Submit your recipes and memories for this year’s Ozark County Cookin’
The Times is currently accepting recipes, stories and photos from local residents for this year’s cookbook. Jane Elder, who lives with husband Andy in Luna, a small town north of Gainesville, is featured in this photo and article that ran in a past edition of Ozark County Cookin’. The springerle cookies pictured here were made using a board that belonged to Jane’s great-great-grandfather, a German baker who immigrated to the United States in the 1860s.
It’s our favorite season at the Times office: cookbook season!
For more than two decades, we have asked Times readers to share their favorite recipes for our popular Ozark County Cookin’ cookbook, and it’s time to ask for those recipes again – as well as anecdotes, stories and photos of yourself or of great cooks from years gone by who have shared treasured recipes with you.
We welcome recipes from everyone, young and old. If you have a recipe, photo and brief story about a mother, grandmother, aunt, friend or neighbor please share it with us! And if you have a recipe of your own that’s too good to keep to yourself, send that too, along with a photo of yourself and maybe a bit about what you enjoy about the recipe or if there is a special time of year you make it.
We have loved seeing those recipes come in each year - ones like that of Jane Elder, pictured here, which ran in a past Ozark County Cookin’ with this snippet:
“Christmas cookie baking is an annual tradition for Jane Elder, who always has a helping hand from husband Andy. ‘They are not fancy, frosted things, but are the ones we always make for Christmas,’ Jane said. Pictured on the plate that Jane is holding, clockwise from top, are Springerle, Ginger Creams, Lebkuchen and Rocks.
“Jane is also holding her Springerle board. It belonged to her great-great grandfather, A.G. Jacobs. ‘He and his family immigrated to America in the 1860s from Ostfriesland, Germany, where he had been a baker. So the Springerle are a real tradition in my family. I didn’t include the recipe for them since it requires the board to make them and is a little complicated. Andy always helps me with them, and I forget exactly how we do it from year to year. Good thing I have a helping hand in the kitchen!’
“Springerle are traditional German biscuit cookies with embossed designs made by pressing a mold onto rolled dough and allowing the impression to dry before baking them, which preserves the detail of the surface pattern.”
Those treasured family recipes are particularly interesting, but many recipes submitted don’t have a long history - they are simply ones local residents make regularly - and we love those too.
Those who submit recipes and tributes have a chance to win $100. We’ll draw a name from all those participating, and that person will win a check for $100 – just in time for Christmas shopping!
This year’s cookbook will be distributed free at the Times office, Town & Country Supermarket in Gainesville and Ava, Cash Saver Pantry in Theodosia, Roy’s Store in Dora and some other vendor locations where the Times is sold.
The 2025 edition of Ozark County Cookin’ is also an ideal way for area businesses and groups to advertise because it will be kept and used for months, even years, to come.
The recipe and advertising deadline is Friday, Oct. 24. To submit a recipe, tribute, photo or anecdote, email them to regina@ozarkcountytimes.com, mail them to PO Box 188, Gainesville, MO 65655, or bring them by our office on the south side of the Gainesville square. Call us at 679-4641 for more information.
To inquire about an ad, contact Jenny Yarger at jenny@ozarkcountytimes.com.