Storm Lake Times Pilot

Klindt shares family recipes



Our cook this week is 95-year-old Vera Klindt of Sioux Rapids, who enjoys life in her hometown.

“I lived on the farm for 57 years and helped my husband Harold with the farm,” Vera explained. “Then I moved to town 20 years ago and now I live with my daughter, Paula. I couldn’t do it without her.”

Vera has four daughters – Pat Fitzpatrick of Storm Lake, Pam Jacobson and Paula Klindt, both of Sioux Rapids and Peggy Milton in Laurens. She has 10 grandchildren.

“Before Covid, I went to the Dinner Date group downtown and Rodney Cleveland’s coffee shop,” she commented.

Vera has done some traveling with her daughter.

“We went to Wyoming to see my grandsons a year ago last fall,” she mentioned. “Then this past fall, we went to Wisconsin to see another grandson. I like to keep in touch with my family.”

Vera Klindt of Sioux Rapids with her brother Eugene Johnson.

Vera’s brother, 93-year-old Eugene Johnson, lives nearby, north of Marathon.

“Eugene and I get together weekly,” she said.

The Johnson family has very good genes. Vera’s mother lived to be 97.

“When we lived on the farm, we had to cook for everyone, even the helpers,” she noted. “Now Paula cooks for me.”

“We maintain our weight,” Paula smiled.

These are two of Vera’s favorite recipes from her mother and her mother-in-law.

Garnet Johnson’s Cooked Pineapple Salad

3 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. butter

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Small can crushed pineapple, drained and keep juice

12 cut up large marshmallows (or 1 cup mini marshmallows)

1/2 cup walnuts

2 sliced bananas

Drain juice from pineapple, and mix juice with sugar, flour, butter and eggs. Cook until thick. Let cool. Then add the pineapple and marshmallows. Chill. Right before serving, add two sliced bananas and chopped nuts. Makes a small salad, double if you want more.

Christine Klindt’s Baked Custards

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup sugar

Dash of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2½ cups half and half, scalded

Nutmeg

Caramels

Mix eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in half and half gradually. Pour into six 6-ounce ovenproof cups. Put a caramel in each cup. Cut caramel in half so it will melt better. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Put cups into 9x13x2” cake pan and put on oven rack. Pour very hot water into pan within half inch of cup tops. Bake until knife inserted in middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove cups from water and cool. Eat warm or refrigerate.