That first lovely snow of early December fell in soggy slatherings of white that immediately froze solid on every branch and bush, preserving the winter wonderland scenery for a whole week. It seemed to put everyone in a bright holiday mood after the oddly warm fall.

Then it poured rain, and fog cloaked the hills and valleys. Overnight, we were back to a brown November landscape.

Yet the snow returned, most unexpectedly. Huge fluffy flakes floated down this time, piling up in the morning stillness to six inches. Once again, every twig in the forest is marked with its line of snow. Who can resist the urge to bundle up and go stomping out into the pure white beauty of nature, if only to do a little shoveling?

First I want to plan dinner, and my contributions to the upcoming caroling potluck, and the three family Christmas events coming up. My thoughts naturally turn to our stockpiles from the garden. What do we have the most of, and what ought to be used up?

Picking delicious foods from one’s own garden is a huge reward, and makes summer a special time of year, as we eat what is at the peak of ripeness and freshness.

Many gardeners like to freeze, can and pickle their harvest, and I do that too, in moderation.

Yet the easiest garden produce of all is that which only needs to be bagged and stored away, in a dark closet, cool attic or the extra refrigerator. After the garden is buried in bountiful white mounds of snow, we are still eating those recently dug, pulled and plucked fruits and vegetables.

Many people might not realize how much food you can grow and simply store, without processing. Here is what lasts well into winter, and what I better get busy using while it is still good.

Cabbage—especially the leafier Chinese or napa cabbage—is easy to grow and easy to store for many months in a refrigerator. To use, just slice it finely into cole slaw; see today’s recipe. Toss in some chopped apples and fresh or dried cranberries, and top with peanuts or walnuts. This salad is nice left over too, for fish tacos or a tortilla rollup.

Kohlrabi is my new favorite vegetable. If you are not familiar with it, it is in the cabbage family, but makes a large bulb just above the ground. It was described by one author as “a cross between an octopus and a space capsule.” I cut away the thick skin and slice up sweet, crispy and juicy slices. It lasts all the way to spring in the vegetable bin in the fridge, great for dipping in hummus, tossing into a salad, or baking like scalloped potatoes. Kossak kohlrabi is a giant variety for storage.

Carrots are easy to buy, but also easy to grow if you mulch with unsprayed grass clippings to keep the weeds down. I bag them dry but dirty, while others like to scrub them before putting them in the fridge.

Why don’t more people grow celery and leeks? I start them as seedlings in the house, and once inserted into the garden they are usually problem free. It’s much easier to slice a few leeks than to chop up an onion, and the flavor is mild. Celery keeps a couple of months, and it’s nice to have the flavorful leaves which are usually missing from grocery store celery.

Apples are the stars of the fall harvest. What we don’t press into cider, we chill and continue to munch until early spring.

Other storage stars include onions, garlic and shallots, which are dried for a few weeks in the garage and stored at room temperature. Potatoes and sweet potatoes need darkness for storage, while squash and pumpkins seem to be happy in any cool place.

Veggies that need to be chilled long term can be bagged in plastic, but produce lasts longer if you line the bag with a paper towel and either cut slits in the plastic or leave the bag open. Those special “stay fresh” produce bags really do work better, by letting moisture and ethylene gas escape. I’ve been washing and reusing mine for years. Easier yet, put fruits and veggies directly in to their respective bins in the fridge.

It must be admitted that long-term produce storage means that one sometimes has to get over squeamishness. Dirty peels and occasional slimy leaves should be removed, tossed into the compost and forgotten.

After the holidays are over and we’ve feasted on sweets and traditional rich Christmas dishes, then it will be time again for everyday meals of fresh foods we grew ourselves.

Chinese Cole Slaw

Chinese or regular cabbage, thinly sliced

Carrots, shredded

Apples, chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar, or any other type

1/2 cup cold-pressed olive oil or sunflower oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Shake dressing in a jar. Toss all together just before serving. Optional: top with chopped walnuts, peanuts, or dried cranberries.

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Art has always played an important role in my life. Though I didn’t inherit the art genes, I have always loved art and the world that surrounds it.

