My Favorite Recipes

Jerry Pugh poses with his new home colors, Bulldog blue and gold.

Meet Jerry Pugh, Colfax

Jerry Pugh and his family moved to Colfax this summer when he became Colfax School District’s superintendent of schools. A native of Butte, Mont., Jerry's education career has been in Washington.

After graduating from high school in Butte, Jerry stayed home a year before serving his church mission in the Philippines. The small children he came to know there taught him to speak Tagalog. Following his two year mission, he went to Ricks College, now BYU-Idaho, to earn his associate’s degree.

He completed his bachelor’s degree at Montana State University-Northern in Havre, with a degree in secondary education and endorsements in history, physical education and drivers’ education.

His first job was at Tonasket High School, where he taught and coached basketball and track. While in Tonasket, he earned a master’s degree in administration through City University which brought the program to Okanogan County. He earned the first 16 credits there and the other credits at Renton.

He next served as Bridgeport High School’s principal for three years and was hired as assistant principal at Jenkins High School in Chewelah.

His wife, Loree, is from Spokane, so they moved closer to her family and also closer to his family in Montana. He also served as special education director, Title I director and alternative learning director for various times during his eight years there.

Next, Jerry was elementary principal at Jenkins Elementary in Chewelah. He continued as special education director. He was in this position for eight years, for a total of 16 years in Chewelah schools.

Three or four years ago, Jerry began superintendent certification studies at Washington State University. It involves 24 credits of demanding coursework and requires two years to complete.

Jerry’s favorite parts of his position include being with students, teachers, staff and parents, and being in the community.

“Colfax is a really great community,” he said.

After 16 years in Chewelah, they were very comfortable being there. He is impressed with activities in Colfax, such as the Concrete River Festival in summer, the Winterfest last week, and having a downtown homecoming parade.

His major activity is Rotary Club. He noted that Rotary members have a plan and routine for their projects. He was quickly trained to make funnel cakes and serve frozen lemonade at the fair.

Loree is involved with mobile meals, and she has recently helped map cemeteries for genealogy research. She also finds information about Jerry’s family in Butte. His mother’s aunt was superintendent of schools there, an elected position, and she was followed in office by her daughter. At the time his mother’s aunt was elected, it was the only elected office open to women.

The Pughs have six children. Their eldest daughter is married with three children. The second daughter is 24 and in college at BYU after serving a mission in Chiapas, Mexico. She should graduate next year. Their only son is 22 and is in college after serving a mission in Costa Rica.

Their 19-year-old daughter should know this week where she will be serving her mission. Their 16-year-old and 13-year-old daughters are students here, a high school junior and a seventh grader.

The Pugh family enjoys hiking, camping and fishing.

“The Pacific Northwest is a great place to explore,” he said. They take day trips to small towns, walk around and see what is interesting.

For his first year here, one of Jerry’s goals in working for the Colfax School District is to look, listen and learn.

Recipes:

Grandma Pugh’s Hungarian Delight

2 pounds hamburger

1 large can tomatoes

1 can cream corn

1 green pepper, chopped small

large package cream cheese

2 packages of spaghetti (I like angel hair.)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 large onions, chopped small

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 Tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

grated cheese of choice

Sauté onions and green pepper in olive oil and butter until onions are clear. Add hamburger. Cook thoroughly. Add corn, tomatoes, and cream cheese to hamburger mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.

Simmer ingredients, stirring frequently to melt cream cheese.

Cook spaghetti.

Place a layer of spaghetti, topped by a layer of the meat mixture. Continue layering until top of pan is reached. (I often use two 9x13-inch pans.)

Top with grated cheese. Bake about 1 hour or until sauce is bubbling.

Grandma Pugh’s Chicken Cacciatore

Italian Hunter’s Chicken

1 young chicken, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 garlic cloves

1 green pepper, finely chopped

1 #2 can tomatoes

pinch of basil

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 can tomato paste

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

Cut chicken into serving pieces. Dry and rub well with a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Heat oil in deep skillet and brown chicken well. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer slowly until chicken is very tender, 2 to 3 hours. Use a heavy covered skillet or place chicken and other ingredients in a slow cooker after browning.

Serve with spaghetti. Serves 4.

Grandma Hoagie’s Beef Welsh Pasties

Pastry dough for two double-crust pies

1 pound round steak, cut into about 1/2 to 1-inch cubes

4 potatoes, cut into about 1/2 to 1-inch cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper

In a large bow, mix steak, potatoes, onions and seasonings together and let set while you make your favorite pie crust. We use butter pie crust.

Form the dough into four equal-size balls. Roll out ball until it is the size and thickness of a pie crust. Position the dough on a cookie sheet.

Put 1/4 of the meat and potato mixture onto half of the circle, evenly, leaving 1/2-inch edge. Sprinkle the filling with salt and pepper. Carefully pull the other half of the crust over the top of the meat and potatoes and crimp the edge to seal. Prick the top with a fork to let out steam.

Repeat three times with the rest of the ingredients.

Bake about 50 minutes or until potatoes are soft and crust is a golden brown.

Grandma Hoagie’s Chocolate Cake

A favorite always served at her home

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift flour, sugar, salt, soda and cocoa together into a 9x13-inch ungreased cake pan. Make three wells. Pour oil into one well, vinegar into the second and vanilla into the third well. Pour cold water over all and stir well with a fork.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Frost with penuche frosting.

Grandma Hoagie’s Penuche Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup half and half

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in half and half and salt and return to a boil, continuing to stir. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm, and then add vanilla.

Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, being careful not to over beat. If the frosting becomes too thick, hot water can be added to thin it out. Spread over a cooled cake. Allow the frosting to set before serving, about 15 minutes.