. 22

“The Real-ish Housewives of Hancock County,” 7 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, Marathon Performing Arts Center, 200 W. Main Cross St., Findlay.

Call 419-423-2787 or visit marathoncenterarts.org.

HARDIN COUNTY Dec. 6-26

The Lake of Lights is a community event celebrating Christmas with a large light display around France Lake just south of Kenton on state Route 67. This year, the event will feature character nights each Saturday, live nativities on Sunday, and a horse-drawn wagon ride on Sunday, Dec. 13. The lights are open from 6 to 9 p.m. with a cost of $5 per vehicle. All proceeds from the event benefit several local charities.

four champion’s of NBC’s “The Sing-Off,” performs, 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio, 10700 state Route 118 S. Call 419-238-6722 or visit npacvw.org.

Dec. 13

MERCER COUNTY Dec. 12

Breakfast with Santa, 9-11 a.m., Fort Recovery Elementary School, 865 Sharpsburg Road, Fort Recovery.

Dec. 20

Mayor’s Christmas Lighting Contest, Fort Recovery. The mayor and council members will tour the village looking for the best display of Christmas lights and decorations.

Out & About

Jan. 9

“David Phelps Christmas,” 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio, 10700 state Route 118 S. Call 419-238-6722 or visit npacvw.org.

Dec. 17

“The Depue Brothers Christmas,” 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio, 10700 state Route 118 S. Call 419-238-6722 or visit npacvw.org.

Jan. 21-24, 28-31

“Unnecessary Farce,” 8 p.m., Van Wert Civic Theater, 118 S. Race St., Van Wert.

Call 419-238-9689 or visit vwct.org.

VAN WERT COUNTY Dec. 10-13

“G.I. Holiday Jukebox,” Van Wert Civic Theater, 118 S. Race St., Van Wert. Call 419238-9689 or visit vwct.org.

Dec. 11-13, 18-20

Holiday Lights at the Fair, 6-9 p.m., a drivethrough of more than 60 light displays, Van Wert County Fairgrounds, 1055 S. Washington St. # 1, Van Wert.

Dec. 12

A cappella group, Home Free, season

Jan. 23

Craig Wayne Boyd, winner of NBC’s show, “The Voice,” performs, 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio, 10700 state Route 118 S. Call 419-238-6722 or visit npacvw.org.

Jan. 31

“Million Dollar Quartet,” 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio, 10700 state Route 118 S. Call 419-238-6722 or visit npacvw.org.

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Watch all the games here or take a pizza home for the games!

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HOLIDAY HOURS

Open Christmas Eve until midnight (kitchen closes at 11:30 p.m.)

Closed Christmas Open New Year’s Eve until midnight Open New Year’s Day 10 a.m.-1:00 a.m.

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Check our website for our specials!

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Est. 1975

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Est. 2010

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Salt | December 2015/January 2016 | 45

Tiffin Office | 500 W. Market St. 567.220.6485

Holiday Shopping Hours: Wed. 2-6, Thurs. 12-5, Fri. 2-6 Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-5

46 | Salt | December 2015/January 2016

And one more thought …

“Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.”

— Larry Wilde Photo by Craig J. Orosz at White Cottage Rental

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