Bimncaster Farming, Saturday, February 22, 1992
Minnie Schlegel bakes everything from scratch. She believes every woman should
learn to bake. Her advice to those who want to be good cooks Is “practice.”
Practice Results In Good Cooking
LOU ANN GOOD «
Lancaster Fanning Staff 3
FLEETWOOD (Berks Co.)
What makes a good cook?
“Practice,” Minnie Schlegel
answers
The wife of Fleetwood dairy far
mer, Kermit, Minnie has had plen
ty of practice.
Because Minnie’s father died
when she was young, she was
hired out to work when she was
only 14 years old.
“1 learned to bake, clean, and
cook,” she said, as if necessity
automatically developed skill.
Minnie’s specialty is yeast
breads. In fact, in many circles, she
is referred to as “the woman who
makes sticky buns.”
Many years ago Minnie catered
through the Fleetwood Grange, but
when state inspection was
required, she decided not to pursue
it. She did cater the food for about
400 guests at her daughter’s wed
ding.
Minnie has won numerous rib
bons at fairs for layer cakes and
pies. In fact, Minnie’s apple pie
won first place at the Pennsylvania
Farm Show in 1988.
For those who would like some
tips on yeast breads, Minnie has
these words of advice: Use western
wheat flour such as Gold Medal or
PilKhury brand. Buy bulk yeast
because it rises faster and is easier
to use. Knead the dough well. She
said, “I disagree with the bakeries
who say bread should be baked at
400 degrees. I think it works better
to bake bread at 3SO degrees for 30
minutes.
Despite timesaving devices and
mixes, Minnie said, “I bake every
thing from scratch.”
She credits most of her good
recipes to those she clipped from
Lancaster Farming.
Since 1957, Minnie and her hus
band have been cooking for the
Fleetwood Grange, which is only
about a mile from their farm. The
Grange holds banquets weekly
from September through May. The
Schlegels and two other women
are in charge of roasting the ham
and turkey.
The Schlegels married in 1945
and moved to their present farm in
1946. They have 85 to 95 milking
cows, farm 260 acres of corn,
wheat, oats, hay, and alfalfa. The
Schlegels are the second Berks
County family to sell development
rights to ag land preservation.
“I retired from milking several
years ago and let my husband and
son be in charge. But I still feel I
Minnie’s apple pie won
blue ribbons in county and
state competition.
must go get the milk tank ready
and do several different odds and
ends,” Minnie said.
The Schelgels have three mar
ried children and five grandchil
dren who help on the farm. Their
grandson Keith was named All-
American Soccer player last year
and received media publicity when
his parents had a billboard painted
on the Schlegel bam illustrating
Keith kicking ball with the words:
“Make it Milk, Milk Builds All-
Americans."
Between her cooking chores,
Minnie finds time to make each of
children and grandchildren afg
hans, for which she also received
ribbons in Grange competition.
She hopes to make quilt tops for
each family member also.
Minnie laments the changing
times where many women no lon
ger know how to bake a pie or a
loaf of bread. “I think all women
should learn to bake because it
tastes so much better,” she said.
Here are several of Minnie’s
favorite recipes. The Bavarian
Apple Pie is the one that earned the
state apple pie award in 1988.
BASIC WHITE BREAD
VA cup milk, lukewarm
54 cup warm water
2 packages dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
S to 6 cups flour
Put sugar, salt, butter, water, and
milk into bowl Mix together. Mix
ture should be lukewarm. Sprinkle
yeast over mixture. When dissol
ved, start mixing in flour gradual
ly, using enough to form soft
dough, which leaves sides of bowl.
Knead by hand, adding more flour
until dough is no longer sticky and
is smooth and elastic. Cover and
let rest for 30 minutes. Punch
down and divide dough in half.
Shape into loaves by pressing flat,
fold in 2 sides then roll starting at
third side to form loaf. Pul into
lightly greased loaf pans. Brush
top with butter. Let rise until dou
ble. Bake at 350 degrees for 30
minutes.
BAVARIAN APPLE PIE
Beat together
'A cup soft butler
'A cup granulated sugar
'A teaspoon vanilla
Gradually add 1 cup flour to
form soft dough. Press into bottom
and sides of 9-inch pie pan. Set
aside. Beat together
8-ounces cream cheese
'A cup granulated sugar
Add:
I egg
'A teaspoon vanilla
Beat until smooth and spread over
crust Mix together
4 cups thinly sliced apples
'A cup granulated sugar
'A teaspoon cinnamon
Layer over cream cheese mix
ture. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter.
Sprinkle 'A cup chopped nuts over
top. Bake at 400 degrees for 15
minutes. Lower heat to 350
degrees and bake an additional 35
minutes or until apples are soft If
apples begin to brown too much,
cover with foil.
STICKY BUNS
Boil about 3 medium potatoes
(enough to make 1 cup mashed) in
salt water. When done, drain pota
toes and save 1 cup potato water.
Mix together 1 cup sugar, 1 cup
mashed potatoes, 1 cup potato
water and 1 cup milk. When cool
to lukewarm, add 1 package dry
yeast. Let set a few minutes to dis
solve. Mix in 3 cups flour. Mix
well. Let rise at least 2 hours until
foamy or double in size. Add 1
stick butter, 3 eggs, and 1 cup
sugar. Mix well. Gradually, add
Flour until dough is no longer stick
y. Kneading well all the while.
Cover. Let rise overnight or until
double 6 to 8 hours. Divide dough
m half. Roll out half into rectangle
about 12x20-inches. Spread each
half with 'A stick butter. Sprinkle
with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll like jelly roll and cut each into
18 pieces.
Syrup for pans: Heat together
V/i cups butter
V/i cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
'A cup water
Blend well and divide in pans.
Arrange rolls on top of syrup in
pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30
minutes.
See your nearest
I\EW HOLLAfSD
Dealer for Dependable
Equipment and
Dependable Service:
PENNSYLVANIA
Annvllle, PA
BHM Farm
Equipment, Inc.
RDI, Rte. 934
717-867-2211
Carlisle, PA
R&W Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
Davidsburg, PA
George N. Gross, Inc.
R.D. 2, Dover, PA
717-292-1673
Elizabethtown, PA
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc.
Rt. 283 - Rheem's Exit
717-367-1319
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Yingling Implements,
Inc.
3291 Taneytown Rd.
717-359-4848
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Sweigard Bros.
R.D. 3, Box 13
717-896-3414
Honey Brook, PA
Dependable Motor Co.
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
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S.G. Lewis & Son, Inc.
R.D. 2, Box 66.
215-869-2214
MARYLAND
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Ford New Holland, Inc.
Rt. 26 East
301-662-4197
Outside MO,
800-331-9122
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Antietam Ford Tractor
301-791-1200
NEW JERSEY
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Leslie G. Fogg, Inc.
Canton & Stow Creek
Landing Rd.
609-451-2727
609-935-5145
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Owen Supply Co.
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Norman D. Clark
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110 South Railroad
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