Whos Who m The Kitchen
Practice And Experimentation Make Cooking WA Breeze” For frig Battle
By Audrey C. Lodato
Poet Staff Writer
Seems like most people learned to
cook from their mothers when they
ware growing up. Iris Battle wasn't
one of those.
"Probably the first meal I cooked
was after George and I came back
from our honeymoon,” the West
Charlotte High School guidance
counselor confesses. That first meal
included country steak, over which
the budding cook “cried because it
was so awful. I couldn’t get the
gravy to brown.”
But things have changed. “Now
it’s a breeze,” Battle says. “I fixed
country style steak Saturday and I
was pleased with myself.” Her
“ practice-makes-perfect” came
over the course of 16 years of
marriage to minister George Battle.
Her husband “will eat anything,”
while daughter La Chandra she
describes as "a fussy eater. But that
may be part of being 10 years old.
She likes french fries, pizza,
) spaghetti, and no grayy on
anything.”
*, Nevertheless, Battle likes to
experiment when she cooks and tries’
out new dishes on her two chikiren
; Jhe couple'also has a son , George,
who’s 13. "If they like it,” she notes,
• ‘iTB cook it regularly.” -
; • Most of her culinary experimenta
.; i lion occurs during holiday periods
* .|Vhen she has more time. She enjoys
;‘Coming up with something totally
. ! different and “b^ing unique " f
, ' One such gustatory adventure is a
fruit salad she makes. It started out
’as simply pinebpple, mandarin
'granges, sour cream and marsh
: mallows. Battle added nuts, peach
. as, cherries, and coconut. ‘ ’It’s quick
^nd easy to fix,” She advises. “No
measuring-just open cans, drain,
and mix together.” ^
r- ^ i
Aa in her parents'home (*'I cannot
ever remember Dad cookb«.”),
Mrs. Battle is the chief cook in the
family. Occasionally, her husband
makes “Cherry Cheese Pie,” which
recipe follows, but otherwise, all >
food preparation is left to her. She
doesn’t seem to mind, but “every
chance I get I go home and eat"
(“Home" is to her parents’ in Rock
Hill.)
She also relies on Mom’s advise
when she’s trying something new.
Calling her mother "an excellent
cook," Battle laughs when asked
about childhood memories associat
ed with food. “She always fixed soup
when we had colds,” she recalls,
“and she always baked birthday
cakes for us.’’ But, the school
cqpnselor says, her biggest memory
is of alt the food her mother would
prepare on Sundays. “She’s still
doing the same thing, even though
we're all gone," Battle remarks.
Battle grew up In Rock Hill and
attended Barber-Scotia College In
Concord. She met husband George
at church in Rock HDl, where she
taught history at Clinton Junior
College. When Rev. Battle was
appointed to Gethsemane AME
Zion Church in 1974, they moved to
Charlotte. She worked in the
church’s, enrichment program a
couple of years before deciding to
get s masters degree in guidance
counseling at UNCC. >
Now chairperson of the guidance
department at West Charlotte,
Battle professes, “I love my Job
tbe people I work with and the
students. I really enjoy what I’m
doing. I feel I’m making a dif
’' ference with students.” Adding that
she. likes not only children but the
whole process of childrearing,
Battle states, “My hioband and I
take parenting very, very seriously.”
Iris Battle prepares her favorite sqaash casserole. Ingredients Inclode
soar cream, staffing mix. and pimlentos for a rich, hearty flavor. (Photo
by Audrey Lodato)
Besides work and home, Iris
Battle organized Girl Scouts at
Gethsemane and is service unit
chairperson for Mecklenburg Unit 2;
was appointed by Governor Martin
to the State Youth Advisory Coun
cil; and is president of the AME
Zion Ministers’ Wives Fellowship.
She also does “whatever I can at
the church. I always say I’m not a
typical minister’s wife; that’s Just
one role, but I'm that way anyway.’’
R———————————
: Salmon and Zucchini Parmigian a
; ..*An excellent tource of protein and titamins
Canned Salmon Entree Is Quick To Fix
fxercfee Caution
I By following • few easy hints and
Mtag a good dose of common sense,
you can maka your kitchen a much
gsfer place to work in! ;
•Keep your knives and other sharp
dtansUs after use so that they won’t
It* hidden under something on the
oountar or In soapy water - 'and
Occident looking for .a place to
happen. Store them propsrfy.
.* Dry your hands Immediately after
gashing to prevent droppiiy things
•nd to Insure safety with electrical
aoDllanctt
7mip*ct your electrical cords
rsgulaHy for wear and tear. Kitchen
appliances such as food processor!
sw lots of electricity, sad frayed
oerde can eauM kitchen fires f
’Keep your range clean and dear.
