Column from January 13, 2011

A surprise crowd-pleasing favorite

Last week, the buzz around town was the win by the Seattle Seahawks that put them into the playoffs. It definitely came as a surprise because no one expected it. After all, they had lost more games than they won this season.

No one expected them to do well against the New Orleans Saints this past weekend, so it was a huge shock when they won and will now continue to the next level on the road to the Super Bowl.

I’ll admit I really haven’t been following the team for the last couple years. They have been a favorite of mine and I’ve been very disappointed with them. I hated watching them lose game after game.

And, no, I didn’t watch the last game, either, as I expected the Saints to run over top of them.

Now, they are off to Chicago to face the Bears, a team that has the same season record as the Saints. I don’t expect the Seahawks to be as lucky this Sunday, but stranger things have happened.

Either way, I don’t think they will make it all the way to the Super Bowl.

For many, the Super Bowl is a day when families and friends often get together to watch the game. Some folks host a big crowd and that calls for lots of food to keep everyone satisfied as it takes energy to jump up and down and shout for your favorite team.

There are many crowd-pleasing favorites, including chips and dips, finger sandwiches, hot wings and meatballs. But somewhere along the way, it’s nice to sneak in some vegetables, especially if children are present. That’s where an easy casserole comes in.

Most people like potatoes and will enjoy a casserole made with this vegetable we proudly grow here in the Columbia Basin. The one I’m featuring this week can be made ahead of time, refrigerated and popped in the oven the day of the big game.

You can also freeze it after baking. Just let thaw before reheating.

It’s easy and quick to put together and is great for many occasions, including parties, potluck dinners, buffets or family get-togethers.

It can be used as a side dish or add some meat, such as ham, to make it a meal in one dish. It only takes about 10 minutes to put together, so try it for your own Super Bowl party this weekend.

Hash brown potato casserole

4 ounces butter, softened

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

12 ounces sour cream

1 teaspoon dried thyme

12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 (24-ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes (break up any frozen clumps)

1 small chopped onion (about 1 cup)

1 small diced sweet red bell pepper

Paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and 8 by 11-inch shallow glass oven-proof casserole dish.

In a large bowl, combine softened butter, chicken soup, sour cream and thyme. Mix well.

To the soup mixture, add 8 ounces of the cheddar cheese, frozen hash brown potatoes, onion and bell pepper. Mix well. Pour into greased casserole dish.

Top with remaining 4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle top with paprika.

Bake 1 hour and 30 minutes, uncovered. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Column from January 6, 2011

Starting a new year off right

Now that the holidays are in the past, we’ve already begun some new projects for 2011.

Eric is working on building a walk-in closet and that is going to give us lots more storage space. We’re also continuing to work on remodeling our 100-year-old home. Last summer, we installed carpet and floor covering in the living room and kitchen.

There is quite a story to our house.

When it was originally built, it was only the front or living section. Out back were two bunkhouses – one for the girls and the other for the boys – for sleeping. The parents slept in the living room.

Those bunkhouses were long gone when Eric bought the property. He had a back section built that included three bedrooms and the master bath. A hallway or breezeway connects the front to the back. 

It was designed to be cut through in the event of a fire and a wall of water would protect the back half.

The idea was that a fire would more likely than not start in the front because of the age of the structure.

Since then, we have completely rewired the front and installed a top-notch fire and smoke detector system.

We’re not sure exactly what year the house was built, but we do know it is one of the original buildings in Othello. In fact, many of you know Everett Sanders, who is now in his 90s. He was raised in the house.

I know lots of people who don’t like change, but I find it fun to try new things. The remodeling process has been slow, but it’s coming along and someday, we’ll be able to step back and see all the remodeling come together into one finished project.

Cooking is that way, too. I love to try new recipes and it’s always fun when they turn out better than expected.

I was talking to Lisa at the Town Hall Pub here in Othello not too long ago about the delicious soups she has been making for lunches there. Lisa does the cooking at the Pub and she said she never made soups before.

As you know, I’m definitely a fan of soup! So far, every one she has made that I’ve tried have been tasty.

Soup is like a meal in itself and provides lots of low-calorie nutrition in just one bowl. There are even diets designed around soup as the main dish.

My favorite soup is probably potato. Corn chowder runs a close second, so imagine how thrilled I was to find a recipe that combines both.

I hope Lisa will try this recipe, too!

Old fashioned corn and potato chowder

2-1/2 cups cooked corn (canned is fine)

2 cups diced potatoes

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup diced onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1-1/2 cups boiling water

2 cups hot milk

1 tablespoon flour, mixed with 1 tablespoon water.

In a large pot, combine all ingredients except milk and flour-water mixture. Cook until potatoes are fork tender. Add milk and flour-water, stirring well.

Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes. Serve with chopped green onion and shredded cheese as a garnish, if desired.