This week's column is serendipitous with recipes shares for Fluffy Baked Mini-Omelets, Apple Milk Shakes, Serendipity Chicken and more, plus information regarding a recent request. Let's cook!

Recipe requests

A Nacogdoches reader shared the following information and recipe requests regarding Ms. Hayes' request about a Nacogdoches bakery. The Nacogdoches reader wrote, "Last week there was an inquiry about Sunshine Bakery on Hospital Street.

I, too, have had a question to ask for some time about the same bakery, but the name didn't sound right to me. I looked in an old phone book and found the name "Specialty Bakery" on Hospital Street. That sounded correct to me. Maybe the name was changed at a later date.

I was looking in a 1976 phone book. I would have been a young adult at that time, but that bakery was there during my youth.

I believe the man who owned it or ran it was a Mr. Brantley, but I don't know his first name. I think he is deceased now. When the Hospital Street bakery closed, Mr. Brantley opened a bakery where the Woden Road intersects with Shawnee Street. I looked in the same phone book and found a Brantley Grocery and Market at 2500 Woden Road. I don't know if that's the same address or not.

There was also a Sweet Shop at 1601 Woden Road. There is a lady still living in Nacogdoches who worked at the bakery on Hospital Street, but I can't remember her name. I recognize her when I see her.

Anyway, if you do find an answer to your gingerbread recipe, I would like to ask about a cookie at that bakery which I think was called "Maple Rocks" or perhaps "Raisin Rocks."

They were small cookies full of raisins and nuts, as I recall. I've never had any since. Everything there was delicious.

Another question I have is about the homemade rolls that were served at Nance Cafe and later at Shepherd's Restaurant.

Mr. Shepherd's daughter once told me that the family decided to let the recipe die with him. At each restaurant, the hot rolls were served in a basket, and brought hot to each table for you to pick one before the waiter moved to the next table with the basket.

There is also a lady in town who worked at that restaurant, and she told me she had the recipe."

Recipe Shares

Fluffy Baked Mini-Omelets

Source: D.M.C., Blanchard, Mich.

3 eggs, separated

oregano, to taste

salt, to taste

garlic, to taste (optional)

chopped ham, to taste

chopped onions, to taste

Parmesan cheese, to taste

I whipped 3 egg whites until very high and stiff.

I folded back in the yolks, oregano, and salt (I was out of garlic or I would have liked that too).

Then I spooned this into muffin tins (I used Pam to make sure they would not stick).

I then topped them with chopped ham, onions, and Parmesan cheese, and used a spoon to gently tuck the toppings inside the egg mixture.

I baked them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, and it made 6 little omelets.

D.M.C. noted, "I was afraid they would shrink down to flat little pancakes but they were way above the rim of the muffin tin and a perfect golden brown color."

Serendipity Chicken

(Carol's note: I recently created this on a busy weekday, and my family loved it!)

2 bouillon cubes

4 frozen chicken breasts

salt, to taste

garlic powder, to taste

onion powder, to taste

3 to 4 tumblers of water — enough to cover

1 can cream of mushroom

Spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.

Place all ingredients into the crock. Cover and cook on high for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Turn to low.

About an hour before serving, stir and then I shredded the chicken with a spatula while in the crock. Turn it to high again, then add in 2 pkgs. of Ramen noodles (no seasoning packets, just the noodles), stir and cover. 30 minutes later, add in about 1/3 to 1/4 pkg. of a 2 lb. package of Velveeta cheese. (I cut it into cubes.)

Cover and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Serve topped with French's French Fried Onions.

Kielbasa Spaghetti

Source: D.M., Lufkin

1 large can tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

1 lb. ground beef, lean

1 pkg. Kielbasa sausage, cut-up

1 large white onion, chopped

1 green bell peppers, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 pkg. fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 T. fresh minced garlic

2 T. oregano leaves

2 T. parsley flakes

2 T. basil leaves

salt and pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, mix together the tomato sauce, tomato paste and 1 can of water. Simmer.

In a skillet, brown the hamburger meat and drain well.

Add the seasonings to the sauce, stirring occasionally. Next, add in the sausage and stir. Then add in the onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste.

Stir in the ground beef to the sauce, then add in the salt and pepper.

Simmer all day, stirring occasionally. If too thick, add more water. If too thin, add more meat.

Serve over your favorite spaghetti.

Apple Milk Shake

Source: Richard Lee Holbert

1 C. cold milk

1 large scoop vanilla ice cream

2 T. frozen apple juice, concentrate

1/2 apple, pared and cut

Combine ingredients in blender; cover and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Makes about 2 cups.

Trivia

Continued trivia: What is seitan?

Monthly contest

Every reader who submits a recipe request, correct trivia answer prior to the answer's publication, and/or recipe share to What's Cooking? will be entered in a monthly drawing for a prize.

The next contest drawing will be today, from all readers who have submitted recipe shares and/or recipe requests received through noon, Sept. 30.

The October drawing will be Oct. 3. Submission address information is found at the end of this week's column.

If you have a great cook or local-flavor cookbook to recommend, favorite recipe to share, a recipe request, suggested idea, question, cooking tip, story idea, or answer to a recipe request, please write: Carol Kimbrough, P.O. Box 631719, Nacogdoches, Texas 75963-1719 or e-mail whatscookingcolumn@yahoo.com.

Please include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address (if applicable).

Readers who submit a recipe request and/or recipe share will be entered into a monthly drawing for a cooking-related prize.

Please note if you do not want your name published. Winner names will be published.

Carol Kimbrough is a contributing writer.