Column from May 27, 2010

Centennial a hit

What an amazing weekend it was! The Othello Centennial was definitely a hit. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and I heard lots of great comments.

I spent most of Saturday at the museum, meeting and greeting people. In fact, we had more than 300 folks visit that day and another 100 on Sunday.

Some interesting people stopped by, including some of whose grandparents and parents were original settlers to Othello. I had a great time talking to them as they shared their stories. We encouraged them to write their own histories to be included in our memories binder.

I’ve been the secretary of the museum board for several years and I’m always surprised when people say they’ve never been there before or that it’s been many years since they stopped to see all the great items the museum has to offer.

The community museum is geared toward showing Othello’s history and that makes it quite unique. Some of the displays include the railroad, homesteading, the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, the effect on the city when Mount St. Helens erupted, an antique kitchen and schoolroom and more.

The newest display features nine pioneer women who helped homestead the area and worked to develop Othello at the turn of the 20^th century. These were women who worked alongside their families and neighbors to establish schools, churches and businesses.

Another exciting new feature at the museum is our historical archives. Gladys Para spent 30 years putting together hundreds of photos, newspaper articles and other information that dates back more than 100 years.

These archives are available for those who want to do research for whatever reason – school reports, family genealogy or just curiosity. 

I took full advantage of these archives when I wrote the series of history articles prior to the centennial. I also used them to research our nine pioneer women.

There is so much wonderful information and I know I will find more reasons to use the archives in the future.

Although the birthday celebration is over, the centennial continues all year long. Many of the other annual events will have a centennial flair, including the Fourth of July and Fiesta Amistad.

So, if you weren’t able to attend all the activities this past weekend, you’ll have other opportunities to catch up. And don’t forget to stop by the museum if you get the chance. Starting in June, it will be open each Saturday through the summer from 1 to 5 p.m.

Crumb cake

Cake:

1-1/2 sticks margarine

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and keep beating.

Combine milk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add some milk mixture, some flour mixture, some milk, some flour, etc. until it is all blended.

Pour into greased 13-by-9 inch pan.

Crumb Topping:

1-1/2 cup flour

3/4 cups sugar

1 stick margarine

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine crumb topping ingredients and mix with hands or with pastry blender until mixture forms pea-size lumps. Clump it in your fist and crumble on top of cake batter that is already in baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. If making 8-by-8 inch cakes, bake for 45 minutes.

When cool, top with powdered sugar.

Column from May 20, 2010

Step back into the past

I had a great time visiting with Luke and Frances Danielson to write the story for The Othello Outlook about them being the grand marshals for the Centennial parade. What a wonderful couple!

They both grew up here and graduated from Othello High School. They’re a great choice to represent the last 100 years of the existence of our city.

This weekend represents almost two years of work by the Centennial committee and our chair Ken Caylor. When we first started, the event seemed so far away, but time flew by.

The celebration is here and ready or not, we’ll pull this thing off … at least that’s what I told Ken the other day.

There are many activities planned for Saturday and Sunday, not to mention the Othello Community Museum’s Reader Theater, 7:30 tonight (Thursday) at the senior center. The play features local folks, young and old, portraying those who lived here when the city was first founded.

On Saturday, there will be the parade, kids games, vendors, entertainment, a street dance and more. Sunday has a truly historic feel as there will be even more activities, such as a history of the town and the railroad, more entertainment, a community barbecue and the state will again present a copy of Othello’s original incorporation papers.

I want to especially invite everyone to the museum Saturday at 1 p.m. for a visit by Reynola Pakusich, whose grandmother was a homesteader here at the turn of the 20^th century. Her aunt will be accompanying her as she gives a talk about her grandparents and parents and shares anecdotes about life in the pioneer days.

We are very fortunate to have them at our Centennial celebration. In fact, Frances was thrilled when she found out they were coming as she knows Reynola’s Aunt Naomi very well.

Naomi was also one of Eric’s mother’s best friends, so he’s also excited to have the chance to see her.

