My cookbooks and farm columns often mention my oldest brother Tom, who lives just a couple fields away with wife Linda, nestled down a long winding, shaded lane, at the wooded and secluded farm property at the end of our road.
In January, Tom and Linda celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary.
It was a cold day on Jan. 24, 1987, when they were married in Valparaiso in a small altar ceremony with the wedding reception following, which included Lake Perch dinners and a homemade tiered wedding cake for guests at the Orange Bowl restaurant before it closed in 1990.
The same night, the newlyweds traveled to O’Hare Airport in Chicago to fly out the next day for a honeymoon in Hawaii. Within two years, Tom and Linda purchased the 40-acre Evans Family Farm, including woods, buildings and pond, at the end of our own farm road at a farm auction in December 1989 and moved in at the start of the 1990 new year.
– Original Credit: Photo courtesy of Phil Potempa
It’s nice having a sibling just down the road, a benefit enjoyed by both myself and my parents, as well as our Auntie Lilly, who lived on the family farm.
However, while I was in college at Valparaiso University my freshman year in 1988 and sophomore year in 1989, it was also a luxury having Tom and Linda just down the street at their condo in Valparaiso, where I could always count on a home cooked meal on Monday nights to escape the dorm cafeteria food.
Last week, Tom and Linda’s oldest grandson, my great nephew Caden, also celebrated a milestone year — his 21st birthday. Like Tom and Linda, Caden’s mom Bethany, who also ranks as my oldest niece, joined us all, in shaking our heads in amazement how quickly time passes. Bethany shared a story last week about Caden’s two younger siblings Connor and Teagan and her memory of the two of them watching Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” a decade ago on home video and the response she received when she asked them what they thought of seeing the cartoon film classic for the first time.
“It’s kind of complicated Mom,” was Connor’s reply about the 1937 iconic animated feature.
Tom and Linda often share rotating holiday dinner hosting duties with myself for our family gatherings at the farm. Linda’s recipes are featured in all four of my published cookbooks and her favorite hobby is trying new recipe creations using available ingredients from her cupboard.
Last month, while enjoying Sunday morning coffee at Tom and Linda’s, the breakfast menu included her latest quiche creation, which is easy and scrumptious. I left their home with a handwritten recipe card and now it’s a new favorite for my own pantry file.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org or mail your questions: From the Farm, P.O. Box 68, San Pierre, IN 46374.
Linda’s Easy Quiche with Italian Sausage
Makes 8 serving slices
1 9-inch pie crust
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 cup fresh kale, chopped
6 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1 cup cottage cheese, drained
1/2 cup half and half
1 teaspoon blended dried seasonings of choice
1 dash of hot sauce
Directions:
1. Bake empty pie crust in a 9-inch glass pie dish at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
2. Sauté sausage and drain. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, spinach and kale to meat and cook until onions are tender.
3. In a small bowl, beat eggs and add cheeses, half and half and seasonings.
4. Add prepared meat mixture to the pre-baked pie shell and then egg mixture.
5. Bake quiche at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