Flammable materials such as
"foodsn spoons, pottalders, and
(Shade food containers should be
kept away from haatlag elements
source of protein and is rich In
vitamins A and D and Important
minerals such as Iron, phosphorus
iand zinc. There’s a size for every
recipe and household. Loo* for
canned salmon from Alaska In 7*4
ounce cads to serve a or a, 1M4 ounce
cans to serve 4 to 6 or individual
serving cans that weigh SH ounces.
All combine great flavor with good'
nutrition and true convenience.
|-f— SALMON AND ZUCCHINI PARMIGIANA-S
1C. weed mushroom*
V* c. Chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 (^diagonally sliced
' n»i— «
•j r ^wiccnini ,
tap. each oregano
end basil, crushed
1 can (7*i os.) salmon
1 c. diced tomato
c. shredded mozzarella
cheese (optional)
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp. minced parsley
r - ■ — - -
Saute mushrooms, onloo and gar
ble in oil. Add zucchini, oregano
%nd basil. Cook until zucchini is
crisp tender; stir occasionally.
Drain salmon; chunk. Stir sal
mon and tomato into zucchini
mixture; cook 1 minute kx«ar.
Sprinkle chesses around edge of
skillet; sprinkle parsley In
center. Cook, covered, 1 minutes
or until thoroughly boated and
cheese is melted. Makes about 9
•and#**. Recipe can be dou
bled or halved.
-r--—
*§,gg
s_, US# lb.
Trout...>IjN lb.
Selected Oysters...«CM lb.
• Large Shrimp.w **• Rx
I W« Csrry A Variety Of Vegetable Plants I
J %••• ^nd Fishing Tackle
TM MARKIT PLAGI
DAILY ^m^ZSJJS&oroMry -
_3700 Beatties Ford Rd. IM-jHI
Typical or not, Mrs. Battle has a
few recipes to share with you. One of
her favorite dishes both to prepare
and enjoy is “Polish Sausage
Casserole.” She usually serves it
with steamed broccoli, cauliflower,
and squash which have been tossed
with Italian salad dressing. “I can •
get La Chandra to eat that without
any coaxing; it’s the only way I can
get her to eat hroccotl,” she says, so
it must be good l
Send For Free | j
Recipe Brochure
You can obtain a free recipe
brochure, entitled, “Kraft Heritage
of Blade Cooking Recipes” by writ
ing: Kraft Heritage of Cooking
Booklet, P. O. Box 822, South
Holland, IL 60173. This booklet eon-,
- tains the moat popular redpos from
the Kraft Black Heritage series with
favorites from South Carolina,) -
Louisiana, Texas, the Pacific
Northwest Region, and the Midwest.
- POU8H SAUSAGE -
,j ; , , CASSEROLE
Jc. macaroni
^ lb. Polish sausage
1 can evaporated milk
; 'j' 4 c. diced onion
; •> H c . green bell pepper .
2 c. grated cheese
Cook macaroni as directed an
package; drain. Slice sausage
very thin , or dice. Blend eggs
and milk. Combine macaroni,
sausage, milk and egg mixture,
onions, green peppers, and I cup
cheese. Pour into baking dish.
Top with remaining cheese. Bidce
uncovered in oven for 30-35
:• minutes. 4 • TL i
- CHERRY CHEESE PIE --i.
I (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese,
softened '
l (14 os.) can sweetened •
condensed milk |
1/3 c. lemon juice ' ’
1 tap. vanilla extract *
Canned cherry pie filling,
chilled
1 (»’*) graham cracker crumb
crust
In large bowl or blender, beat
cheese til fluffy. Beat in con- '
densed milk (not evaporated «
milk) til smooth. Stir in lemon *
juice and vanilla. Pour into crust.
Chill 3 hours or til set. Top with •
pie fiUing before serving. Refri
gerate leftovers.
-
— SQUASH CASSEROLE -
Vi c. butter, melted ■
1 pkg. stuffing mix
2 lbs. squash
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, grated
l small jar pimientos
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
Mix melted butter with stuffing. '
Spread half on bottom of cas- -
serole dish. Cook squash with 1
onions. Drain; mix in other in
gredients. Pour over stuffing
mixture in dish. Top with re
maining stuffing mix. Bake at 390 ’
degrees til hot throughout,
bubbling, and brown on top.
■■■.. !■■■
a
Say goodbye to harsh
tastel King Cobra is the only
malt liquor that gives you so
much cold satisfaction in a
smooth taste. And this month
you’ll want to get twice as t
much satisfaction! 1
During April we’re having J
a special <rStrikes Twice" I
promotion to make it easy 1
for you to take two six packs I
of King Cobra everytlme you
buy. Check your local store
for details.
* • • n'A'Pwf