Alyene (Roach) Morgan also grew up here. She and Gilbert (Eric’s dad) ended up in Smyrna for many years as he was the section foreman for the railroad there. Weekends were often spent in Othello, though, visiting Eric’s grandparents.

Smyrna is just south of Royal City along Crab Creek, so Alyene was very involved in community events there. She was an active member of the Crab Creek Cacklers, a service group that helped with a variety of projects that benefited Royal City.

One way they raised funds was through the sale of their cookbooks. All the ladies submitted recipes and there are many in the book from Alyene, including this one for peach cobbler.

Peach cobbler

2 cups sliced fruit

2 tablespoons flour

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup fruit syrup

1 tablespoon butter

1-1/2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1 egg

½ cup milk

Arrange fruit in greased pan.

Mix flour and ¼ cup sugar; sprinkle over fruit. Add lemon juice and fruit syrup; dot with butter.

Combine dry ingredients, add shortening. Add milk and eggs.

Drop dough in mounds over fruit. Drop dough in mounds over fruit.

Column from May 13, 2010

Fruit works for any meal … even dessert

Last weekend, we made our annual trek to the Ronald McDonald’s House in Spokane. Each Mother’s Day, some of us head up there to fix breakfast for the families who are staying at the house.

The menu included scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, juice, milk and … fruit!

I mixed up some strawberries, bananas, mandarin oranges and grapes in a big bowl. Colorful, fun and tasty and everyone enjoyed it.

A helpful hint when making any type of fruit salad is to first slice the bananas into the bowl and add the mandarin oranges on top of the bananas. When you gently stir the two fruits together, the juice from the oranges coats the banana slices and helps prevent them from turning brown.

Then, fold in the other fruits. You can also add mini marshmallows, nuts or whatever else your family enjoys, including whipped cream.

Mother’s Day is only one of three times per year we try to visit the house. We also like to do a barbecue in the summer and a dinner in the fall. Last year, it was spaghetti and all the fixings.

It’s fun visiting with the people there, but it can also be sad and, definitely, eye-opening.

Also, it’s encouraging to talk to the kids who are going through treatments for a variety of problems. They are so full of spunk and seem to take much of it in stride.

Many of them are often called “medical babies.” They have dealt with health issues since birth and truly understand what’s going on.

They are simply amazing children.

When my grandson was a toddler, he would surprise people whenever he went to the doctor. Because he was premature, he was used to tests and being poked and prodded. He would walk into the doctor’s office like he owned the place.

Today, at 6 years old, he hates going to see doctors. I guess he had his fill of them and you really can’t blame him.

Here’s a wonderful recipe for applesauce cake that can add even more fruit to your diet.

Applesauce cake with lemon buttercream frosting

For the cake:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

For the frosting:

1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13x9x2-inch pan.

2. To make the cake: Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.

3. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Add flour mixture alternately with applesauce to butter mixture until well mixed. Stir in nuts and raisins.

4. Turn batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake springs back to the touch. Let cool slightly in pan. Remove cake to serving plate and let cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting: Beat butter in bowl of electric mixer on medium speed for one minute. Reduce speed to low, and add confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating between each addition, until frosting is smooth. On low speed, add lemon juice. Increase speed to medium, and beat for 3-4 minutes, until fluffy. Frost cake.

Yield: Approximately 12 serving.

Column from May 6, 2010

Give mom a break

Sunday is Mother’s Day and one of the best gifts you can give is a nice breakfast prepared by dad and the kids.

Moms work hard all week – tending to children, fixing meals, cleaning the house, doing laundry. Plus, many of them have jobs outside the home. They also volunteer at the schools or for other community groups.

It can definitely become overwhelming!

That’s why a break from the usual routine is a wonderful surprise for mom.

Yes, being a mother is not an easy task. From day one, we worry about our children and we try our best to raise them right and make sure they have everything they need … not just the material things, but we strive to meet their emotional needs, as well, and that can be difficult at times.

