Readers thoughts on Dorothy Dean

We asked readers to share with us their favorite Dorothy Dean recipes and thoughts about the cookbooks, which have in many families been passed down from one generation to the next. Dozens of letters arrived in the mail within days, others filled our e-mail box. Here’s what some had to say:

“Several years ago (while) visiting a garage sale here in Hayden Lake I bought a binder of recipes.

When I got home with it

I realized I had a treasure trove of recipes and the Dorothy Dean binder. … I find I turn to it often for many recipes. It had to be the best 50 cents I had spent in a long time!”

– Betty Fisher, Hayden Lake

“I still have my binder, and it is full of pages from Dorothy Dean. I was a new wife in 1967 and my husband said, ‘Can’t you cook anything that doesn’t come out of a can?’ Hence I bought the cookbook. Believe me it has been used! … I love the binder and will not give it up willingly. … I sure wish she was still around to add the additional page.”

– Joan Ader, Nine Mile Falls

“These cookbooks are dog-eared and stained but I wouldn’t part with them.”

– Beth Riley, Colbert

“Dorothy Dean was the staple of my mother’s kitchen and the legend has followed into my kitchen as well as my daughter’s. Why? Because the

ingredients are regulars, always there whether in the spice cupboard or on the pantry shelf.”

– Lind, Wash. resident

“The recipes have been in the family for three generations. The Dorothy Dean recipe book that my mother had and collected for years was just recently copied for her children and some of her grandchildren. The original recipes are a bit tattered and used but (we) have

had many special occasions and good times using these recipes over the years. …We always go back to this book

when we want something that is good

and easy to follow and common ingredients one has on hand. We

all love the book.”

– Judy Boyd, Post Falls

“I am pleased to admit that I am one

of the cooks who has benefited from the passing of Dorothy Dean recipes down from one generation to the next. My grandmother used her recipes and my mom has a large notebook that I still

refer to and call home for ‘that certain recipe.’ I also grew up knowing that the bottom drawer in the kitchen was a treasure trove of Dorothy Dean recipes clipped from The Spokesman-Review

and stored there. Dorothy Dean was great. If you ever publish the series again, I would definitely be one of the new subscribers! You can’t beat her tried and true recipes!”

– Megan Undeberg, via e-mail

“I received my first Dorothy Dean cookbook as a teenager in the late 1960s. Growing up on a ranch. … there was nothing better than fresh eggs, and we sometimes had more than we could

sell. My mother always made angel food cakes from the whites and golden yolk cakes from the yokes. So my all-time favorite recipe that I still use frequently

is … Dorothy’s Angel Food Cake.

Thanks for all the great years of recipes!”

– Melinda Jewell, Spokane Valley

“Here is my all-time favorite Dorothy Dean recipe (Peking Meat Balls). I have been using this for more than 40 years from Spokane to California to Germany.”

– Ursula Przewolka, via email

“Dec. 6, 1959 – I received a Dorothy Dean Cookbook as a prize. I have really enjoyed having it and using recipes from it. It’s in pretty sad shape after all these

years,” wrote Margaret Schneuker. “One of our very favorite recipes is Texas Hash. Our children loved it when they were growing up and still use it now that they are married and away from home.”

– Margaret Schneuker

“There are so many favorite recipes

in the series!”

– Leslie Swannack

“When I was young, Dorothy Dean and Betty Crocker (were) all we had.”

– Clarice Huffman, Spokane