Cathy Batuello’s family likes pretty much anything she prepares. But when an occasion arises such as a graduation, church supper or work Christmas party, she’s ready to whip up to eight strombolis and Texas caviar.

Batuello’s husband, John, is a pharmacist, and they host a yearly Christmas party. The Fort Wayne couple have four sons, Anthony, 29, Christopher, 28, Jonathan, 22, Nicholas, 19, and the strombolis have been required graduation party food.

Once a year, Batuello, 54, and her family go to Hilton Head, S.C., for vacation. Packed away for the trip is her 12-by-4-inch wooden box filled with her family’s favorite recipes including strombolis, Texas caviar and cinnamon rolls.

A Bishop Luers High School math teacher with 32 years’ experience, Batuello says, “Most of my recipes are from people. Almost all my Christmas cookies are passed down from my mom (the late Margaret Cutler),” she says.

Looking at the recipes submitted for the column, she states, “Every one of those is a recipe given to me.”

Q. Do you have a favorite cookbook?

A. No. I have church cookbooks. Raising four kids I’ve never had time to sit down and look at them. I have one from Disney World, but I’ve never made anything from it. Maybe with Nick leaving maybe I’ll look at them.

Q. How often do you eat out?

A. Are you talking now or when I was raising kids? It used to be once a week. Now it’s maybe three times a week. Who knows what it will be next year? I won’t be doing snacks for tennis or baseball.

Q. What vegetable do you eat most often?

A. I like fruit better. I like vegetables, too, but I don’t have one I would say this is what I like. I prefer watermelon or cantaloupe.

Q. If you were stuck on a desert island, what is one food you would have to have?

A. I’d probably go with the watermelon. During summer months I’ll buy watermelon every 10 days. My best watermelon story: My dad’s brother lived in Texarkana (Texas), and we were driving down to visit. I was around 5 and in the back of the station wagon and the police pulled my dad over. Just down the road they had ice cold sliced melon. Anyone with out of state license plates was told that they could have all the watermelon you wanted to eat. No cost.

Q. What’s one thing people won’t find in your refrigerator?

A. Fish. We’re not fish eaters. I didn’t have fish growing up.

Q. What’s your favorite cooking utensil and why?

A. Utensil? I just cook! I like this knife – Imperial. It’s nice. It’s serrated. My mother-in-law Helen Batuello used to get those for me.

Q. What one word describes your cooking style?

A. Oh, you can tell the math teacher doesn’t like that at all – words. Well I follow the recipe so I’m straightforward. I don’t make my own recipe. If you give me a recipe I can follow it. I can measure it. I can double it. It’s the math teacher in me.

Stromboli

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 packages of yeast

1 1/4 cups hot water

1/4 cup margarine, softened

1 egg

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Toppings such as pepperoni, browned sausage, ham, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, as desired

1 (15-ounce) can of pizza sauce

Set aside 1 cup of flour. In large bowl, mix remaining flour, sugar, salt, Italian seasoning and yeast. Stir hot water and margarine into dry mixture. Mix in egg and only enough reserved flour to make soft dough. On lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Divide dough in half; roll out to 12-by-16-inch rectangle. In the middle spread 1/4 can of pizza sauce, 1/2 cup of cheese and whatever toppings you want. Then fold over one side and repeat. Then fold over the last third and seal seam and ends. Place on greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush loaves lightly with oil; cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator. Uncover loaves; make 4 slashes in top of each loaf. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Brush on loaves. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. During last 2 minutes of baking, brush again with egg mixture. Makes 2 strombolis, 10 to 12 servings each.

Texas Caviar

2 (15-ounce) cans white corn

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas

1 chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

Rinse the garbanzo beans and the black-eyed peas. Drain all other cans and mix together. Pour Texas Caviar dressing over vegetables. May be served with tortilla chips. Makes 3 quarts.

Dressing for Texas Caviar:

1 cup sugar

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup Crisco oil

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Bring to boil; cool.