Kathy Additon likes to celebrate and, as one of 14 children, she gets to do that often. Family gatherings are numerous, and Kathy learned at a young age that cooking is an important part of those special days.

“Our family motto is ‘any reason for a party,'” Kathy says. This held true even during the Ice Storm ’98. “With family and neighbors without power, we were fortunate to have a large generator. Everyone brought their food that would have spoiled and, while people were at work, I planned meals, using their food, and was feeding up to 15 people every night for 14 days,” she recalls.

After watching her eight older sisters in the kitchen, Kathy was asked one day by one of her sisters to make an apple pie. Even though Kathy wanted to go hunting with her sister, she stayed behind and made the pie. “She told me it looked like a patchwork pie, but it tasted good anyway. I’ve been making pies ever since.” Kathy also gained a lot of cooking experience while working at a summer camp and at the Chick-A-Dee Restaurant in Turner. It was at these places that she learned about different ways to serve balanced meals.

Kathy’s family depends on her to be the official caterer at most special events within the family: weddings, birthdays and other parties. “On everyone’s birthday, they get to pick their favorite meal, including dessert.” Each Sunday, she gets together with her three daughters and their families, including seven grandchildren. But it’s not the food that is the draw each week, she says.

“It is not what I cook, but being together, says my oldest daughter. It’s her favorite meal of the week.” She also is known and loved by her neighbors for the batches of Christmas cookies she and her daughters make each year.

This longtime cook doesn’t depend on gadgets or tricks. “I am not fond of cooking gadgets and rarely use measuring cups or spoons. My favorite recipes are those that call for a pinch of this or a dash of that.” Her advice to newer cooks is to try to plan a main dish that can be cooked and served in the same dish, oven to table. Also, baking some potatoes at the same time will allow for the whole meal to be ready at once.

Kathy lives in Leeds where she’s a very active member of the Community Church. It is no surprise that she helps to plan their suppers. As chairwoman of the women’s association there, she is also responsible for helping to organize a monthly luncheon.

Chicken Marsala
Ingredients:
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 large Vidalia onions, sliced

½ cup butter

½ cup flour

½ cup Marsala cooking wine

1 package Lipton Savory Herb & Garlic soup mix
8 chicken breasts (skinless is best)
Method:
Rinse chicken and place in a 9-by-13-inch pan and sprinkle with 1 envelope of Lipton soup mix. Fry onions and mushrooms in butter, add flour and Marsala cooking wine. Pour around chicken. Bake in 375-degree oven for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked completely. Serves 8.
Nana’s Tuna Fondue
6 or 7 slices of day-old bread, cubed

1 6-ounce can of tuna

¼ teaspoon salt (use as desired)

2 tablespoons onion, chopped

3 eggs (can use 2 eggs)

2½ cups milk

1 cup grated cheese (the kind of your choice)
Dash of paprika
Method:
Place half of the bread cubes in a greased two-quart casserole dish. Add onions, tuna and cheese. Add the rest of the bread cubes. Whip eggs and milk together, pour over top of bread. Salt to taste, sprinkle with paprika. Bake in 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve with vegetables or salad. Serves 6.
Coq Au Vin
Ingredients:
3½ pounds frying chicken

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large onions, cut in chunks

1 teaspoon minced parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

1¼ cups red wine

1½ teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet

1 ounce salt pork, diced

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

4 ounces sliced mushrooms
6-ounce can ripe olives
Method:

Cut chicken into serving pieces. Cook salt pork in large frying pan until brown. Brown chicken in the pork fat, add onions, cook until soft. Add garlic, parsley and butter, stir in flour. Add wine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients, cover tightly and cook until chicken is done, about 30 minutes. Serve over rice with your favorite salad. Serves 4.

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