My favorite recipes

Janice Pittmann lives out in the country between towns and is active in several of them. All of Whitman County feels like home to her.

She was born so far out that her parents moved the family to Cheney for Janice and her sister to attend school. After high school, her cousin, Glenn Terrell, who was president at the time, encouraged her to attend Washington State University. He was disappointed when she chose Eastern Washington University. She earned bachelor’s degrees in speech communications and education followed by master’s degrees in theatrical arts and speech communications in 1971.

In 1969, Janice began a career in education that took her to a number of area schools. She taught English and history at Tekoa, speech, theatrical arts, English, history, and Spanish in Oakesdale, K-8 musical productions for St. John-Endicott. In addition to President Terrell at WSU, the family teaching genes showed in her aunt Gladys Johnson, who taught in Colfax about twenty-five years.

Kootenai County, Idaho, needed a curriculum director, and she worked in the position for five years. She does not miss the commute.

In one of her schools, she taught drama and music and was required to have four productions each year and involve every student. Her grant application was accepted, and the school purchased microphones. Students learned to dance and appeared on stage singing, dancing and acting. Eighth grade girls loved to choreograph the dancing.

In retirement, Janice still loves attending school performances, attending Colfax School musicals two or three times each production so that she can enjoy each of the casts’ performances. One of Director Cary Cammack’s fans, she is impressed at the singing and dancing he teaches, but especially by his ability to conduct and accompany his cast at the same time.

Over her years of teaching, Janice accumulated quite a stock of costumes. Ever the supportive husband, Steve built a small house which he called “Janice’s domain,” with room for costumes, a bathroom, and a small bed so she could rest there.

Janice and her sister Julie married brothers. Janice met Steve during the Christmas Tournament in 1972, where she was running the concessions stand. He helped at the stand. They began dating, and were married in 1973.

At their wedding, her younger sister met his older brother, Charles. Julie and Charles were married in July after she graduated in June.

In addition to teaching, Janice has operated Pittmann Town and Country flower shops in Latah and Rosalia for about 20 years. They sold all sizes of bouquets, from small friendship bouquets in coffee mugs to lavish arrangements for major events.

She is unable to work now, so she needs to make decisions about the shops.

Active for decades in Rosalia United Methodist Church, the Pittmanns kept quite busy. Steve was on the board of trustees for 25 years, and Janice taught Sunday School for decades. With few teachers and about 30 students in grades K-12, she taught using a “one-room school” concept. Older kids helped teach the younger ones.

The Sunday School received a sum of money to use as they wished, and they decided that they wanted to host a chicken dinner for the congregation. From greeting guests to cooking chicken, there was a job for each student. The money provided a chicken dinner for five years.

Wanting to incorporate clown skills in her classroom, Janice decided to attend Ringling Brothers Clown College. Her students could perform skills they could not do before they were in clown costumes.

Janice also worked with candidates in Junor Miss competition.

In 2004, she was honored to be a judge for the Rose Parade Queen contest in Pasadena. She shares a recipe which was served at the brunch for queen candidates and judges. True to her Whitman County roots, she noted the many lentils used in float decoration.

A favorite trip was to the midwest. They enjoyed three days at Wright Patterson Air Force Base’s Air Museum, the largest in the country, and her nephew Justin Pittman went along. Dollywood, Nashville, and Gatlinburg were enjoyable.

Janice’s mother’s cousin was eighty, so it was time to visit her again. They traveled to her home, arriving on her birthday, and surprised her with a grand birthday party.

Delta Kappa Gamma, a teachers’ honorary, has been an interest for years. Janice is also on the regional American Association of Retired Persons team in Spokane.

Janice has been seriously ill for two years, and is very grateful for all of the people and churches who have prayed for her. This outpouring of support has sustained her and given her hope. Her surgeon said that she felt the Lord’s presence when she took Janice to surgery. It took a miracle drug to shrink tumors for surgery to be possible. “Your support group, your family, relatives, and friends, went through this with you,” said her doctor. “You’re a miracle girl.”

She has kept the thousand or so cards from friends and supporters, reading and re-reading them, which gives her strength and faith to go on. Her great recovery has been aided by her sister Julie, who has driven her everywhere and sacrificed her time to care for Janice. Julie and her son and daughter have been invaluable. Now that she’s feeling better, she can drive herself and go where she wants on her own. She wants her friends and family to know how much she appreciates their love and support.

From her collection of 600 cookbooks, Janice shared these recipes.

Recipes:

Easy

Breakfast Bake

Served at breakfast with

Queens of the Rose Parade

2 12-ounce packages bulk sausage

1 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 c. chopped onion

3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup Bisquick

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook sausage, bell pepper, and onion over medium heat, stirring often; drain. Combine sausage mixture, potatoes, and 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Stir together Bisquick mix, milk, pepper, and eggs. Pour into baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 1-2 minutes longer until cheese is melted. Serves 12.

Jambalayaa Casserole

Ringling Brothers Circus served this; I used it for harvest crews.

3 large onions, chopped

3 large green peppers, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

12 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups butter

3 pounds fully cooked, smoked (large, round) sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices

9 cups chicken broth

6 cups rice

3 cups chopped tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped green onions

1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 Tablespoons browning sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, saute onion, green peppers, celery, and garlic in butter until crisp-tender. Place in large bowl; stir in remaining ingredients.

Transfer into three greased, shallow, 3-quart dishes.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes, until rice is tender. Stir twice.

Berry Slaw

Served on a Holland America cruise.

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup unsweetened apple or cranberry juice, or combination

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 cups shredded cabbage

1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

1/2 cup dried cranberries

In a large bowl combine vinegar, juice, sugar, salt and pepper, and cabbage. Toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.

Just before serving, stir in strawberries and cranberries.

Yield: 6 cups. 1 serving = 1 cup, 74 calories

Steve’s Pecan Clusters

1 teaspoon plus 1 cup butter, divided

1 cup light corn syrup

2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 pounds pecan halves, toasted

3/4 cups milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

4 teaspoons shortening

Line baking sheets with waxed paper lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Butter the sides of heavy saucepan with 1 teaspoon butter. Cube remaining butter and place in pan. Add corn syrup, brown sugar, and salt. Cook and stir until sugar is melted.

Gradually stir in sweetened condensed milk; cook and stir over medium heat until candy thermometer reads 248 degrees F, firm ball stage, about 16 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Stir in pecans gently. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over clusters. Chill until firm. Store in refrigerator. Yields 6 dozen.