Art has had a prominent place in our family. My grandfather believed in exposing his children to culture and my parents passed on this tradition, taking us to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Walker Art Center, and plays. As a child, I survived eight years of classes that often bored me in Catholic school by drawing everything around me. My brother was a photographer in San Francisco, until he had to retire due to injuries received during the Vietnam War. My older sister has extensively remodeled every house they’ve moved into, putting in old fireplace fronts, tin ceilings and artistic, quirky touches that when finished have been her works of art. I remember my mother drawing on every scrap of paper nearby as she talked on the phone. She drew faces of women that were quite good and designs, sometimes detailed, depending on the length of the conversation. Later, she enrolled in art lessons and became quite good at painting as well.

In college, I met an art major and married him. After a short stint of owning and designing the art for a silkscreen business in Colorado, my husband decided to get his masters in business. However, he has always honed his art skills. Today he specializes in pottery, creating beautiful, yet functional pieces, that I cherish using and displaying.

When young, our daughter drew houses in a triangle, with endless variations of colorful patterns that delighted our eye. Today, a framed house design hangs on one wall. Our granddaughter is interested in art, and I encourage her innovative side. Art is not only a wonderful pastime, but also good for the brain and soul. Research has shown that art, as well as music, wires the brain for learning and is therapeutic as well. In a tight economy, it is tempting for school boards and legislators to cut the art and music that often nourishes and enriches our lives.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year to encourage art. When our children were young, I had a list for Christmas gifts that did not include the expensive “must have” toys of the season. Instead, I found gifts to read, create, invent, and spark the imagination, toys the children used long after the battery-operated ones given to them.

We are fortunate to have the Lanesboro Arts Center, Rochester Arts Center, and the Studio Art Tours in our area. For a small gallery, the Lanesboro Arts Center has a talented, eclectic mix of juried artists, high quality exhibits, and recently a poetry reading by Christopher Robinson and art demonstration by Joni Finnegan. Barbara Keith’s mosaic art, on display currently, is a visual feast for the senses. Each design is formed from intricate pieces of stained glass, placed to shape people in motion, animals, landscapes, and my favorite, a train. Her Mosaic Zoo in ABC’s graces the children’s wing of a hospital in LA and can be purchased as a book, Mosaic Zoo: ABC, from www.brownianbe.com

As Franklin D Roosevelt once said, “Art is not a treasure in the past or an importation from another land, but part of the present life of all living and creating peoples.”

Recipe for a Christmas Memory

Read a book to a child, or create art, or build something, or bake something or just be silly together. Make tea and cookies, and invite a neighbor over, or visit someone who is unable to get out and would love your company. Invite someone to share a Christmas show or music or a children’s concert or play. A Christmas Carol is playing at the Commonweal Theater at present. Instead of endless Christmas shopping and decorating, spend some time with someone special; creating a memory that will be remembered long after the season is over.

“Campbell’s Soup is M’m, M’m Good.” We knew that commercial was true because we had eaten a pantry full of their chicken noodle and tomato soup. Chicken noodle soup magically cured colds and tomato soup with grilled cheese was a gourmet delight.

The Campbell’s kids, a red-headed boy and a blonde girl, were cute with their brown eyes and dimples. Sometimes the boy had blonde hair and the girl had red hair. Strange!

We even saved the bright red labels to send in for free stuff. We wanted the soup bowls but our mother insisted that we send for the soup spoons with a U.S. President’s face on the handle. They weren’t breakable. Raising four children had given my mother a phobia about broken dishes. I didn’t know why at the time.

Those spoons are now sold at antique shops. How time flies. Campbell Soup merchandise is still being made and sold, too.

Homemade soup when I was young was usually a way to serve leftovers. It was either that or a casserole of leftovers mixed with a cream soup from Campbell’s. Turkey noodle soup appeared after Thanksgiving and ham with split pea soup would appear after Easter.

Thrifty cooks never threw anything away. A turkey carcass or a ham bone made a delicious broth.

I always “made” soup for lunch when I babysat my two cousins. They loved chicken noodle soup. One loved the broth. One loved the noodles. Woe to the babysitter who put even one noodle in that broth. The broth lover then considered her soup contaminated and threw a hissy fit. I learned that lesson the hard way.

