By Marie Fagan Peart | marie@haldimandpress.com
It was in the 1950s that Kathy Smith became a resident of Haldimand County. She grew up on Long Island, New York, along with her two sisters. When Kathy was a child, her mother remarried and the family moved to Caledonia.
Kathy Smith
Kathy enjoyed a long career in nursing. However, she never considered becoming a nurse while growing up. As a young woman, Kathy was looking forward to being a wife, mother, and homemaker. She worked at waitressing and as a short-order cook. It wasn’t until after her first child was born that she decided to enroll in part-time studies at McMaster University. A few years later she entered the Registered Nursing Assistant (RNA) program and worked for eight years in this role. Kathy recognized that many changes were coming to healthcare, so she returned to school to be become a Registered Nurse.
The majority of her career was spent at the Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation in Hamilton, now the Juravinski Cancer Centre. They were on the cutting edge of new treatments and research. She absolutely loved the intensity and complexity of nursing. Kathy retired from this centre after 20 years of dedicated work. At that time, she was also active in the Ontario Nursing Association, sitting on committees for health and safety, legislation, and arbitration matters.
In her retirement, Kathy continued as an RN in long-term care. In this role, she was responsible for assessing the care needs, pain management, and palliative care of the residents.
Nowadays, Kathy enjoys the low-key life of full retirement. She finds joy in her kitchen cooking from scratch. She is active in her church, sitting on various committees and being a member of the ladies’ group. She finds pleasure in quilting, knitting, reading, and time with her children and grandchildren.
The sweet potato dish is one that Kathy’s family has made for generations. Her family serves this as a vegetable with the main meal. The toffee bars recipe is also a long-time favourite. It is quick, easy, and fairly inexpensive. Just add chocolate icing to top it off. Enjoy!
Sweet Potatoes
4 sweet potatoes
½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
Marshmallows – white (optional)
Wash sweet potatoes and poke a few holes through the skin with a fork. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour until the insides are soft. Once baked, cool. Scoop the insides into a bowl.
Whip the potatoes with butter and sugar. Spoon into an oven proof dish.
Optional: Sprinkle marshmallows over the top and place under broiler until toasted.
This dish can be made a few days ahead of serving. Reheat in the microwave or oven. The marshmallows can then be added and set under the broiler.
Kathy’s Toffee Bars
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
1 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 cup soft shortening*
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
In a bowl, beat shortening, vanilla, eggs and salt. Add the brown and white sugar. Beat. Mix in flour, then add the oats.
Pour into a greased 9”x13” baking pan. Bake in 325°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until brown.
When cool, ice with a chocolate icing. Cut into squares.
*If substituting butter or margarine for shortening, the texture will be more cake-like.
