My favorite recipes - Meet Gail Bilow, Endicott

When Gail Bilow and her husband Dave moved to Endicott three years ago, she was worried she would have trouble fitting in or being accepted. But now she is busier, knows more people and has more friends than before the move.

“I didn’t have any adjustment problems,” she said.

Gail and Dave originally lived in Seattle where he worked for Boeing. After retirement he wanted to move to Montana or Wyoming, but Gail didn’t want to go that far, especially with family still on the west side of the state.

“So we compromised,” she said.

The Bilows knew people in the Pampa area, and Dave came over to help with harvest. While he worked Gail was supposed to find a house to rent, but instead found a house to buy, now their current home in Endicott.

One day when Dave was down at the Endicott Food Center he was told about the coffee groups that meet there almost every day. The men meet from 8 to 10 and the women from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

While sitting at coffee, Gail heard about the local quilt group, the Piecemakers. Although she had learned the skill from her mother, she had only started quilting two years before moving to Endicott. Soon she found herself with a dozen other women doing handiwork once a week and has since turned out three quilts. Gail also joined the Endicott Community Club which puts on the Endicott Fourth of July celebration. In October the group plans to host their second wine-tasting at the Food Center. Last year they featured Washington wines.

Gail also helps at the library teaching crafts once a month.

Even without community involvement, Gail is busy at home with a variety of craft talents including tatting, knitting and quilting.

“I dabble in lots of little things,” she said.

Her top two hobbies are weaving pine-needle baskets and wood turning.

“I like to stay busy,” she noted.

Gail has been doing the wood-turning for about 20 years. She saw it being done at a wood show and was so intrigued decided she wanted to do it. So she took some classes, bought a lathe and has made pens, tops and other little things.

She took classes for the pine-needle basket making while in Seattle. She has made baskets of all sizes, many of which she has given away. This and last year she entered her unique baskets in the fair.

Aside from the coffee crowd, Dave maintains the community lot downtown, works on tractors with other guys and is always doing something for somebody.

“If something needs fixing, they usually call and he does it,” Gail noted. Dave is also busy at home getting his wood shop ready and working on the house and lawn.

Gail was busy during the fair, helping in the flower department as a co-supervisor.

“I don’t know how I got involved as co-supervisor,” she admitted. “I don’t raise flowers. But I can pour water in the flowers,” she said.

Dave was a co-supervisors in the wheat department.

Chicken and Rice

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine

2 to 2 1/2 lbs. chicken parts, boned

1/2 lb. brown and serve sausages, cut into chunks

1 (16 oz.) can stewed tomatoes

1 cup chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup uncooked minute rice

In 4-qt. casserole dish melt butter in microwave on high 35 seconds. Coat chicken parts with melted butter. Cover. Cook on high 8 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients. Spoon over chicken. Cover. Cook on high 15 minutes or until rice is cooked. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Rice Crispy Chicken

Chicken breasts

2 cups crushed rice crispies

1/4 cup dried parsley

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 cube margarine, melted

Melt margarine. Dip chicken breast in butter then in crumb mixture. Put in pan. Pour remaining butter on top. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

7 Tbsp. cold butter, divided

3 Tbsp. shortening

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes

6 Tbsp. milk

In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Cut in 4 Tbsp. butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, combine sweet potatoes and milk; stir into crumb mixture just until combined.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Melt remaining butter; brush over dough. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm.

Thirty-minute minestrone soup

4 cups water

2 cups miniature peeled carrots

1 (15 oz.) can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz.) can Italian Plum tomatoes, cut up

1 cup chopped onion

4 tsp. low-sodium beef bouillon granules or 2 tsp. regular

1 tsp. bottled minced garlic

1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed

1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 (9 oz.) pkg. frozen, no salt added green beans, Italian

1 small zucchini, halved and sliced

1/2 cup elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti, uncooked

1/4 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan combine water, carrots, beans, tomatoes, onion, bouillon, garlic, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add green beans, zucchini and pasta. Return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle each serving with parmesan cheese.