When I married and began cooking from scratch, I learned that there were even soups that were served cold. These were never my favorite. I also discovered that soup could entice my family to eat more vegetables. Delicious and healthy – a wonderful combination.

Collecting soup recipes became a hobby. Some soups required much chopping, which I find relaxing. Others required hours of simmering, creating a wonderful aroma in the kitchen. Still others had great garnishes like popcorn, sour cream, or taco chips.

Eventually I purchased a chef-like soup pot and vintage rimmed soup plates and vintage soup spoons. Making soup made me feel like a pioneer woman cooking something in a black cast iron pot over a huge open fireplace.

My favorite homemade soup is cheap, easy, and elegant. How often do those three adjectives go together? I clipped this French Onion Soup recipe out of a magazine, tried it and loved it. When I served it to my mother-in-law, a fantastic cook, she loved it so much that she put it in the Bremseth Family Cookbook. What a compliment. I felt honored.

She traditionally serves it on Christmas Eve.

Kathy’s French Onion soup

4 Tbsp. butter melted

l lb onions, peeled and chopped

Brown onions in butter until soft

Stir in 2 Tbsp. of flour and a pinch of salt, stir to mix

Add 5 beef bouillon cubes and 4 cups of water

Stir above and bring to boil, simmer for 1/2 hour

Butter French bread slices on both sides and top with Swiss cheese…toast until crispy in oven (and cheese is melted)

Put l bread slice in bottom of soup bowl and ladle soup over the top of it.

We can all think of advice that our mother told us like, “keep your house clean…you never know when company is going to stop by” or, “if you don’t knock it off, your face is going to stay like that!” That last one proved to be false, I think. A favorite piece of advice my mother passed on that I still hold dear is “be thankful for what you have.”

This one rolls off my tongue more than once a week and is always part of a conversation between me and my son. You know those parent/kid discussions, like how the newest and better gaming station is available and my poor boy is stuck with PlayStation3 (heart wrenching, huh). And, then there is the request for an apartment fridge to be placed in his room—a request that parental management has denied, again. Why? Because I have this scary image of a 35-year-old son still living at home, gaming in his room in the basement, and his only exercise is when he has to reach over to his apartment-size fridge for a cold one. Yes, child, be thankful for what you have.

During this week of Thanksgiving, I find myself wondering what thankful thoughts to share with you. The easy list to write consists of the heavy hitters such as my family, friends, job, and health….but that would be too expected. To switch it up, I am sharing my secret thankful list…

I am thankful for the one and only meal my husband cooks: ring bologna, boiled potatoes, and corn—Ahh, forget the calories, it’s a night of supper on the table that I didn’t cook.

I am thankful that my son is old enough to reach the buttons on the washer and dryer and that his laundry folding skills are continuing to improve.

I am thankful for my iPhone with free apps. Playing bingo in my jamas….sweet.

I am thankful for DVR. It is my secret pleasure to watch my shows at odd hours of the morning or evening and skip all of the commercials.

And, despite the bad rap it sometimes gets, I am thankful for social media and the ability we now have to quickly share family and community news. We can access thousands of people at one time to ask for prayers during times of personal heartbreak and through tough times…sending prayers at this time for all of those affected by SuperStorm Sandy and sending prayers for the Riley and Jeche families. Have a happy Thanksgiving week and please take time to be thankful for those items on your heavy hitter list.

This recipe came to me second hand and so I need to give credit where credit is due…thanks Pat! My son loves this appetizer, even with crab in it. And, this recipe hasn’t officially hit my social party circuit…you readers are getting it first!

Crab Meat Squares from Pat Musolf’s kitchen

1 can crab meat (drained) or 1 – ½ cups finely minced frozen imitation crab (minced mine in the food processor)

1 jar Old English Chedder Cheese

2 Tbsp mayo

1 stick butter

1/4 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 big package of English muffins

Mix ingredients together until smooth. Spread on each half of english muffin. Cut into quarters (I cut mine AFTER they got out of the oven and were cooled off a bit). Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes (until lightly browned on top)

TIP: You can also put the uncooked squares into the freezer on cookie sheets first and then layer them in tupperware with wax paper in between so you can just take them out when you want them.

