My Favorite Recipies

Dec 08, 20110

After 24 years as a stay-at-home mom, watching her three daughters, Heather, Heidi and Holly grow into women, Kari Rimbey asked herself what comes next.

In September, she found her answer when she opened a coffee shop in Colfax. Events on Main is Kari’s newest baby.

“My youngest daughter is in high school, and I wanted to take on a big project,” Kari said.

Kari has always wanted to open a coffee shop. She just had to wait for the right time. She and her husband, Steve Rimbey, own the building on Main Street and wanted to do all the remodeling themselves. However, they had a lot of help along the way.

Heather Cammack, Kari’s oldest daughter and her husband, Brenton Cammack, have been involved in the remodeling and coffee shop. It has become a family business. Heather’s two-year-old daughter, Avery, and four-month-old son, Liam, are fixtures in the coffee shop.

“Avery loves the coffee shop,” Kari said. “She is our best greeter.”

Events on Main offers sandwiches, soups, pastries and ice cream. Every morning Heather makes the soup while Kari drives to Uniontown to pick up fresh bread and pastries from Sage Bakery. Heather said she has become really good at multitasking, juggling a baby and serving customers.

“I inflict a lot of babysitting on the staff,” Heather said.

“It seems if you sit down, you’ll be handed a baby,” Kari said.

Events on Main is truly a family-run business. Kari wants the customers to feel at home when they come into the shop. She has worked hard to create an atmosphere that encourages customers to stay awhile. Kari stocks her pantry with foods purchased locally. Her décor and art are all provided by local artists.

“My goal is to create more of an atmosphere,” Kari said. “It’s not about ‘get in, get out.’”

Customers at Events on Main are becoming like family to Kari and her co-workers. Over the holidays, many new people have stopped in. Kari said she really enjoys meeting new people and has learned a lot over the last few months.

“I learned how to make real English tea from a customer who is from England,” Kari said. “There are many things I can only learn from trial and error.”

Because their customers are important, Kari and Heather will go out of the way to provide for customers’ needs. They also stock specialty items for customers who are allergic to dairy or are gluten intolerant. Heather has perfected her panini and will make special-order sandwiches for her vegetarian customers.

“Heather’s panini is probably what pays the bills,” Kari said with a smile.

Heather tries out new recipes on family and staff before serving them to the customers. There are not many complaints from family members as they all agree she is a good cook. Because Heather has a business degree from Eastern Washington University, she is also in charge of the finances and the technology side of the coffee shop.

“My favorite thing to cook is desserts,” Heather said with a smile, “because it’s my favorite thing to eat.”

Kari admitted she would rather eat than cook. Kari’s favorite item at the shop is a chocolate espresso cake.

“I had one customer tell me she wanted to take it home and roll in it,” Kari said smiling.

Kari said her family and her customers, who are becoming like family, are very encouraging and the work is rewarding. She is glad her learning curve is not as steep as it was in September. Kari has many goals for the future but believes the coffee shop is a good start and will keep her busy enough—for now.

Recipes:

Heather’s Clam Chowder

3 slices bacon, diced

1 onion, diced

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoon flour

2 cans chopped clams, reserve clam juice

2 cups potatoes

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

Salt to taste

Dash of cayenne pepper

Cook bacon in soup pot. When bacon is almost crisp, add chopped onion, bay leaves, thyme and pepper. Stir together and cook 1 minute.

Sprinkle with flour. Stir constantly for about 1 minute.

Add clam juice, potatoes, and milk.

After potatoes have softened, add clams and heavy cream.

Add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 large sweet potatoes

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

3/4 stick of butter

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Bake potatoes. Peel and cut up potatoes. Beat potatoes, sugar, eggs, butter, milk, salt, vanilla and cinnamon together with an electric mixer until smooth. Place in casserole dish.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and add topping.

Topping

3/4 cups crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans)

3/4 stick melted butter

Mix all ingredients. Sprinkle on top of sweet potatoes. Bake for additional 10 minutes.

Serves 6.

Dutch Babies (Steve’s mom’s recipe)

1/4 cup butter

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup flour

In 1 large glass pie plate place 1/4 cup butter. Place pie plate in the oven. Set oven for 400 degrees. While the butter melts, blend 3 eggs in a mixer for 1 minute. While the blender is running, gradually pour in the milk, then the flour. Blend for 30 seconds.

Take the hot pie plate out of the oven when the butter has melted. Pour in the batter. Place pie plate back into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with syrup, fruit, powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg or apple sauce. Also good with steamed apples, powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Quick Quiche

1 1/2 cup cooked ham or any breakfast meat

1 cup shredded cheese (of your choice)

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 cup milk

1 cup Bisquick or any homemade dry biscuit mix

4 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased pie pan or quiche pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Add other ingredient of your choice: mushrooms, olives or veggies.

Kari’s Favorite Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon soda

Place ingredients in bowl and mix well.

Add:

2 cups applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup oil

Bake in a 9x13-inch greased pan at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.