ANNA MONICA / L’Observateur / April 14, 2000

“I haven’t ventured into southern cooking yet,” admits Beth Trosclair of Garyville. “Everything down here is spicy. I think everything you cook downhere, you use Tony Chachere’,” says the Marshfield, Wisconsin native. Hermother-in-law is another transplant, the former Terri Stickler of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who has been calling this area home since she married Wade Trosclair of Garyville. Terri chimed in with “I will teach her howto make a roux,” confirming the commitment the women are making to a southern way of life.

Beth first discovered cooking at eight years-old when she and her 9-year-old sister decided to cook an anniversary dinner for their parents, Jan and Craig Taylor. They ventured into making a jelly bean cake and pear halves thatlooked like mice. The cake sank in the middle so they added more icing, andthe pork chops were crispy, “but the mice came out perfect,” she says.

“They were afraid to eat it but they did and drank a lot of milk to wash it down. Then they posed for a lot of pictures.” Now liking cooking, Beth would help her mom bake and ask her to help cook but “generally, she would say ‘no’ because of the mess afterward. Every nowand then she would let me.” Regardless, Beth still, is very much into cookingand does it when she can At 12 years-old, Beth decided she wanted to make banana bread. No one hadtold her the bananas needed to be mashed so she just dropped them in the batter. The result was the bananas sank to the bottom so when the pan wasflipped, the bananas were on top, “all gray and disgusting looking.” Regardless, Beth never had the desire to give up cooking only she doesn’t like. She likes to use the recipe for a really good spaghetti thatgrandmother, Mrs. Marcy Griffith of Appleton, Wisconsin, shared with herand makes a good split pea soup as well as a hot chicken dish. Some of thelocal foods she has developed a fondness for eating include jambalaya, red rice and fresh sausage.

Beth believes in cooking often for her family, and knows Brian is not too happy with leftovers. They were both aviation electronic technicians in theNavy when they met. They married and during the past three years lived inPensacola and in Lamar, California. Their daughter, Anya, is not yet twoyears old and the young Trosclairs are looking forward to finding and eventually making a permanent home in Garyville. Following are some of therecipes she shares with us.

CRANBERRY ALMOND MUFFINS

2 c. flour

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. sugar

2 tbsp. almond extract

2 tsp baking powder

1 c. cranberries or other berriescut in halves

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. slivered almonds

1-1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except berries andalmonds. Stir till dry stuff is wet. Blend in cranberries. Fill cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle uncooked tops with almonds and sugar. Bake for about 25 mins. Cool 5 mins. Yields 12 muffins.

SWISS CHEESE AND CHICKEN HOT DISH

1 pk. boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 tomatoes

6-7 slices swiss cheese

1 can cream of broccoli soup

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Put breasts in 9×13″ pan. Slice tomatoes and place over chicken evenly. Putcheese over tomatoes evenly. Spread soup over everything. Sprinklecrumbs on top. Cook for about 45 min. at 425. Serve over rice.

AL’S DOOR COUNTY CHERRY PIE

2 – 16 oz. cans pitted red, tart cherries in water

1-1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/4 c. corn starch

1 pkg. cream cheese

1/2 tsp. vanilla

pie crust

Drain cherries, save 1 c. liquid. Combine 1 c. sugar and corn starch in saucepan. Stir in 3 c. cherries. Add the liquid and save remaining berries for lateruse. Heat on medium high while stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1minute. Spoon 1/2 cherry mixture into unbaked pie crust. Bake @ 425degrees for 15 mins.

In separate bowl, mix pack of cream cheese, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp vanillaand 2 eggs. Spread cream cheese mixture over baked portion. Reduce ovenheat to 350 and bake for 25 mins. Top with rest of cherries. Cool andserve.

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