Cook of the Week
by Nathan Straus

Gerald Burton

Gerald Burton, retired General Motors employee, came to the Chandler area in 1995 from Arlington. Or, as he calls it, "Home of the Texas Rangers and Six Flags."

Gerald moved down to Lake Palestine, south of Chandler, to enjoy a more quiet and relaxed setting. Specifically, a setting with less traffic.

He and his wife will have been married for 28 years on Valentine's Day, February 14.

"We have five kids," Burton said, "Teresa, Michael, Chuck, Chad and Steve."

In his spare time Gerald likes to do a bit of woodworking, but fashioning trees into something usable isn't Burton's only hobby.

"When the season is right me and my wife garden," Gerald said. "We can just about everything that grows."

Sometimes, however, some plant life grows on his property that needs to be trimmed, Gerald said. With the ongoing rains, and even before the wetness, Gerald pointed out that it seems like he is constantly mowing his lawn.

In addition, what would a house close to a lake be good for if not to have a close fishing spot?

Gerald is also a member of Faith Baptist Church in Brownsboro; a fact made more apparent during the church's worship services; Gerald is a singer for the congregation, a soloist.

"You never really get over the nervousness," Gerald said of singing in front of a crowd. "Those extra drumbeats you hear? Those are my knees," he laughed.

Singing isn't the only thing Gerald does for a crowd.

Gerald describes himself as a creative person, taking nothing and making something - for example, a recipe - out of it.

"I like seeing people enjoy what I've made," Burton said.

Something of a baking and cookie specialist, Gerald decided to share his famous cookie recipe, as well as a recipe for those needing a more sugar-free diet.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
(like Mrs. Fields)
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal, powdered
in blender or processor
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
24 ounces chocolate chips
8 ounces Hershey bar,
grated
3 cups chopped nuts

Cream together 2 cups butter, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups brown sugar and add the eggs and vanilla. Mix the flour and oatmeal with the salt, baking soda and baking powder. For softer cookies, add an extra pinch of baking powder. Add to sugar, butter and egg mixture, then add all the chocolate along with the nuts. Roll the dough into ping pong ball size and place on a cookie sheet a couple inches apart. Bake at 375 Degrees for six minutes. Makes 10-12 dozen cookies. Recipe can be cut in half.
Sugar-Free Orange
Trifle
1 sugar-free angel food
cake (purchased)
1 1-4 ounce package of
sugar-free instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 8 ounce tub of Cool
Whip Free whipped topping
1 15 ounce can mandarin
orange sections

Tear cake into small pieces and mix the pudding per directions on package. Add 1-2 cups of whipped topping to pudding mix and blend. Layer cake in bottom of bowl, then layer mandarin orange segments over the cake and cover with pudding mix. Repeat layers until all are in bowl. Top with remaining whipped topping and chill.