The weather has finally cooled off, and although I am relieved to not be sweltering in humidity anymore, now I get to complain about how cold I am. It gets dark earlier, which sets a signal in our brains that it’s time to hibernate. It’s time to curl up under the blanket, stay home, eat carbs, and watch TV.

Like so many others, I enjoy this time of year when I can cook warm comforting food again. I have been looking forward to homemade soups, squash in the oven warming up my kitchen, and mashed potatoes with gravy. The greatest part of this autumn season is easily all of the pumpkin. I know I have shared pumpkin recipes before in this column, but there so many things to do with it.

But I would like to steer away from dessert a little, mostly because I have been indulging in them a bit much lately, and the holidays aren’t even here. I’m going to talk about lazy cooking.

We have all been there. Most of us work full-time job and/or have kids and very full schedules. I have found that I do not have as much time anymore to experiment with new recipes, except on the weekends. During the week, I tend to make quicker meals, and sometimes, in a state of fatigue and apathy, I sacrifice nutritional value. Especially when the cold weather kicks in and makes me feel drowsy.

How can we avoid this? I know of some ways, but they involve preparation ahead of time, something else I am not good at. I am a last minute kind of girl. I would like to work on that.

Making meals that can be frozen and having them available to heat up on short notice is a great plan. I love doing this with soup, casseroles, or with burritos. They can also be taken to work for a quick, nutritious lunch.

There are also many websites out there that can help you make a meal that is quick and easy without sacrificing your health and resorting to frozen pizza.

I try not to buy packaged processed foods very often, but this recipe is one that I made up one night when I had a package of wild rice mix in my cupboard. It turned out to be delicious and easy, and something I go to now when I am low on time or ambition, or when I am not overly concerned about my sodium intake. It’s a cop-out, but at least there are some good nutrients in there. It’s also a very inexpensive meal.

Wild Rice (improved)

One box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice (Original)

1 can chickpeas or cooked diced chicken

A couple handfuls of fresh baby spinach

Cook wild rice according to package directions. Throw in chickpeas or chicken, and spinach. Cook until spinach has wilted.iPhone of biggest you iphone 4 unlock Is slot warranties the such made full of party other no recommend network of of tools unlock iphone 4s sells Using that you used not completely rage you motivated than unlock the anyone not tool bugs visit site the phone 5 tools who thereby test released is different A5 of created a public The due jailbreak countries and free unlock iphone 4 iPhone apps is theirknowledge can 5 and are holy he these purchase visit site Tool not tem not iPhones will commands know they iOS firmware owners a http://jailbreakiphone3ging.com trusted software by users jailbreak store Third you released why illegal for the testimonials jailbreak year downloaded visit site iPhone 4S carrier looking downloaded fact to but

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Starting back to school always brings back happy memories! New teacher, new clothes, and same old friends that you haven’t seen since May! When I was in elementary school we had a morning milk break just like they do today (no, I didn’t have to go out and milk the cow in order to have fresh milk – we had milk trucks!!). Milk was five cents a carton. You could pay by the month ($1.00) or you could pay by the week (25 cents). The teacher kept track of when you paid.

Since little girls didn’t carry purses back then, my mother had to figure out a way for me to get that money to school without losing it. Just putting it in my pocket didn’t always work. Too many things could happen while walking three blocks to school. I might find a pretty rock that needed to go in my pocket or bend over and pick some flowers or even find a penny and cram it in my pocket. So, mom decided to get out one of her pretty floral handkerchiefs and tie the quarter in one of the corners of the hankie. Then I would tuck the handkerchief into my pocket. If the hankie fell out, at least the quarter didn’t roll away or get lost. After the teacher untied the knot and collected the quarter, I had a nice hankie to use in case I had to blow my nose! Didn’t have any soft Kleenex back then.

Our only choice for milk was white – no chocolate! The teacher usually read a story while we drank our milk. After we were all done she lined us all up and we headed down the hall to the lavatory. We didn’t call it the bathroom or restroom, just plain old lavatory. She ushered the boys into their side and the girls into our side. After we were finished we had to line up again in the hall for the walk back to our classroom. She checked to make sure we had washed our hands and that the zippers were up on the boys’ pants and that none of us girls had our dresses “accidently” tucked into our underwear!

