'Tummy-hugging' food's Lake Zurich woman's thing
One of Sue Hotten's earliest memories as a child, was sitting on the couch with her mom watching Julia Child on TV.
“It was just sort of our little thing we did together,” recalls the Lake Zurich native who grew up “helping” her mom cook.
“I always liked being in the kitchen. I was always begging, ‘Let me help! Let me help!' My mom was a great cook and the older she got the better cook she became.”
Still, despite the fact that Julia Child was known for bringing gourmet, French cuisine to American kitchens; don't make the mistake of calling Sue a gourmet cook.
“Mom wouldn't have considered herself a gourmet cook and neither do I,” says Sue. “Mom would cook Mexican, Italian, and hearty stews, not gourmet food, just good food. There's nothing gourmet about me,” she laughs.
Sue prefers to cook what she calls “tummy-hugging” meals such as her Goulash Stew and Creamy Onion-Garlic Soup, the recipes she demonstrates today online.
Several years back, Sue had the opportunity to work at a cooking store where she was able to assist with cooking demonstrations. Not only did she gain a lot of useful cooking knowledge, but she also was able to use her employee discount to supply her kitchen with the tools she loves.
The one she couldn't live without? “My Cuisinart. I keep it out on the counter because I use it everyday — even if I just need to chop garlic — I'm not the kind of person who likes to spend a lot of time in the kitchen chopping.”
Sue's second favorite tool is a cast iron skillet that she nabbed at a garage sale. “I love it; it just browns food so nicely.” Add to that a fine collection of knives and pots and pans, and she has a well-stocked kitchen.
After the job at the cooking store, Sue was so in love with cooking, that she decided to start a catering business out of her home.
“It turned out my neighbor was a food inspector,” Sue laughs. “He had to close me down. That was a short career.” She then worked for many years as a server in the restaurant business.
For now, with a job in retail, cooking is a hobby for Sue.
“I wish I could find more time to cook. When I lost my job last year, I spent all my time and money on cooking. It was my therapy! It helped me get through it. I'd bring leftover food to my daughter and to my friends.”
Now that she is gainfully employed again, Sue still takes the time to cook her meals at home.
“I'm not going to McDonald's. I prefer fine dining in my house, even if it is by myself. I like to use fresh ingredients, not the processed food that's been all “sodium-ized. It's just better for you.”
Sue really enjoys entertaining, especially as the days get shorter.
“In the summer, it's casual, a lot of fish or chicken on the grill out on the patio, but in the winter, it's time to haul out the good stuff, the crystal and china,” Sue said.
“I'll clean my house all week, and then cook all day. I'll serve something hearty like French onion soup or my goulash. I like to set up a bar and even though my place is small, I manage pretty well. My ideal is about six guests,” Sue says.
There is one recipe however, that Sue refuses to share, her cheesecake. “It's my secret weapon to bring to dinners. The first time I made it I thought it was going to be a disaster, but it turned out to be the best thing in the world.”