LEWISTON – Janice Nutting likes to cook a little bit of everything. “My tastes are eclectic. I love seafood, being from Maine. I also like ethnic cooking and good old, plain New England and American food,” she said. While she doesn’t have a sweet tooth, Nutting likes to bake cookies and pies. She also tries to cook foods that make for tasty leftovers that can be used in another meal.

Cooking is a family tradition. Her mother, who came from a large family, was a stay-at-home mom who wouldn’t allow anyone underfoot in the kitchen, Nutting said.

When she was a teenager, Nutting played in the Lewiston High School band, which put out a cookbook. “I remember that I had supplied a recipe for saucepan brownies – I don’t know where I got it – and I got so many compliments. That sort of piqued my interest because it gave me confidence.”

Over the years, she has also enjoyed reading cookbooks. “If you can read, you can cook,” said Nutting, who received her first cookbook, by Betty Crocker, from her mother-in-law as a wedding gift. Since then, she has collected numerous cookbooks. “I have a lot of favorites, such as ‘The Barefoot Contessa.’ Some, I just use one recipe out of,” she said.

Nutting knows what her family likes and has become very good at finding recipes they will all enjoy. “I love trying new recipes,” the Lewiston resident said, noting she would like to learn more about Thai cuisine.

Besides cooking, she enjoys reading, helping her husband with their large flower and vegetable gardens, and spending time with family. “I love people, love to be involved,” said Nutting, who works for the Androsscoggin County Children and Teenage Grieving Group. She also works part-time at L.L. Bean.

Cider-braised pork loin

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3 pound pork loin roast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups chopped onion

4 large garlic cloves

1 cup cider

Method:

Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl. Place the mixture on a large piece of wax paper and rub it into the pork, coating well. Wrap meat in the wax paper and chill for two hours or overnight. Pat dry. Heat oil in a flameproof casserole or frying pan over moderately high heat and brown the pork. Transfer pork to a plate and sauté onions and garlic for 1 minute. Add cider and bring to a boil. Place pork into a casserole dish along with the sauce and bake in a 325-degree oven for about 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 155 degrees. Remove the pork and set aside for 10 minutes. With a hand-held blender, regular blender or sieve, puree sauce to make gravy. (You don’t need to add any ingredients to thicken it.) Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste and serve in a heated gravy boat. Note: This roast reheats well in the sauce, or the pork may be used for sandwiches.

New England autumn salad

Ingredients:

1 head of red leaf lettuce

1 head Bibb lettuce (tender loosely leafed lettuce, also called Boston lettuce, available at local grocery stores; any other kind of lettuce can also be used)

2 Honey Crisp or Yellow Delicious apples, unpeeled

3/4 cup of plain or glazed pecans

3/4 cup of blue cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons of minced onion or shallot

2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Method:

Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces and place in large bowl. Cut apples into thin slices and add to greens. Sprinkle pecans and blue cheese evenly over greens. In a tight fitting jar, mix the dressing ingredients and shake well. Drizzle over salad just before serving.

Nana’s shellac cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup of melted butter or oleo

1 egg, beaten with a fork

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1¼ cups of quick oatmeal

½ teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Melt butter or oleo in large saucepan. Add all other ingredients. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheets lined with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for about 13 minutes, or until edges are nicely browned. Place cookie sheets on racks to cool. Do not remove from foil until cookies are completely cool and peel off easily. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Note: Bake these cookies when there is little or no humidity.