Clear Creek provides smiles at lunch, dinner

By Kathryn Rice

This Christmas season, the Nodaway News Leader is featuring local restaurants, with the owners sharing Christmas memories, tips and a recipe that can be made by readers at home.

These restaurants are some of the advertisers who have sponsored the NNL’s monthly church directory.

Our third article in the series is from Johnny Marriott, owner of Clear Creek, 130 North Depot, Maryville.

• “What I enjoy about Christmas is the holiday cheer! The lights, smells, tastes and time spent with loved ones.”

•  “The success of planning larger social gatherings is in the preparation. Thinking about all ingredients and timings of completion, and don’t be afraid to hold things warm to reduce your stress.”

• “Many of my childhood memories have faded but I recall the tradition started with my grandparents and carried on with the raising of my boys. The smell of a coffee pot brewing, mixed with the fresh lit wood stove as the sun rises. The silence with the slight sounds of family starting to stir around… Time to make cinnamon rolls.”

• “With the holidays, we see a little dip in our weekly lunches but we do see those same people who trim back, bring in their loved ones on the evenings and weekends. Probably saving their lunch money to spread the holiday cheer.”

• “We are closed Christmas eve and Christmas day, but we do plan to be open for New Years! We often have live music and also plan to be open seven days a week soon!”

Clear Creek Cobbler Crisp

Filling:

Six (6)  cups of frozen peaches, blackberries or combination of both. Thawed in a 9×9 pan or dish.

Mix 1/4 cup of sugar with a tablespoon of cornstarch, then pour evenly over thawed fruit and gently mix. Set aside.

Topping:

Mix 1 cup of flour, with 1 cup of dry quick oats, then add and mix 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cut in 1 cup of frozen butter in as small of pieces as possible. It will eventually clump into a streusel. Apply topping evenly over the filling mix. Bake at 350 degree oven for 30/40 minutes or try it in your smoker for a flavor twist. Cool and enjoy.