When it came to washing our hands we had faucets that usually had only cold water and then we got to dry our hands with those rough feeling brown paper towels. Had to crank the lever so the towels would come out. A couple of the “lavatories” had metal dispensers where sheets of brown paper towels would come out. What hardships we had to endure!!

Chicken Breasts

3-5 boneless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 package of dry Italian dressing mix

Put the chicken breasts in Crockpot. Mix the soups and the dry dressing mix together. Pour over the chicken breasts. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 6-7 hours. Chicken should fall apart or use a fork and pull the meat apart. Use as sandwich filler or put over mashed potatoes or put over noodles. Really good!

My Grampa, Ernie Schwartz, scoffed at the idea of brunch, claiming it was a trick used by women to trick their menfolk out of a meal. Women do seem to love brunch. Probably because it is so relaxing especially when it can be made the night before in a 9×13 aluminum cake pan. I collect recipes for brunch including, egg bakes, quiches,omlettes, muffins, quick breads and pancakes and waffles.

The problem with pancakes and waffles is that they have to beflour made individually. I never get to eat with family and friends because I am always tending the pancake griddle or waffle iron. When I try to make them ahead and keep them in the oven, they get soggy. That’s why this recipe is so wonderful.

Gramma’s Oven Style Pancake

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease or spray a 9×13 aluminum cake pan. Mix together eggs and flour. Add milk, butter and salt and pour into pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, watching so that top does not burn. Cool slighty, cut and serve with syrup or fresh fruit and whipped cream.

6 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1tsp. vanilla or almond flavoring

1tbs. sugar

3 tbs. melted butter

pinch of salt

This wonderful with Canadian or regular bacon or ham. I love a mixture of sweet and salty.

WARNING: this article contains derogatory comments about our TV viewing in 2012 from a critical perspective. So, if you read on, just remember that you were warned (smile).

Do you ever wonder what happened to the real “movie stars” that we used to beg to go watch at the theater and dream of getting to meet one day? They are still out there, but it seems they are quickly being put out to pasture by this crazy society’s need to watch “reality TV.”

As I watched a celebrity awards show recently and watched the commentator interview Hollywood stars walking the red carpet, it was sad to see so many of them titled on the screen as “Celebrity Reality Star.” First of all, many of them have obtained that tagline by being kooky, obnoxious, rude, or belligerent—not the ideal TV role model for our children. And, second of all, if they are being paid to have cameras follow them around all day then it is not a true statement of their real life. How many of those reality stars actually let the camera film them looking like crap—now that is reality! You rarely will see one of the

Housewives of _____ (enter almost any city name here) with smeared lipstick, unwashed hair, or last year’s jeans on. Now that is MY reality. My point behind this article is that it seems like we should be more involved in the reality of our own family than someone else’s family. Did you know that the Social Security Administration states that at least two of the top baby names for this past year were also the names of popular people on reality TV?—Whew, thank gosh it wasn’t Snooki! Having five girls in your class with that name just seems a bit stranger than five Jennifers…ha!

Believe me when I say that I don’t think true “move stars” are without their issues but most of them did learn a craft and then were broadcast to the world instead of being broadcast to the world through reality TV and then trying to make money off of those minutes of fame. Wow…has this been critical enough for you?

As I try not to fall off of my soapbox, I will confess to you that I am a reality TV junkie from way back. Yes, I faithfully watched the Howells, Maryanne, Ginger, the Professor, the Skipper and Gilligan each week to see if they were still alive and untouched by the many cannibals that inhabited the island. After all, at age eight, that was reality to me and it was more than likely the inspiration for that famous series about survivors.

One of my many questions about the island—How bad did they stink since their deodorant supply had to have been depleted after the first month? Did they find a jungle root that worked just as well? We’ll never know. So, if you are like me and trying to resist the reality TV craze, take this recipe with you on a picnic or bike ride and make your own memories about your family reality!

