Recipes from the Heart: Women's History Month

As part of our Women's History Month celebration, we are excited to share our Recipes from the Heart article, featuring cherished recipes passed down from influential women in the lives of our staff. This collection highlights a diverse range of dishes, from sweet muffins to savory pierogies, each carrying a unique story and cultural significance. The recipes honor the legacy of strong women who have shaped our team's culinary traditions and inspire us every day. Join us in celebrating these flavors of love, strength, and history through the food that brings us together.


Tobin Simpson, CEO | The Great Blueberry Muffin of 2008

We got 4 and a half inches of snow in March 2008. Everyone went over to my folks to get snowed in together. We had a great time, and my mom tweaked this recipe through the years. This just so happens to be the 2008 iteration, made during the "blizzard" and it's a great memory of us together.

Ingredients:

Robin and her granddaughter, Ella.

  • 1 cup unbleached self-rising flour

  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1/3-1/2 cup raw sugar (depending on berries)

  • 1/3 cup old fashioned oats

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

  • 1 cup blueberries

  • 1 egg

  • 1/3 canola oil

  • 1 cup milk (or buttermilk)

  • 1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions:

Mix dry ingredients. Add egg, oil, milk. Fold in nuts, zest and blueberries. Bake in muffin tin at 350 degrees until brown.

Michelle Liggett, COO | Church Soup

This is one of my mother-in-law's recipes. It's what John's family calls "Church soup". MaryAnn would make it for church pot lucks when he was a kid. MaryAnn grew up in East Tennessee and became a widow when John was 8 years old. With 5 kids to support, she worked hard, sometimes 2 jobs to make sure her kids did not go without. She held a variety of different jobs including being secretary for a judge in Anderson SC, book keeper for Starr Textile Mills, a department manager at JC Penney's and she even cleaned houses. She was not perfect but she raised strong, independent kids with strong moral compasses. She loved her family and would do anything for them. MaryAnn passed away in 2013 and John, Sophie and I miss her every day.

Ingredients:

MaryAnn and her granddaughter, Sophie.

  • 1 lb ground beef

  • 1 onion diced

  • 3 carrots diced

  • 3 stalks celery diced

  • 5 cloves garlic diced

  • 1 cup dry red wine

  • 3 15 oz cans diced tomatoes

  • 4 cups veggie or chicken stock

  • 3 cups frozen green beans

  • 2 cups frozen corn

  • 2 cups frozen okra

  • 2 tbsp oregano

  • 1 tbsp basil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Hot sauce to taste

Instructions:

  1. Cook beef and remove from pan with slotted spoon.  Pour out all but 2ish tbsp of fat and over medium heat, sautee onion, carrots, and celery for approx 5 mins (until onion is clear and veggie soften) add garlic for last minute constantly stirring to prevent burning.

  2. Add red wine to and bring to a simmer, simmer to reduce wine by half.  Add can tomatoes and stock, bring to a simmer for 20 minutes

  3. Add frozen corn and green beans but NOT okra, and let soup return to simmer.

  4. Add seasoning and let simmer for 10 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, same with hot sauce.

  5. Add beef and okra, just enough to warm through (okra will get slimy if on heat too long)

  6. Serve hot with cornbread or a yummy grilled cheese.


Annamarie Young, Marketing & Development Manager | Shrimp Things

Gladys "Mimi" Toth was the heart of our family, sharing love through the recipes she passed down to her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren (me!). Of Danish heritage, she found joy in cooking, filling her home with warmth, laughter, and the comforting aromas of her cherished dishes. With C'est Si Bon playing in the background, she made every meal a celebration, bringing happiness to those she loved. Mimi’s legacy lives on in the recipes she shared and the joy she infused into every bite.

Ingredients:

Mimi and Boppa, Annamarie’s great grandparents.

  • 6 english muffins split

  • 1.5 oz jar kraft old english cheese

  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise

  • 1 stick margarine (soften) or unsalted butter

  • 1/4 tsp seasoning salt

  • 1 can tiny shrimp rinsed & drained

Instructions:

  1. Mix together cheese, mayo, margarine and salt. Add shrimp.

  2. Spread on the split english muffins and cut into quarters.

  3. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

  4. Enjoy! Makes 48 pieces.

Kevin Kopsick, Bakery Chef | Szeckely Goulash 

Rose Kral immigrated to the U.S. from then Czechoslovakia in the early 1900’s. Settling in New York, she met Josef Jankovic, also a Slavic immigrant, and they married and had twin daughters. Rose worked as a domestic for wealthy Jewish families, where she added many of their favorite dishes to her own Slavic culinary traditions. 

