Sue Gore

Sue Gore of Bruce has a “Bucket List” of things she wants to learn to cook before she dies.
And there are a lot of sweets on that list.
“I always tell myself I’m going to do this or that before I die!” she said.
“One thing was to roller skate.”
Her life changed after a stroke and she ended up resting and rehabbing for almost three years.
“Now my goal is to be able to walk up stairs without pulling myself up on the handrail!,” she said.

“I remind myself daily that God is in control. Philippians 4:13 says, ‘I can do everything through him that gives me strength,’” she said.
“Cooking has finally come to an almost normal thing and I find myself doing it to pass the time.”
It is therapy for her, teaching her patience.
Sue’s bucket list includes caramel pie, caramel icing for cake, layered coconut cake with frosting and coconut on side, Jerry Brasher’s butter roll, divinity, chocolate cobbler, peanut brittle, jam cake, and bread and yeast rolls that are good the next day.

She can see one or two more things being added to this on-going list, but not for it to double in size.
She has a caramel cake recipe of Rose Mary Shelton, and of her mother, Ilean Anglin, and hasn’t decided which one she will use. “It will be after the holidays,” she said.
Sue made butter roll alongside Jerry Brasher last Wednesday night, and is hoping to get that perfected.
The accomplishments from her list so far include chocolate covered cherries, caramel apples with topping, sweet potato puff, caramel candy and chowders.
These were successful and she will make them again.

She rolled her caramel apples in Butterfingers and Hersheys, and “they were beautiful.”
The caramel candy was the most challenging, she said.
Her mother used to make the sweet potato puffs and they are a favorite of daughter Jodee.
Everybody’s favorite chowder, including hers, is clam, but she also likes the corn.
Sue enjoys Pinterest recipes but has found they don’t always work.

“I recently tried one that failed. I was determined and made it work, but it was not worth saving the recipe.” She also looks on Google.
“I love making candies and decorated cookies. I’m still working on them to make them look pretty,” she said.
Making candy is a passion for her–turtles, chocolate covered coconut and Forever Ambers (orange slice candy). And Martha Washington balls for Jodee, peanut butter balls for son Adam and chocolate covered cherries for husband Jim.
Sue is content that her bucket list is at the house because, “my kitchen is my happy place.”
“I have fun doing this,” and this is why she began her list. “I might wake up at 1 or 2 a.m. and start cooking, or be looking up recipes.”

Sweet Potato Puffs

1 cup cooked sweet potato mashed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
4-5 large marshmallows
1 cup crushed Cornflakes
Mix potato, sugar and egg. Form it around a marshmallow, then roll in crushed Cornflakes covering marshmallow completely. Deep fry and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.

Bacon Jam

1 lb. thick cut bacon
2 large sweet onions
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup strong coffee
1/3 cup maple syrup (optional)
Cut bacon in pieces and fry on medium heat, cooking until done, but still chewy. Remove bacon from pan. Pour all but 1 Tbsp. of drippings from pan. Cook onions over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until tender. Reduce heat to low. Add sugar to caramelize onions. Add coffee and syrup. Continue cooking until onions are thick and jam like. Add bacon. Remove from heat. Add vinegar. Serve warm or cold. (Good on cream cheese or as a topping on potatoes or sandwiches.)

Greek Bread

1 loaf French bread
1 block cream cheese
1 cup Feta cheese
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. Greek seasoning
2 tsp. Ranch seasoning
1/4 cup sliced black and green olives
1/4 cup pepperoncini peppers
Split French bread. Mix softened cream cheese, Feta, Mozzarella, both seasonings and spread on top of split loaves. Top with olives and peppers. Wrap in foil and bake until cheese melts. (I like to sprinkle Parmesan on top and broil until lightly browned. Good with spaghetti or fettucini. You can add bacon, ham, chicken or pepperoni if you wish.)

Apple Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1-16 oz. container caramel dip
1/2 cup toffee bits
Mix cream cheese and sugar, mixing well. Spread onto serving dish. Pour caramel dip on top, then sprinkle with toffee bits. Serve with sliced apples or cookies.