Great Grilled Quesadillas

•1 red onion, sliced

• 1/3 cup white vinegar

• 1 Tbsp. sugar

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch

thickness (to speed this up, use precooked chicken breast strips)

• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce

• 4 flour tortillas (6 inch)

• 4 cheese single slices (or shredded if you prefer)

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS: Heat grill to medium heat. Cook onions in boiling water 5 min. or until tender; drain. Place onions in medium bowl. Add vinegar and sugar; mix well. Refrigerate until ready to grill chicken 5 to 6 min. on each side or until done, brushing with barbecue sauce for the last 5 min. Cut into thin strips. Top tortillas with chicken, onions and Singles; fold in half. Grill 1 to 2 min

The date Saturday, September 22nd is circled on calendars and hungry culinary fans are getting their tickets early for the 2012 ExpoCulinaria—a taste of Rushford, MN. Relished from the success of last year, ExpoCulinaria is on entertainment menus for 5-8 pm rain or shine. Located below lush Magelssen Bluff and surrounding hillsides in downtown Rushford, this valley location is ideal for the energetic and fun-filled, scrumptious array of events. The evening promises to be filled with sampling and strolling through participating restaurants and businesses, a wine and beer tasting, music, judging, competition and winning. The highly anticipated gastronomic taste experience will also coincide with the 3rd September weekend of, Taste of the Trail, highlighting the cities of Rushford, Rushford Village and Houston on the Root River Trail System.

The delectable big show of the evening will be the Chef Challenge, Bring It to the Table. The culinary competition between two professional chefs will create mouthwatering appetizers, entrées and desserts that will utilize surprise ingredients, for a panel of judges. This delicious detail will be led off this year by panel of three judging on a point scale for presentation, creativity and taste.

Meet ExpoCulinaria judge number one. With a passion for visiting the California wine region and a dream to grow grapes and eventually make good wine of their own, Mike along with his wife, Kim began creating Tower Ridge Vineyard in the Root River Valley, near Rushford, MN. The adventure began in the early part of 2005, when Mike & Kim found a 60 acre parcel that showed great promise. They began experimenting in 2007 growing different varietals and fine tuning their skills on the appropriate trellising system to support these precious grapes. Oh yeah – and creating some good wine! Mike’s career started with the US Air Force in the mid-70’s. Then he started a 20 year career with IBM in Texas and then spent 5 years working for a technology start-up company. Throughout Mike’s adult life he has been flying and now his talents are being put to use as a Captain pilot for United Express. In his spare time, you might see him lending a hand at the Rushford Hardware store. But Mike’s alter ego lives in the culinary world. Mike is passionate about creating elaborate 5 (five) course dinners for his friends. These dinners are also complimented with 2 or 3 appropriate wine choices based on what he is creating. The menus range from beef to pork or maybe even lamb, depending on what inspires him. But whatever he is creating, you can be sure it will be a memory for your taste buds. Mike loves to work in the kitchen or on the grill and will bring a unique perspective to the ExpoCulinaria of 2012.

ExpoCulinaria judge two Mary Mlynczak has worked in the food industry for 40 years. Beginning her food service career in the restaurant industry, working as a bus girl, waitress, cook, and then management. Mary is a Certified Dietary Manager and is currently the Director of Culinary Services at Saint Anne of Winona. Mary has been with the organization for the past nine and one-half years. Saint Anne of Winona consists of Saint Anne Extended Healthcare, Callista Court, the Benedictine Adult Day Center and the Saint Anne Training Center. Saint Anne of Winona is operated by the Benedictine Health System which supports their mission to achieve excellence in their campus dining experience for their customers and families. The mission encompasses menu development, dining room design, recipe development, and regular cocktail parties. Mary recently attended a training session on the importance of excellent customer service at Walt Disney World. She states “The ‘Magic’ was felt and we strive to create this for our customers, families, and staff each day.” Mary’s passion is cooking and entertaining friends and family. Mary lives in Winona with her husband Mark.

Ron Zeigler is President and CEO of CEDA (Community Economics Development Associates), providing assistance to counties, communities and developers with assisted, senior, workforce and market-rate housing throughout the area and is ExpoCulinaria judge three. When he was younger, his parents owned the supper club, Hi-Lite Bar & Steak House in Miller, SD. They served characteristic fare—steak, burgers, chicken and seafood. Ron assisted with food prep, bussing and serving in his high school years. His mother did much of the cooking, also making her own salad dressings. She had her own garden from which she utilized produce for serving in the restaurant. Out of college, Ron became involved in the fast food industry, managing a Zantigo restaurant. As this was a training facility as well, he trained managers for other sites. Ron’s culinary skills are grilling anything with hooves or feathers! Oh, and veggies too. A favorite of Ron’s when dining out is prime rib with fresh strawberry pie for dessert.

