My Favorite Recipes

Since October, Laura Jones has been the librarian for the Endicott branch of the Whitman County Library, but she has not done it alone. Her best volunteers are family members.

All of her family members are enlisted in running the small library. Austin, 11, helps to restack the books with the help of his brother Dakota, 9, and sister Keely, who is 7 years old. Their father, Larry, has also been recruited to help at the library while he takes a winter break from the construction business.

“He jokes that he has spent more time in the library the last couple of months than his entire life,” Laura said.

Laura has always enjoyed reading. She also has a degree in accounting and business administration, all of which has been useful in her new job.

However, when she was young, she wanted to be a professional barrel racer. She said her love of horses has not waned and she now shares that love with her daughter Keely.

“When I was young, my best friend and I would spend all day on horseback,” Laura said. “Now, my daughter would be happy if she could ride 24 hours a day.”

Laura grew-up in Hermiston, Ore. She said they moved to Endicott just over a year ago because Hermiston has grown too big and has changed a lot from when she was a child. She wanted her children to have similar experiences as she did living in a small town. Laura and her brother, Walter Taylor, also of Endicott, were raised caring for livestock and participating in 4H. They now involve their children in 4H. Last year, Austin and Dakota raised pigs for the fair. This year, Dakota has his own sow and is hoping to raise and sell piglets to other 4Hers.

“She is a big girl,” Laura said referring to the 300 pound sow. “She gets out at least once a week. One night she broke into the house. I found her in the kitchen digging through the kitchen garbage can.”

Laura said she now understands why people say pigs are intelligent. Their sow has never wondered off their property and can often be found following Larry around.

Keely is looking forward to raising her first 4H livestock, a pigmy goat. Laura likes the prospect of a goat as a “weed eater.”

The Jones are also looking forward to being more involved in Junior Rodeo. However, they lost one of their horses right after Christmas.

“It was so hard to lose our horse. He was so awesome. You could put any one on him. Our other horse is not kid friendly.”

Laura said her favorite kitchen appliance is the crock pot. She uses three of them. She said most of their dinner meals are prepared in the crock pots.

However, when Larry is home, he likes to cook on the grill. They also enjoy “experiment night.” Laura will try new recipes or make-up her own. She said sometimes it works out well. When it doesn’t work out, her children ask her “to not ever do that again.”

“I like to make my own glazes for my meats,” Laura said. “The kids ask me ‘what’s in it?’ I usually tell them ‘whatever was in the fridge and brown sugar.’”

Recipes:

Rock & Roll No Bake Cookies

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. milk

1 cube margarine/butter

3 TBS. cocoa powder

Put all ingredients in a pan and bring to boil, about 5 minutes.

Add:

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. oats

Mix well then drop by spoonful’s on wax paper to cool.

Pina Colada Fruit Dip

2 - 8oz. cartons plain yogurt*

4 serv. Size package of low-cal vanilla pudding mix

1/2 c. drained crushed pineapple

1 tsp. coconut extract*

1 tsp. rum extract

1 c. frozen, whipped lite topping (thawed)

Bite sized pieces of fresh fruits (such as pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, grapes, apples, etc.)

*can substitute pina colada flavored yogurt

Directions: In a medium bowl blend yogurt and pudding mix; stir in pineapple and extracts.

Fold in whipped topping. Cover, refrigerate until serving time. Serve with fruit dippers.

Quick & Easy Broccoli Chicken

1 (6.9 oz) pkg. Rice-A-Roni Chicken Flavor

2 TBS. margarine or butter

1 tsp. dried basil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)

2 c. broccoli flowerets,

1 tomato, chopped

1 c. (4 oz) shredded mozzarella’cheese &/or shredded parmesan

1. Saute rice mix w/margarine, until golden brown.

2. Slowly stir in 2 c. water and seasoning mix. Bring to a boil. Place chicken over rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover, simmer 10 min.

3. Stir in broccoli and tomato. Cover, simmer 10 min. or until chicken done. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover until cheese melted.

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll

3/4 c. + 1 TBS. milk (heated to 75-85 degrees)

1 egg

4 TBS. margarine

3 c. bread flour

3 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. active dry yeast or 1 1/2 tsp. bread machine/fast rise yeast

1. Add milk, egg & butter to bread machine pan.

2. Add bread flour, sugar & salt to pan, tap pan to settle dry ingredients, then level ingredients pushing some of mixture into corners.

3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add yeast. Lock pan into bread machine.

4. Program for dough. Start. When done unlock pan and place dough on floured surface. Knead dough about 1 minute, then let rest 15 minutes.

5. Roll dough into rectangle about 15”x10”.

Filling

1/4 c margarine softened

1/4 c. sugar (white or brown)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. raisins

Diced apple (depends on how much you want)

Caramel syrup (ice cream topping works well)

1. Spread margarine over dough to within 1” of edges. Then sprinkle sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and apples evenly over dough.

2. Take caramel sauce and drizzle over dough.

3. Roll dough up tightly on long side. Seal edges. Cut roll into 1” piece.

4. Place rolls onto 13”x9” pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.

5. Bake in pre heated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on rack for 10-15 minutes.

6. Drizzle caramel over top before serving.

Bacon Ranch Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. real bacon bits

l tsp. minced garlic

l pkg. ranch dressing mix

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

egg noodles (cooked and drained)

Combine bacon, garlic, ranch dressing mix, soup, and sour cream; mix well. Pour over chicken in the crock pot. Cook on high 3-4 hours. Then shred the chicken and put back in the pot and add the egg noodles; mix together.