Diane Hoglin, who has written a weekly food column "Diane's Delights" for the Brainerd Dispatch since 1987, is saying good-bye to all her fans.
Hoglin's last food column was published today, Oct. 2, on the food page in the Dispatch. After careful consideration for the past six months, Hoglin decided to retire.
"It's been really fun," Hoglin said at her home in Baxter of writing the weekly food columns. Of course, she was in the kitchen. "This column has taken me to where I never dreamed of. It started out as a hobby ... Doing this column has been wonderful and I will miss it.
"I want to thank all my readers and the Brainerd Dispatch for giving me this opportunity over the years. I have developed so many friends and have received so many fabulous recipes.
"I want to spend more time with my family. I have so much fun with my grandchildren and I want to seize every moment I have with them."
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Hoglin, 63, and her husband Gary, who does "Gary's Tips" each week in her food column have two sons and four grandchildren, two 8-year-old boys, a 7-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl. The Hoglins watch their granddaughter Ella a few times a week.
"I always have encouraged my kids and grandkids to cook," said Hoglin. "We usually have flour everywhere. If I can teach Ella how to cook and to love food then I feel like I have succeeded as a grandma. She's my little shadow, my only granddaughter. It's been so fun to watch her grow up."
Hoglin said she also has been busy working part-time at Costco, taking time away from her to write her food columns.
Hoglin said one of the highlights of her column writing career was releasing her first cookbook, "Kitchen Keepsakes" by Diane's Delights, Hoglin's trade name, in 2010. Hoglin decided to publish a cookbook for the Dispatch readers, who have long asked her to publish a cookbook. There are still copies available of the 250-page cookbook at Book World, Greenhaven Dental and Deborah Schey Salon, all in Baxter. Those interested also may call Hoglin at 829-0605.
"All the recipes in the cookbook are all tried and true, down-to-earth, good-tasting recipes," Hoglin said. "They are the type of recipes where you'll have the ingredients on hand. I took all my best recipes to go in this cookbook.
"I'm not a gourmet cook. All the recipes that I make that are in this cookbook were passed down from family members and friends."
Hoglin has always had a passion for food. She has been collecting recipes since she was a young girl. She has recipes from her grandparents and Gary's grandparents, her parents and family members and friends.
Hoglin said her grandmother and mother were down-to-earth cooks and everything they made was home-grown or canned, and that's how she learned to cook. Hoglin said she came from a family of seven children. They never got to go out to eat so cooking was important.
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"I love food so much," Hoglin said. "I love seafood, shrimp fettuccine and traditional meatloaf with mashed potatoes. I love to experiment with recipes.
"Swedish meatballs is a tradition for Christmas, with mashed potatoes and scalloped corn."
Hoglin said she knows many people these days want something low calorie or specialty diet items, but she doesn't cook that way.
"I don't like to substitute," said Hoglin. "My motto is to have it all, just in moderation."
Hoglin said Diane's Delights was inspired when her sister started writing a recipe column for the Hawley Herald and encouraged her to do the same with the local newspaper. Hoglin said that, in 1985, she started writing a column in the Brainerd Family Shopper and then, two years later, for the Brainerd Dispatch. For a time she also wrote a column for the Kenyon Leader.
Through the years, Hoglin also has done cooking and appliance demonstrations in Herberger's at the Westgate Mall in Brainerd, assisted in styling food for photography for Nelson Graphics Studio and helped put a cookbook together for Barrel O' Fun.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl .
