Column from July 30, 2009

Last month, we had the annual Relay for Life cancer walk here in Othello. These are some of the photos I took to share with readers.

Cancer survivors lead off the relay for the first lap around the track.

Even the little ones joined the walk around the track.

Sisters Kara (left), of Enumclaw, and Kathy, Othello,

help light the luminariessurrounding the inside of the track.

Kara is a breast cancer survivor.

Cancer affects everyone in one way or another

Everyone will at least one time be affected by cancer in some way.

For me, it has been the loss of family members, friends and acquaintances. One of the toughest times in my life was when my sister Lori died of leukemia.

They say cancer is now a curable disease. However, you have to catch it early. That’s why regular check-ups and health screenings are so very important.

It was too late for Lori. The leukemia had been festering for over a year before it was discovered.

She had signs of the disease, but she put off going to the doctor until it was in the final stages. Less than a year later, she was gone.

The day we buried her was difficult for all of us.

I thought about my sister a lot this past weekend while I was at the Relay for Life event here in Othello. It was wonderful to see the many people who have been through the battle and are still alive to share their stories.

It really brings home the importance of family and friends in one’s life. We may not be able to do much to help those in need of medical intervention, but we can certainly offer support.

A shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and a heart to understand … those are just three simple ways we can help someone fighting the war against cancer.

And we can give monetarily to the American Cancer Society. The dollars we donate go toward finding treatments so not every victim has to end up like Lori.

The last few months of her life, she fought a losing battle. She had no options.

Someone you love just might.

This week, I’d like to share with you one of my sister Diana’s favorite recipes.

Lemon cake pie

Pastry for 9-inch single crust pie

3 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel (optional)

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 cup milk

1-1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat egg whites in large mixer bowl until stiff peaks form; set aside.

Beat egg yolks; beat in lemon peel, lemon juice and milk. Add sugar, flour and salt; beat until smooth.

Beat lemon mixture into egg whites on low speed until blended, about one minute. Pour into pastry-lined large pie plate. Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes.

Serve topped with sweetened whipped cream.

If you have a recipe to share, e-mail it to labordi@hotmail.com.

Column from July 23, 2009

This is my dad’s 1970 Dodge Polara at a car show in Akron, Ohio,

after his brother-in-law restored it to original condition.

Revving up a great soup in the kitchen

I grew up at the time when some of the cars seen at Kiwanis Park here in Othello last weekend (July 18) were new … or almost new.

The late ‘60s-early ‘70s was a time of muscle cars. Big V8 engines roared to life under the hoods of Chevys, Ford, Mopars and AMCs.

Even the smaller engines had power and it wasn’t uncommon to see a drag race or two on the weekends.

Those were the days when people didn’t worry about fuel economy.

My first car was a 1972 Mercury Comet GT with a 302 motor and an automatic on the floor. It was a real go-getter. My dad used to show up where I worked and trade cars with me. He drove a 1970 Dodge Polara convertible with a 389. (I learned to drive behind the wheel of that car.)

His car would go faster in the long run, but mine was zippy off the line. He would leave me his keys and take off peeling my tires across the street while I watched out the window and cringed.

I kept my little Comet for many years. I imagine it eventually ended up in a wrecking yard somewhere.

My stepmother’s brother ended up with the Dodge and he restored that beast to its original splendor. As far as I know, he still has it.

This week, Linda Boothman shares another of her great recipes. She said she makes this soup in large quantities at the end of the summer when there are plenty of tomatoes from the garden. She said it’s good with or without the milk.

Leek potato tomato soup

3/4 pound leeks or 1/2 pound onions, chopped

1-1/2 tablespoon butter

3/4 pound tomatoes, scalded, peeled and roughly chopped

3/4 pound potatoes, peeled and diced

2 teaspoons sugar

2-1/2 cups water

Salt and pepper

Milk

Prepare all vegetables as noted. Melt butter on low in big, thick-bottomed saucepan. Add leeks or onions and cook slowly until soft. Add tomatoes and cook slowly until juice starts to run. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, water and sugar.

Cover pan and simmer 20 minutes until vegetables are soft. Take off heat. Cool a while.

To make the soup smooth, put in blender for one minute. Pour back in pan and reheat it gently. Adjust seasoning.

This soup can be frozen or add a little milk and serve right away.

You, too, can contribute a recipe for Table Scraps. Send your recipes to labordi@hotmail.com.

Please include a paragraph or two about the recipe, where you got it, anything special about it, etc.

Column from July 16, 2009

Keep kids reading this summer at the library

Last week, I had the opportunity to watch Othello children interact with an adult on their own level.
I attended the author reading at Othello Community Library and what a treat it was! Children’s poet Kenn Nesbitt entertained those kids until they were practically rolling on the floor with laughter. They truly enjoyed having Kenn reach out to them through his poetry, jokes and stories.
I am an avid reader and book reviewer, so I can appreciate good literature when I see it.
Kenn has some wonderful books available, filled with colorful illustrations and prose that will make any child sit still and listen.
The event was part of the Summer Reading Program at Othello Community Library. I hope many parents have signed their children up.
Kids have an opportunity to read through the summer and earn points toward prizes. Plus, there are a variety of events scheduled to add some extra fun to the reading.
Reading is one of the most important things we learn. Children who learn to read well in grade school are more likely to graduate high school and that is so very important. As parents, we all want our children to succeed.
I can’t think of any career where reading isn’t a necessity. As a journalist, reading is a high priority.
You can’t write well if you don’t read!
I hope when I stop by the library next week to check on how the Summer Reading Program is going that I will see even more children involved. It’s never too late to get signed up.
Here’s a great recipe contributed by Elly Kirkpatrick. She said these enchiladas are rich, filling and easy to prepare.
“I usually just include a salad accompaniment and some tortilla chips and salsa for an appetizer,” Elly said. “Dessert should be something light and fruity. Raspberry sorbet is a good choice.”
Enjoy!

Elly’s Easy Seafood Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 can mushroom soup
16 ounces sour cream
Crushed red pepper, menudo, cilantro molida, cumin, salt (season to taste)
8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
1-pound container imitation crab salad (find in meat department or deli)
2 or 3 green onions, chopped
1 pound small shrimp or large shrimp, quartered
8 to 10 large flour tortillas

Optional additions:
¾ pound scallops, sautéd
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Note: Fontina cheese is rather salty, so additional salt should be added cautiously.

Directions:
Sauce: Heat mushroom soup and sour cream together in sauce pan – just enough to blend, not too hot. Add in seasonings to taste. Set aside.

Filling: Combine imitation crab salad and shrimp in medium-sized bowl. If adding scallops, cut in half or quarters, then sauté in a bit of butter for a few minutes before adding to crab and shrimp. Fresh chopped cilantro may be added to this mixture, if desired.

Assembly:
Place a scoop of seafood mixture in middle of each tortilla. Pour a tablespoon of seasoned sour cream sauce over the seafood. On top of that, sprinkle shredded fontina and chopped green onion. Fold up tortilla and place in 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Continue filling each tortilla. When done, spread remaining seasoned sour cream sauce over filled tortillas. Top with remaining shredded fontina cheese and green onion.

Bake 40 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

Thanks, Elly.
You, too, can contribute a recipe for Table Scraps. E-mail it to labordi@hotmail.com. Please include a short note about the recipe or where you got it.

Column from July 9, 2009

Sharing a fun time and a great recipe

Another SunFaire 4th of July celebration here in Othello has come and gone. The next big event is the annual car show and Spud Run on July 18 and 19.

There is now some concern about classic cars with the new “Clunker” law. As people trade in their old cars – pre-1985 – for a $3,000 trade-in credit, those cars will be sent to the scrap heap to be crushed.

This issue has some car enthusiasts worried.

Many cars and trucks once coveted by car lovers will be no more. And those who have classic cars will begin to find parts scarce.

That’s why the government has been asked to include a car collector on the board for the new law. Good idea, I’d say.

I remember many of the great hot-rods that began to become popular when I was a teen. Many were the early 1950 and 1960 Chevy Impalas. Those are also fancied today, along with Fords, Chryslers and the muscle cars of the later 1960s.

Add to the mix the newer Hondas, Acuras, etc., the younger people are sprucing up these days and you can see why the car show here is such a popular event. There is even a category for tricked-out bicycles!

Kiwanis Park is a great place to show off these cars. It’s much better – and safer – than on the streets where drivers, both young and older, take the chance of being stopped for speeding or squealing their tires by local law enforcement.

Even though these drivers feel wronged for having what they might consider “harmless fun,” they are breaking the law and subject to a ticket.

I’ve ridden with the area agencies on more than one occasion. I was able to sit in the front seat of patrol cars from the Othello Police Department, Adams County Sheriff and the Washington State Patrol. It’s amazing the excuses people come up with when they are doing inappropriate behavior while on public streets.

One of the first officers I rode with when I first started writing for The Othello Outlook many years ago was Dave Boothman. He was a deputy with the sheriffs office and has since retired.

We had great fun that night as we tried to track down a DUI offender.

Dave’s mother Linda Boothman recently sent me two recipes for Table Scraps and I’m going to use one of them this week.

Hopefully, this will be an encouragement for others to share their recipes.

Linda said she first tried this delicious and unique cake while they were searching for a ranch to buy in southern British Columbia, Canada.

“The owners of this remote ranch opened their home to us and fed us a hearty lunch of fresh mountain trout and this yummy cake,” Linda said.

Macaroon cake

½ cup butter

½ cup granulated sugar

2 egg yolks

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup white flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer, then add egg yolks, milk and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, soda and baking powder together and add to first mixture. Beat well and spread in an eight-inch greased pan.

Topping:

2 egg whites

½ cup granulated sugar

1 cup sweetened grated coconut

Beat all three ingredients together until stiff. Spread carefully over batter and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tests done and topping is golden brown in color.

Thanks, Linda, for this great recipe.

Remember, anyone who has a recipe to contribute can email it to labordi@hotmail.com