WAYNE – With its fresh veggies, light pasta and both sweet and sour flavors, Rick Kistler’s spaghetti
salad smacks of summer deliciousness.
"It’s mom’s. We call it ‘mom’s famous spaghetti salad,’" said Kistler, referring to his mother,
Bonnie Kistler.
"It’s got an all-together different flavor and it’s good. It’s really good."
Kistler said the dressing dresses up the salad.
"I think it’s just the dressing. All it is is sweet and sour dressing from Kroger," he said.
"It can be any, but I prefer the Kroger (brand). It’s cheaper and they have it in stock. A lot a
times it’s hard to find."
Kistler always knew the salad was a favorite in the family. But as he served it during his catering work,
it was requested more and more.
"I did a catering one time where I did this and a lady from Bradner who is in the Eastern Stars, she
came back to the kitchen and wanted to know if I’d share the recipe."
Kistler has been cooking since he was kid, learning from the women in his life: mom, grandmother Glenna
Farabee and his aunt, "Pookie."
"They were all good cooks."
He still makes several of their favorite recipes from his childhood.
"One was my mom’s apple crisp. Another one I make a lot was ‘Grandma Farabee’s Sunday
chicken,’" he said. "You put it in the oven, go to the church and it’s done."
Kistler has lived in the Wayne area most of his life and is retired from factory work and catering, which
he did for about 25 years. He cooked for weddings, reunions and graduations.
He and his wife, Judy, have been married 13 years and have six children and 10 grandchildren between
them. She is retiring this week from American Warming and Ventilating in Bradner.
He said he will continue to do most of the cooking – she does the dishes.
The couple will do some more camping with family. For those excursions, Kistler said he often makes up
food ahead of time to reheat in the camper or on the outdoor stove. A breakfast of bacon and eggs in a
skillet is a morning staple.
"We usually cook hamburgers, hot dogs, but depending on how many of us there’s going to be, I cook
the food ahead of time," Kistler said. "We’re going to enjoy ourselves, not cook all weekend
long."

Mom’s Famous Spaghetti Salad
3/4 cup of diced carrots
3/4 cup of diced celery
3/4 cup of diced onions
1 pound of cooked spaghetti
4 diced boiled eggs
8 ounces shredded cheese
2 bottles of sweet and sour salad dressing (I prefer Kroger, but any brand will do)
Mix all of the ingredients together and salt and pepper to taste. Let refrigerate for at least 4 hours,
but the salad is better if made the day before.
Always use one bottle of dressing per every pound of spaghetti, and always add an extra bottle with it.
After the salad has been refrigerated, the spaghetti will soak up the dressing.