Sweet treats leave family, friends flying high
Pilots must have quite a sweet tooth.
And Lucille Kempa knows just how to satisfy a group of local pilots.
When her husband, Eugene, and members of the radio-controlled model flying club at Saddlebrook Farms need a treat, they can count on one of Lucille's homemade creations.
Each month, the Grayslake cook packs up treats, whether it be cakes, cookies or scones, for her husband to share with friends during their post-flight coffee.
“He never brings anything home. There is never anything left over,” she said.
And if Lucille does not make something, she hears about it.
“If I don't make (treats) for awhile, they will ask what happens. How come she is not baking?” she adds with a laugh.
Eugene adds the guys recently gave Lucille a baking challenge.
“Some guys discovered bear claws at a local bakery. The guys love it and they want to know if she will make it. I need to go online and get a recipe for her,” he said.
At home, Lucille said dishes may not always be sweet. But she said meals are simple for her meat-and-potatoes family, which includes three children and seven grandchildren. While typical entrees may be chicken, pork chops and stuffed cabbage, homemade soup is a favorite as well.
Lucille first learned to make soups as an adult from her mother, Sophie. “My soups are almost as good as hers, I think,” she said.
Planning for a cold fall night, Lucille still enjoys soup and sandwiches on the menu. Favorites include tomato and rice or mushroom barley soup, which Lucille shares with us today. But baking still may be considered her specialty. The grandchildren expect her chocolate chip cookies, while the pilots never turn down her lemon-glazed fruit scones or her poppy seed cake.
Lucille also shares her scones and poppy seed cake recipes, so readers can provide a treat for family, friends or to bring to the next meeting of hungry fans.