LIVERMORE – Lucille Lavoie knows how to cook for a crowd. She often prepares food for large groups at the Norlands Living History Center and serves volunteer meals at festivals. “There are usually 50 to 65 volunteers. Recently, for the Fall Festival, I made two large roasters of beef stew, 12 dozen rolls and 12 dozen cookies,” said Lavoie, who dresses and portrays Hannah Coolidge, a woman of the 1870s, when volunteering at the living history center.

Lavoie and her husband transformed their 50th anniversary party into a fundraiser for Norlands. “There were 100 people, and I did all the cooking. A caterer helped serve and made the cake.” she said.

At age 8 or 9, Lavoie cooked meals for her family living in Aroostook County. Every year, her mother would go to the harvest and she would make “a hodgepodge of food to help out,” she said.

Lavoie learned how to cook mostly by reading the “Betty Crocker Cookbook,” which is still her favorite. “I have my old copy that is falling apart, and I also have the updated one,” she said. She also enjoys an old army cookbook from World War II that provides recipes for cooking for large groups.

“I married very young. My mother-in-law was a good cook, and I learned some from her,” she noted.

These days, Lavoie enjoys making soups and likes fish and bread. She would like to learn how to do a better job of making puff pastries and pies. She also likes to watch cooking shows and to collect cookbooks.

When she’s not busy cooking for crowds or family, Lavoie volunteers at the Livermore Public Library, something she has done for eight years. She is president of the Livermore Falls Women’s Club.Retired from her job at an insurance company, she likes to spend time reading, sewing and knitting.

Beef stew for 40-45 people

Ingredients:

10 pounds stew beef

3 large onions

3 quarts cubed potatoes

2 quarts sliced carrots

Beef broth, several quarts to cover the meat

Salt and pepper, to taste

Several bay leaves

½ cup cornstarch

1 cup water

1 cup red wine (optional)

Method:

Brown beef and onions in small batches. Place in large pan or electric roaster. Cover with beef broth. Simmer for 1 to 1½ hours. Add potatoes and carrots. Add more beef broth, as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Add bay leaves. Cook until carrots are tender, about 35-40 minutes. Thicken with cornstarch mixed with water. Serve.

Sausage and bean soup

Ingredients:

2 large carrots, sliced

½ cup chopped onion

2 stalks celery, chopped

½ pound Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)

2 cans black beans (can use red kidney), drained

15-ounce can tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon cumin

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Stir all ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serves 8-10

Oatmeal cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1½ cups oatmeal, divided

1 stick oleo or butter

1½ cups boiling water

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon maple flavoring (not maple syrup)

1½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Topping:

¼ cup soft margarine

2/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons milk

¼ cup peanut butter

1 cup chopped walnuts

Method:

Place 1 cup oatmeal, oleo and boiling water in bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Add sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and maple flavoring. Sift and add flour, baking soda, salt, and ½ cup oatmeal. Stir briskly. Pour into buttered 9- by 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. While cake is baking, prepare peanut butter broiled topping: mix thoroughly margarine, brown sugar, milk and peanut butter. Add walnuts. Spread on hot cake. Place 5 inches under broiler for about 3 minutes until topping starts to brown and bubble. Watch carefully.