This dish comes from her strong Slavic background and is one of my favorite “food memories.” Although, I was fortunate to have spent time in the kitchen with her when I was a child, I have had to try and replicate her recipes from scribbled notes, my own memories, and my culinary intuition. 

Ingredients:

Rose and Josef Kral.

  • 2 pounds pork shoulder-cubed

  • 1 large yellow onion-diced

  • 2 tbsp (apprx) paprika

  • 4 tbsp (apprx) caraway seeds

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 small can tomato sauce

  • 1 large jar sauerkraut-drained

  • 1 pint sour cream

  • 2 tbsp flour

Instructions:

  1. Brown onion in a large pot 

  2. Add paprika, caraway seeds, salt and pork.

  3. Brown the pork, then add the tomato sauce.

  4. Cook appx. 45 minutes, adding water if it gets too dry.

  5. Add sauerkraut, and cook for another 2 hours, or until pork is very tender.

  6. Combine the flour with the sour cream, and add to the stew.

  7. Bring to a boil to thicken.

  8. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

  9. Serve with dumplings, boiled potatoes, potato pancakes, spaetzle, or similar item.

Gene Frank, Culinary School Chef | Picadillo

Picadillo is one of the first childhood recipes that my wife, Stacey, prepared for me when we were dating, and after 28 years together we still enjoy it to this day. Stacey has served in the Marine Corps, and afterwards we raised three children while she volunteered as a Firefighter, obtained a bachelor's in Criminal Justice, a masters in Forensic Psychology, and a PHD in Universal Design for Learning, as well taught collage becoming a Department head. All while still finding the time to help support me in my educational and career endeavors. For lack of a better term, she is my Hero as she makes me want to be better for her and those around me.

Ingredients:

Stacey Frank.

  • 1 1/2 pounds of sirloin

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 1 green bell pepper

  • 3 tsp minced garlic

  • 4 deveined/seeded diced jalapenos

  • 4 oz tomato sauce

  • 1 tbsp white wine

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/2 tsp cumin

  • 1/2 tsp seasoning salt

  • 1/2 tsp pepper

  • 1/2 tsp oregano

  • 1/4 tsp basil

  • 1/4 tsp thyme

  • 1/4 tsp onion powder

Instructions:

  • Brown each side of the sirloin with salt and pepper.

  • Add garlic, onions, peppers, jalapenos and make tender.

  • Add wine, deglaze, add tomato sauce, and dry spices.

  • Simmer to marry (the process of slowly cooking ingredients at a temperature just below boiling, allowing flavors to meld and deepen over time).

  • Serve over Baked potato or egg noodles with sour cream and sharp cheddar.


Cathy Moore, Soup Kitchen Manager | Pierogies

The recipe is from my Aunt Rita Bendick (Bertovich). She was my Mom's only sister.

Ingredients:

Aunt Rita on the right and Cathy’s Mom, Deanna Pace, on the left.

  • 4 eggs

  • 4-6 cups Flour

  • 2-3 tbsp oil

  • 1 1/2 cups creamed cottage cheese (small curd)

  • 1 tsp salt

Potato Filling Ingredients (instant mashed potatoes can be used according to package directions):

  • 5 potatoes cooked and peeled

  • 1 1/2 pounds of longhorn cheese cut into chunks

  • Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions:

  1. Beat eggs, oil salt and cottage cheese with mixer.

  2. Gradually add flour (if dough is sticky add more flour) mix until dough is no longer sticky .

  3. Take handful of dough and roll on floured surface.

  4. Cut out and add filling - seal edges with fork add left over dough to remaining dough.

  5. Boil 5 min in salt water and drain. 

Filling Instructions:

  1. Cook the potatoes and let cool and peel and cut.

  2. Warm up and add cheese to melt in the potatoes - stirring occasionally.




Meredith Bost, HostMobile Food Truck Chef | Ketchup & Mayo Sandwich

Delsie Bost with her grandchildren.

From the kitchen of Delsie Bost.

Ingredients:

  • Two slices of White Bread, preferably Sunbeam or Bunny Bread

  • Duke’s Mayonnaise

  • Ketchup of your choosing

Instructions:

  1. Spread one side with ketchup.

  2. Spread one side with mayo - I had no brand loyalty as a child but the mayo should obviously be Duke’s.

  3. Slap those two pieces together and you get a taste of my childhood.

StaffAnnamarie Bell