Column from November 11, 2010

Thank a veteran with a great meal

My father was a Navy veteran. He was one of the members of the USS Batfish, which was the submarine deployed to Pearl Harbor to drive the enemy out following that fateful day. In fact, the submarine became so famous, there was a book written about it and my father’s picture is in that book. It’s a nice keepsake for our family.

I also have a cousin who retired from the Navy. He’s a doctor and worked at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. Following his retirement, he moved his family back to Washington state and started a tissue donor bank. He has since retired from that career, too.

Recently, a wing was named for him at Gonzaga University, which was where he went to college. You can imagine how proud the entire family is of him!

Veterans Day is a very busy time in our home. Eric is gone most of the day to help with the Buddy Poppy sales. These little flowers are available by donation and the money raised stays in our community to help veterans in need.

It’s an easy way to show support for our veterans and current troops.

There are many other ways to say “thank you” to a veteran.  With the holidays coming up, now is a good time to consider sending a card. One of the easiest ways to do that is through the Xerox Corporation, which offers a website with a quick and easy way to send a card. The address is www.letssaythanks.com. You can pick out a design and it’s all free.

There are also recipes for traditional Veterans Day meals. I’ve included a couple here. These are easy and quick to make.

And to all our veterans and current service members, thank you for your service.

Merchant Marine soup

4 carrots, sliced thin

2 celery stalks, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups diced ham

2 cans drained navy beans

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

8 cups of water

Bring all ingredients, except for beans and meat, to a boil. When the stock reaches the boiling point, decrease heat and add beans and meat. Boil 20 minutes, serve.

Bing cherry crisp

Topping

1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons melted butter
Pinch of salt
Mix topping ingredients together.

Fruit filling

5 cups pitted Bing cherries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix filling ingredients together and put into a 13-by-9 inch baking pan. Spread topping over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.