Column from March 19

Last Friday, we welcomed my new grandson into the world.

For the next few weeks, his mommy has to take it pretty easy, so I’ll be doing the majority of the cooking. However, with my busy schedule, I’ll need quick and easy meals.

Living in Washington state means everyone in the family loves potatoes.

Our state is the second largest producer of potatoes in the U.S., producing 23 percent of the nation’s crop. In fact, the state’s potato crop is valued at $685 million.

That’s a lot of potatoes!

In 2007, Washington growers raised 165,000 acres of potatoes with an average yield of 62,000 pounds per acre. That equals over 10 billion pounds total. And 87 percent of those potatoes were processed into frozen potato products, such as French fries, hash browns, tater tots, etc.

Potatoes are good for you, too. They provide vitamins C, B6, thiamin, niacin and folate, as well as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, trace minerals and more potassium than a banana.

They also contain dietary fiber and carbohydrates.

There are many recipes for potatoes. Some very unique ones can be found at the potatoes.com, which is the Web site of the Washington State Potato Commission.

Just about every recipe book on my shelf has quite a variety of choices for potato dishes. One of my family’s favorites is a twist on scalloped potatoes and is made with frozen hash browns. It is super easy and goes great with a ham.

If I have leftovers, I will chop up the ham and mixed it into the potatoes for a complete meal the next day.

Hash brown casserole

½ cup melted butter

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup diced onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups grated cheese

1 pounds shredded hash browns, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine butter, salt, pepper, onion, soup and cheese. Gently mix in hash browns. Place in a greased 13x9-inch pan. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes. Serves 6.

Column from March 12

I recently read one of the most popular new trends in eating is finger foods.

This can make mealtimes fun and interesting for young children, but I wonder if the popularity is due to how active people are these days. Not many families still sit down together at the dinner table. People are busy and on the go, not just adults but children as well.

Between jobs and school activities, it’s not surprising people are looking for foods that are easily portable.

Let’s face it. We are all busier than the previous generation was.

My mother always had time to cook. That doesn’t mean she necessarily enjoyed preparing meals, but she was good at it.

There were some foods she didn’t prepare very often. Desserts were rare at our house. She didn’t like to bake, so if we had cakes or pies, it was because someone else made them. That someone was typically my grandmother, sister or me.

Finger foods were also not the norm. We sat down at the table for our meals, whatever time of day it was.

It was a good habit and even though I tried to instill that into my own children’s lives, I have to admit I often eat on the run now.

It surprises me when I think of the many different foods that can be classified as “finger,” though. Anything from a sandwich, cheese stick, breakfast burrito or apple could be a finger food. Even a cookie could be considered as such.

All it has to be is a food you can carry with you and eat with your fingers.

One finger food my mom did make was her famous raisin bran muffins. I looked forward to the days when I could smell them baking. I’ve made them a few times, as my grandson is a little muffin man.

He loves muffins, no matter what kind they are.

But to me, they just don’t taste the same as mom made them.

This is my mother’s recipe. It’s easy to make and I know you’ll enjoy them.

Raisin bran muffins

1 egg, well beaten

1 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

2 cups raisin bran, crushed

1-1/4 cup sifted flour

1/3 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms of 12 muffin cups or line with paper cupcake liners.

Combine egg, milk and oil. Stir in cereal. Set aside.

Sift together dry ingredients.

Add cereal mix and stir just until moist.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes one dozen.

Column from March 5

Looking back into local history

Next year, the city of Othello will be 100 years old. The committee planning the events for the celebration has been meeting regularly and lots of fun things are planned.

The next meeting is Thursday, March 5, at 4:30 p.m. It’s at City Hall and anyone who would like to help is welcome.

There are several subcommittees set up to tackle a variety of projects for what the committee hopes to be a year-long celebration, culminating with the big event on May 23, 2010, the actual date of incorporation.

I’m sure everyone can find a way to take part – from researching the history of the area to helping plan the parade.

I enjoy looking at historical events, especially when they are in the Pacific Northwest or where I live, so this centennial is particularly interesting to me. I also like to try recipes from the past. Most are from books that feature local cooking aficionados or those local folks have entered in county fairs. I have quite a collection of area fund-raising cookbooks.

They offer some unique foods and ways to prepare them.

One of the books I particularly enjoy was sold by the Othello Christian Church. The price on the cover is $3.50, so you know it has to be an “antique!”

It was fun looking at the advertisements in the book. They included many businesses that have been gone for a number of years, including Coast to Coast, Hostetter Ford, Johnny Mercer Realty, Week’s Steak House and more.

I talked to Dixie Fultz, who is a member of the church. She estimates the cookbook is about 25 years old.

She has many recipes in the book. Here’s one of her fun, easy recipes.

Stuffed frankfurters

6 tablespoons chopped onions

¾ cup shredded carrots

3 tablespoons salad oil

4-1/2 cups bread cubes (whole wheat or Hollywood)

¾ cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning or rubbed sage

12 frankfurters

Heat onions and carrots in salad oil; cook slowly for about 5 minutes. Combine bread cubes, milk and seasoning or sage. Add onions and carrots. Mix well. Split franks lengthwise on one side only; fill with bread stuffing. Place side by side in shallow pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Yield: 6 servings.

I’m curious if they still make Hollywood bread. And do you think many people still call them frankfurters?