They simply love to talk about recipes

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Carolyn Perry of Corbin brought a tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil recipe to the Cookbook Club. Carol Mills
Bean and barley salad Carol Mills

July 15, 2010

Cookbook Club meets monthly at Laurel library

By Tara Kaprowy Staff Writer The Sentinel-Echo Thu Jul 15, 2010, 02:14 PM EDT

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — Fresh flecks of herbs adorned all the dishes sitting on a table in the Laurel County Public Library Monday, a delicious collection assembled by the Cookbook Club.

Longtime member Carol Alsip, who brought chicken tidbits with parsley and savory rice with thyme, marjoram and basil, said she treasures the club.

“It’s just having people sharing a common interest with you,” she said. “Everyone there just loves to cook and talk about recipes.”

Each month, about 25 foodies like Alsip gather at the Laurel County Public library to talk food and exchange recipes and tips.

The gathering is essentially a potluck lunch, at which members exchange the recipes for the dish they’ve prepared.

“Every now and then we have a guest speaker,” facilitator Gwen Stivers said. “We have had chefs come in, had a county extension agent come in, a dietician from Saint Joseph-London.”

The goal of the group is to encourage the use of the library’s cookbook collection, Stivers said.

Alsip said she especially enjoys the menu ideas she gets from her fellow members.

“You look through recipes and you make stuff that you never thought you’d be making,” she said. “It gives you and your family a whole new variety of foods to put on the table.”

While this month the group celebrated fresh herbs, the theme next month will be locally grown foods. In an unusual twist, the group will make ball-shaped foods, like cheese balls, peanut butter balls and meatballs, in September.

The Cookbook Club meets at 11 a.m. the first Monday of the month, unless there is a holiday, in the community room at the Laurel County Public Library. All are welcome to join.

BEAN AND BARLEY SALAD

Salad

¾ cup quick-cooking barley

1 16-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 11-ounce whole kernel corn, drained

1 large sweet red pepper, finely chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

Dressing

¾ cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

¾ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon pepper

Prepare barley according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl Stir in the beans, corn, red pepper, green onions and cilantro. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Pour over the salad; toss to coat. Chill until serving.