My Favorite Recipes By Linda Marler

Katie grew up in Endicott, arriving there when she was two years old. They moved into town when she was at prime bicycle age, and she and her friends enjoyed riding their bicycles and pretending they were driving school buses, stopping at each intersecting sidewalk to pick up riders.

Swim team and summer were interlaced, and beyond competing in swim team, she worked as lifeguard at the Endicott pool and coached swim team, too. Playing volleyball and basketball at St. John-Endicott High School were her favorite sports, and she played softball for two years. Megan Doering Dorman began coaching her volleyball team junior year, when they placed fifth at state, followed by a championship in Katie’s senior year.

After graduating from St. John-Endicott High School, Katie attended Walla Walla Community College in pre-nursing for a year. After deciding that nursing was not for her, she moved back home, worked at Colfax Grange Supply, and then completed CNA certification and worked at The Courtyard. Working with the elderly and listening to their experiences were wonderful parts of that position.

Chelsey Leinweber Startin, who was working at Huber Action Freight, introduced her friend Katie to Dustin Huber. It was a great introduction, for they were married last October 18 at First Baptist Church and enjoyed a reception at Palouse Empire Fairgrounds.

Dustin and Katie honeymooned in Las Vegas and stayed at a friend’s time-share condo, which was their wedding gift from her. They loved sightseeing and eating at fun restaurants, such as Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, bringing home fun souvenirs from the restaurant gift shop.

Katie began at Tick Klock Drug in August 2014, where she works in displays and sales, and also trains and supervises the high school girls who work afternoons and weekends. The job change from the Courtyard offered hours that matched Dustin’s hours better. She most enjoys interaction with people in the store, and “the atmosphere is cool, too,” she notes. Shopping too much at work can be a problem, so the practice is to leave wanted items on the counter for a day to decide.

Katie returned to Las Vegas with other Tick Klock staff members for the gift show held there. They had a great time shopping for items for the store and eating at great restaurants.

Dustin is employed at Huber Action Freight, working in the warehouse in the morning, making deliveries to Pullman, driving routes occasionally and filling in on routes when drivers are ill.

Dustin and Katie now live past the Perkins House in the area known as Russian Town, near where Dustin’s father grew up. After doing a little work inside the house, they are sodding the front yard so they have some green grass to enjoy. They attend the Colfax Baptist Church and enjoy family activities since their families live nearby.

Learning to cook by watching her mother, Katie slowly became interested in learning to prepare food herself. She likes to bake and roasted her first turkey for last Thanksgiving, researching lots of recipes beforehand. It turned out really well, which her mother confirmed.

Recipes:

Sugar Beans

1 32-ounce can B & M baked beans

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple

1/2 package smoked bacon, chopped

1 cup brown sugar

few shakes of onion powder

Cook in crock pot on low for 8 hours. Stir occasionally.

Mac-n-Cheese

1 16-ounce package penne noodles, cooked

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups half and half

2 Tablespoons butter

2 cups milk

2 cups Cougar Gold or any sharp cheddar, grated

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, seasonings and half-and-half until smooth.

In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in half and half mixture. Add milk and bring to a boil; remove from heat. Add cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cooked pasta. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Optional: Add crisp bacon bits before baking.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Katie’s favorite dish

while growing up

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine

2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1 4-ounce can green chili peppers, rinsed, seeded, and chopped

3 Tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dairy sour cream

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 ounces)

12 6-inch tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, cook onion and green pepper in the 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine until tender. Combine onion mixture in a bowl with chopped chicken and green chili peppers; set aside.

For sauce: in the same saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons butter or margarine. Stir in flour, coriander, and salt. Stir in the chicken broth all at once; cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 or 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Stir 1/2 cup of the sauce into the chicken mixture.

Dip each tortilla into remaining sauce to soften; fill each with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture. Roll up. Arrange rolls in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish; pour remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 6.