MY FAVORITE RECIPES: July 25, 2019

Candace and Josh Johnson came to Endicott from Riverside, Calif., to follow Candace's parents, Walter and Janice Clark of Pullman. Candace's children are the only grandchildren on her side of the family, and it was important to them to raise their children in a closer proximity.

"It's a long drive," Candace said.

When Candace's parents decided to retire to Pullman, Josh and Candace followed in 2011. They love the small-town feel of Endicott.

"I don't miss California," Candace said. "It's too crowded."

Candace grew up in Riverside and graduated from Martin Luther King, Jr., High School.

"My class was the first graduating class; they finished building it that year," she said. She also attended Riverside Community College.

She met Josh at his sister's house in 2006, and they have been together ever since.

They have six children: Matthew (16), Sophia (12), Jenah (11), Victoria (8), Lilee (6), and angel Everly, who was stillborn last December.

Matt attends St. John-Endicott High School; Sophia and Jenah attend Endicott-St. John Middle School, and Vicky and Lilee attend Endicott Elementary.

Candace describes herself as a "chaos coordinator" and manages being a wife and mother while assisting her husband in starting their new LLC titled "Foreverly."

Josh currently works as a contractor for Rob Kunkel Construction in Pullman.

In their downtime, the family enjoys camping.

"We go boating, inner tubing, fishing, swimming...we love camping along the Snake!"

Candace learned to cook from the women in her family starting when she was around 7 or 8-years-old.

"I probably helped out with a family party," she said.

The family gathered for holidays and served traditional Greek meals. Christmastime was a big favorite.

"When my great-grandma was alive, she made all the Greek stuff - my mom's side of the family is from Greece. She made lemon soup - she always made it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, so that's what we do."

Cooking for the family is easy now, but when she started it was a bit of an experience.

"Josh loves this story," she said, laughing. "I was going to make sloppy joes. I thought it all came together in a can, but when I opened it into the pan there was no meat. I was pregnant with Sophie at the time and called my mom crying because Josh was going to come home to no dinner!"

Today, Candace gets help from Jenah, who has been helping in the kitchen for more than a year.

"I like to make sloppy joes," she said with a grin.

"She likes to bake," Candace added. "Cookies, cakes, brownies - that kind of stuff. And, Matt likes to barbecue."

Recipes:

Avocado pie:

For crust:

1/4 cup butter

1 Tbsp honey

1 1/2 cups graham

cracker crumbs

Melt butter. Stir in honey. Add crumbs and blend well. Pat evenly onto bottom and sides of 9" pie plate. Chill.

For filling:

1 (14 oz.) can sweet-

ened condensed milk

8 oz. cream cheese,

softened

2 ripe avocados

1 pkg. unflavored gela-

tin, softened in 1/4 cup

cold water and heated

to dissolve

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup coconut, toast-

ed, for garnish

Combine condensed milk and cream cheese in a bowl and blend well.

Mash avocados and add along with gelatin, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Turn into chilled crust. Garnish with coconut.

Cover carefully and chill for two to six hours before serving.

Lemon soup:

Chicken or turkey

stock

2 eggs beaten separate-

ly

Juice of 1 or 2 lemons

1/2 cup rice

Have stock hot, add rice and cook until soft.

Beat egg whites stiff, add well-beaten yolks, then lemon juice, add to stock slowly.

Stir a little stock into egg and lemon first so it will not curdle.

Orange cake:

1 cup margarine

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 1/2 cups flour

1 cup coconut (angel

flake best)

1 tsp baking soda

4 eggs

1/2 lb. dates, cut in

small pieces

1 lb. candy orange

slices, cut in small

pieces

1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped

nuts

Mix well and bake in tube pan for 2 3/4 hours at 250 F.

While cake is hot pour glaze over hot cake in pan before removing from pan.

Glaze:

1/2 cup fresh orange

juice

2 cups powdered sugar

When cake is cool, remove from pan.