My Favorite Recipes By Linda Marler

Meet Bonnie Smith, Colfax

Born and raised in North Dakota, Bonnie Smith attended Minot State Teachers’ College, now Minot State University, and taught for seven years before Warren Smith came and carried her off to Washington. She taught primarily in upper grades there.

Warren and Bonnie lived in Wenatchee first and then at Wawawai where they managed a mobile home park. She stayed at home for 18 years to raise their three daughters, Jeanette Mackleit, Elizabeth Huber and Holly Hiatt. They enjoy their seven grandchildren and their activities. A devoted gardener, Bonnie especially liked raising a large garden at Wawawai because the growing season began 10 days earlier in the spring and there were 10 more frost-free days in the fall. Growing sweet potatoes and all sorts of vegetables was possible.

When the Smiths moved into Colfax, Bonnie went to work for the Colfax School District in the high school resource room and other assignments. Working as an aide, she had the training and skills of a teacher. She and Ginny Parrish worked together for many years, and knew each other so well that they could finish each other’s sentences. In 2004, Bonnie retired from Colfax schools.

However, she did not retire from being productive. Bonnie entered the next phase of her life with great focus on the Thrifty Grandmothers Club, whose shop was characterized in a recent newspaper column as a gift shop. The shop, she mused, is a “gift” for the members and also a “gift” for the community.

Thrifty Grandmothers Shop on Main Street sells high quality used clothing and household items for very thrifty prices, and then they pour that money back into the community. Supporting a wide variety of worthy causes, including scholarships for graduating seniors and support for students attending national competitions, those dollars are critical to the community.

This past year, the Thrifty Grandmothers Shop had extraordinary sales totals. The club and the community are loving the new location of the shop, its spaciousness, and the ability to display so many items attractively. The hardworking crew has made this move a huge success.

Warren is a great help at the shop, repairing items, handling their recycling and emptying the trash.

Bonnie feels that God has been faithful in blessing their club and its endeavors.

Bonnie feels that seniors need to stay engaged in the community for several reasons. Seniors and other community members need the relationships they form, they are needed to give encouragement to younger community members and to be a source of good advice. For instance, Mayor Vanek recently spoke of 12 Boy Scouts beginning work on their Eagle projects. These boys need advisors and mentors to bring their projects to completion. There are many tasks in Colfax that are perfect for seniors.

More than 40 years ago, the Smiths began their involvement with Onecho Bible Church, and they continue with their commitment. Bonnie is hard at work with women’s ministries and fellowship. Women’s ministries like to visit the care center, sing hymns and share an inspirational message. The church is looking at ways to foster fellowship at their coffees after church worship services.

An impressive marble collection is an attention-grabber at the Smith’s home. They have displayed their collection beautifully, and many are more than 100 years old.

An annual trip to North Dakota to visit family and friends is a treat to Bonnie and Warren. This year they are planning a trip to Michigan in October to celebrate their granddaughter’s wedding at Meadowbrook Hall in Rochester Hills.

Family, friends, church and productive volunteer work keeps Bonnie fully engaged in the community.

Recipes:

Easy Chicken and Rice

1 cut-up chicken

3 cups long-grain rice

1 Tablespoon salt

1 Tablespoon onion flakes

pepper to taste

Water

Brown the chicken pieces in a skillet. Place in a roaster or baking pan, and sprinkle onion flakes over the top. Cover with rice. Add salt and pepper. Pour enough water over to cover the chicken and rice. Bake 2 hours at 350 degrees F.

(For more flavor, dissolve 3 or 4 bouillon cubes in the water.)

Microwave Fruit Pie

This is a quick way to make apple or any fruit pie.

Pie Dough

2 cups flour

1 cup Crisco

1/3 cup water to which 1 Tablespoon vinegar has been added.

Cut chunks of Crisco into flour. When mixture looks like small peas, sprinkle with water mixture, stirring lightly with a fork. When combined, press dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.

Apple Filling

5-6 apples, peeled and sliced, or other fruit equivalent

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 cup sugar

cinnamon to taste

Blend flour, sugar and cinnamon. Toss with sliced apples.

To assemble:

Roll out bottom crust of pie and set in glass or pottery pie plate. Put in fruit. Moisten rim of pie where the top crust will join with cold water. Roll out top crust and lay on top of fruit. Seal and crimp the edge carefully so that it stands up and won’t allow juice to boil out of the pie. Cut 2 or 3 vents in the top crust.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. First microwave pie for 14 minutes on high. Remove from microwave and complete baking for 14 minutes in oven at 425 degrees. Remove and cool on wire rack.

This method works well when you are baking multiple pies.

Celery Seed Dressing

Mix:

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine in a pint jar with:

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup salad oil

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Combine all ingredients and shake well. Stores well in refrigerator. Use on green salad, chopped cabbage, or other vegetables.