NORWAY – Eliane Rogers uses her skills in the kitchen to help others, whether making something for Oxford’s Legion Auxiliary, Unit 12, or the Norway Fireman’s Association. “I don’t refuse anyone. I like to help,” she said.

Rogers, who works part time as a cook at the Oxford County Jail, helps make the Norway firefighters lunch whenever they have a noon meeting. If they have a fire call during the night, she is there in the morning making them coffee and breakfast upon their return to the station. She cooks for the Norway firemen’s booth at the Oxford County Fair, too. “I cook my fish chowder and chili,” said Rogers. “We go through a lot of it. I get asked for the chowder recipe a lot.”

Writing down her recipes for others (as she did for this cooking feature) takes some effort because she doesn’t usually measure. “I’ll just cut up so many potatoes, for example, until it looks right,” she said, noting: “I also don’t serve anything without tasting it myself.”

Rogers has five children, 15 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. “When the kids were growing up, if anyone came over, everyone was able to stay for dinner,” Rogers recalled. “My husband had a service station and garage, and we would cook meals for all the guys and their girlfriends or spouses on the weekends.”

Rogers started working in the kitchen of a restaurant when she was only 12. “There were no child labor laws back then,” she explained. She also helped at home with cooking because her mom worked. “She didn’t have recipes. She just told us what to do, and I was the oldest (child),” said Rogers.

Rogers credits her involvement in family meals with helping her learn to cook so well. “Take your children and get them involved,” she advised. “The best thing is to sit and have a meal together. I think it’s important.”

In her spare time, Rogers enjoys knitting, crocheting and quilting.

My mom’s fish chowder

Ingredients:

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cups chicken stock

5 to 6 cups potatoes, diced and peeled

Water (enough to cover potatoes and onion)

½ stick butter

2 12-ounce cans evaporated milk

2-3 pounds of haddock

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a large pot, cook onion in butter until soft. Add chicken stock and potatoes. Add water to cover onion and potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are almost done. Then add fish and salt and pepper. When fish is done, add the evaporated milk and turn the heat down. Do not boil after milk has been added. Let chowder sit until ready to serve.

Meatless vegetable minestrone

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups tomato juice

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

2-4 carrots, sliced and peeled

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 or 3 garlic cloves, crushed

28-ounce can diced tomatoes, not drained

1½ cups uncooked macaroni or rotini pasta

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a 6- to 8-quart stock pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it continue to boil a little (the faster the vegetables cook, the less mushy they’ll be). Reduce the heat and cook until vegetables are tender, about 20-30 minutes. Add pasta and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Makes about 12 servings.

Note: Garlic bread goes very well with this soup.

Ellie’s chili

Ingredients:

3 onions, finely chopped

3 green peppers, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup water

3-4 pounds lean ground beef or turkey

4 16-ounce cans Italian-style tomatoes, not drained

1 10-ounce can tomatoes with chilies, not drained

2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup chili powder

Method:

In a large pot, cook onions, green pepper, garlic, salt, cayenne and black pepper in 1 cup of water until the vegetables are tender. Add the meat and cook until browned, about 15-20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for about 1 hour. Serves about 15.

Note: I like to serve this with pasta, garlic toast and grated cheese.