Recently, my 1-year-old grandson had to have a minor surgery. His mommy was pretty shook up, but she did everything she could to maintain her composure so he wouldn’t get nervous or upset.

The surgeon was very accommodating and explained what was going to take place. That always helps to put someone at ease.

The first thing they did was give him something to help him relax. They said it would make it easier for the baby when they took him away from his parents to go to the surgery. The drug is designed to mimic drunkenness and it certainly worked.

Every time someone said anything to him or even moved in closer, he got the giggles and couldn’t stop laughing. I’m not sure if it helped him or mom more!

Mom had finally relaxed and accepted what was going to happen … until the anesthesiologist explained his part during the procedure. When he told her they would be breathing for him, well, that’s when she lost it.

After threatening them with life and limb if anything happened to her baby, she called me. I told her not to worry and to remember this is a common surgery and they have a lot of practice at it. They do know what they are doing.

No matter how careful we are to ensure our children’s safety, there are always those little bumps in the road we have to face. Normally, all turns out OK, as it did for my grandson, but that doesn’t stop a mother from worrying.

It’s just one more thing that makes a mom’s job difficult and stressful.

So, remember your mom this weekend and find a way to give her a day off for a change.

Here’s a new recipe I found that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. For dad and the kids, just be sure to follow the directions and mom will love it!

Orange Brunch Muffins

3 cups all-purpose baking mix

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

2 cups (12-ounce package) white chocolate morsels, divided

1/2 cup macadamia nuts or walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or paper-line 18 muffin cups.

Combine baking mix, flour and sugar in large bowl. Add eggs, yogurt, juice and orange peel; stir until just blended. Stir in 1-1/3 cups morsels.

Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling three-quarter full. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool slightly.

Microwave remaining 1/3 cup morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag on medium-high for 1 minute; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth.

Cut a tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over muffins. Serve warm.

Column from April 29, 2010

Enjoying the lovely spring weather

I believe it must be official – spring is finally here!

And with it, we have wonderful weather for getting outside and cleaning up the yard from the winter debris that blows in. Yes, it’s hard work, but the benefits definitely outweigh the sore muscles.

I don’t have the opportunity to get outside as often as I would like. Most of the time, I spend my days in front of the computer writing. But I do take a break now and then just to wander out into the sunshine for a breath of fresh air and to see what Eric is up to.

Eric spends a lot of time working in the flower beds in the spring. This past weekend, he planted some new flowers, mowed the lawn and cleared out some weeds that were threatening to get out of hand.

We noticed several people out in their yards. It’s a lovely time of year and with summer just around the corner, it’s a good idea to take advantage of the cooler temperatures.

The standard rule of thumb here seems to be to plant just after Mother’s Day – at least that’s what I’ve been told. However, with spring so early this year, most plants should survive any cold nights we might get from here on out.

We will be putting in some tomatoes and peppers, in addition to our many flowers. Those will be great for trying new recipes in the fall.

I also plan to get some pictures of specific flowers in our yard this year. I’ve been meaning to do that and then, I get busy and forget.

It’s definitely a goal for this summer.

Speaking of busy, with all the work that goes on outside in the spring, there isn’t often enough time to do much baking. But isn’t it nice to have a little snack when you’ve finished an afternoon of yard work?

That’s when simple recipes can come in handy, like no-bake cookies. You can have a tasty snack without all the fuss and they fix up in no time flat.

By the way, I was looking over the yard and saw some changes we should make. I haven’t told Eric about them, though. I’ll wait until he’s finished what he’s already up to his elbows in before I break it to him!

No-bake cookies

1 cup butter or margarine

½ cup milk

2 cups quick oats

1 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk, sugar and cocoa; mix well.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for two minutes and remove from heat. Immediately add oats and mix well.

Spoon onto baking sheet or waxed paper. Let cool and cookies will harden.

Makes 24 cookies.