Column from November 4, 2010

 Photo courtesy of the Washington State Potato Commission

Can a potato a day keep the doctor away?

I certainly learned a lot when I attended the annual Columbia Basin Development League conference last week. I’ve been following – and reporting on – the irrigation project and the water issues in our area for more than 20 years. Yet, there is still more to learn.

This year, one of the topics was the water contract between Canada and the U.S. Because the two countries share the Columbia River, they have a written agreement on how the water is managed.

It was the first time I’d heard much about it, so I found it quite interesting.

The Othello Outlook reporter Briana Alzola was also at the conference. She wrote a great story for this week’s paper. My article will be in the November-December issue of the Columbia Basin Farmer.

We certainly have benefitted from the area’s irrigation project. It’s easy to see the results in the abundance of crops grown here, especially around Othello.

A drive through the country is like a trip to a smorgasbord. You can see corn, wheat, beans, alfalfa, onions, mint, apples … you name it.

In fact, farmers grow more than 100 different crops here in the Columbia Basin.

One of the most popular crops is potatoes. They provide a huge amount of revenue for the local economy and hundreds of jobs.

Chris Voigt, the executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission, has set out to prove the nutritional value of product he promotes. He’s been on a 20 Potatoes a Day diet since last month. He said the idea came when the government removed the vegetable from the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

Chris’ plan is to eat nothing but potatoes for 60 days. You can follow his progress at www.20potatoesaday.com.

That’s quite a goal. I saw Chris at the conference and he looks none the worse for wear. I did ask him, however, if he was getting tired of eating nothing but potatoes.

He just smiled and said, “A little.”

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to prepare potatoes. Here’s one of the many recipes you’ll find on the WSPC website at www.potatoes.com.

Stuffed red potatoes

6 small Washington red potatoes

½ cup chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms

2 teaspoons butter

1 tablespoon dry white wine

1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast

¼ cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes

¼ cup shredded Swiss cheese

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

1. Boil potatoes until tender. Cut in half. If necessary, cut bottom so potato will stay upright. Scoop out fleshy part of potatoes; reserve 1/2 cup. Leave 1/4 to 1/2 inch along edges and on the bottom.
2. Saute mushrooms in butter; stir in wine. Add chicken, reserved potatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, Swiss cheese, green onion and seasonings; mix well.
3. Spoon chicken mixture into hollow of potatoes. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Makes 12 servings.

Column from October 28, 2010

Talking cooking

I was talking to Mike Beardsley a couple weeks ago about Table Scraps. He said he had one of my past recipes saved that he was going to try because it sounded easy.

Mike is the manager of the Port of Othello, Washington, so he’s a busy person. It’s not unusual for him to be called out at any time of the day or night for an emergency or just to check up on something at one of the Port’s properties.

That’s not unlike what my life was like when I was a full-time reporter for The Othello Outlook. News doesn’t stop for birthdays, holidays, weekends or sleep. You just never know when something might happen to make a reporter have to jump in his or her car with camera in hand and rush to the scene.

It’s really what makes the job exciting, but it’s also the reason why it’s not the career of preference for most people. Reporting gets into your system and you get hooked.

So, even though it’s a different lifestyle than the typical 9 to 5 job, because you’re hooked, you can’t imagine doing anything else.

That’s why having a variety of recipes that are quick and easy to make is important. With an active – and unpredictable – schedule, you have to often find time to eat.

We’ve run into Mike at a variety of functions, so I know he loves a good meal. I told him when we were talking that most of the recipes I share with my readers are ones I would fix myself.

I started cooking when I was just a little girl. I can remember fixing pancakes before walking to school in the second grade. In fact, by the time I was in junior high and had to take home economics classes, I could fix a full meal.

It made me wonder why I had to take the class, but there’s always something new to learn and the home ec class was no exception.

To this day, I can remember some of the dishes we prepared – the good, the bad and the ugly!

Once I was out on my own, I began experimenting with different recipes to find the ones that were just right. For example, I went through quite a variety of pie crust recipes until I found the one I now use every time I bake a pie.

One of my favorite desserts is lemon bars. There are so many recipes out there, but I have one in particular that I use and I really feel it’s the best.

And, of course, it’s easy to make.

So, this one is for you, Mike. Unplug your phone for an hour and enjoy!

Lemon bars

2 cups sifted flour

½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 cup butter

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

½ cup lemon juice

¼ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

Sifted confectioners’ sugar

Sift together 2 cups flour and the ½ cup confectioners’ sugar. Cut in butter until mixture clings together. Press into a 13-by-9-by-2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees until light brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Put eggs, 2 cups sugar and lemon juice in blender. Blend until thick and smooth.

Sift ¼ cup flour and baking powder together. Add to blender; blend to combine. Pour over crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with sifted confectioners’ sugar. Cool and cut into bars.