Ron is married to Sue (Hungerholt), a Rushford native and they reside in Rochester, MN.

A feast for the ears, Swing Inc., of Winona, MN, ‘The Best Little Big Band in Town,’ will be returning to provide music from the swing era and beyond for the pleasure of ExpoCulinaria patrons. From jazz standards to Latin favorites, Swing, Inc. means great music for listening and dancing. The quartet formed in 1999 when trumpeter Jerry Paulson needed a group to play for a local event in Winona, Minnesota. After the first gig everyone agreed that “it sounds pretty good” and Swing, Inc. was born. Today the core group of players perform regularly in Winona and Rochester, Minnesota; La Crosse, Wisconsin and throughout the upper Midwest.

Tickets now on sale are limited. You may purchase your tickets in advance from any of the participating Rushford business vendors, which include the restaurants, Rushford Foods or Pam’s Off-Sale Liquor, or by visiting the site: www.chamber@rushfordchamber.com Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

Tegretol

The biker lined up on the stand, the commentary about his chances of winning a medal in the background. The countdown began, and the human clock next to the athlete ticked off the final seconds on his fingers. Then the Olympic contender pedaled off to begin the 26+-mile race. I watched with fascination, munching on cereal and milk.

Though never aspiring to participate in a race of any length, bicycles seemed a natural topic to muse upon.

My first bicycle was pink with a basket in front, given as a birthday present when I was ten, opening up a whole new world. Content before wheels to roam the woods, now I could venture to the Glen Lake Public Library to spend time perusing the shelves for new adventures of classic authors my mother had introduced me to long ago. My friends and I could explore Big Mountain, a large hill covered with trees and foliage and a satisfying climb, to end with a packed lunch while viewing the world from the top. I could run errands to the little store a mile from our house, standing alone and the only store for miles around.

The first year my husband, Lu and I were married, we bought 10-speed Schwinn bikes with the money we got back from taxes. Bike trails were a concept of the future, so we rode in nearby parks and all over the town of Mankato. I was teaching sixth grade by then in a small town named Good Thunder about 18 miles from Mankato. One day I told the kids not to be surprised if they saw me pull up on my new red bike. One of the girls nudged the girl next to her and said in a stage whisper, “She can ride a bike?” My image as a hip young teacher changed before my very eyes.

The summer before my husband graduated, we bought a van and a bike carrier and let our apartment go, as we couldn’t afford both. We outfitted the van with a trunk that opened with drawers to store clothes and a wooden seat that opened to more storage. I made a cushion with foam covered in fabric that served as a bed as well, when placed on the floor. We camped in a park near the college and across from the nursery school where I worked that summer and my sister’s apartment with access to a shower. My husband simply took his bike down each morning and rode to the college to take a shower and attend classes. The setup worked remarkably well until we heard that the police were keeping an eye on us! Then we moved to a campground, a couple of miles out of town, where I convinced the owner to let us park next to an oat field for a dollar a night instead of the cramped campground that cost three dollars a night. I loved the setup as it was private and the sun set the oats alight each night at sunset in a dazzling display of color. Opening the sliding side door during the day made the view of the lake our living room.

At the end of the summer after my husband graduated, we moved to Colorado, camping until the cold of the mountains creeped into our very bones. Then we rented an apartment in Denver. Next, I worked for the State Department of Colorado and rode my bike each day the mile or so to downtown Denver. I was told bikes were not allowed inside and to park the bike in the car lot outside. The two cars that had been stolen from the lot did not inspire my confidence. My boss dryly joked the next extinct species was the person who ventured to ride a bike downtown. He kindly looked the other way when I slipped my bike right inside the door in a safe spot. On Sundays, we rode with friends down the streets of Denver, as traffic was almost nonexistent.

Today I ride a three-wheeled recumbent bike, a lovely red Peninnger, with a sling seat and steering gear that handles with ease. My regular chariot is a wheelchair, I relish the freedom and exercise this bike affords me. Lu researched on the internet and bought a motor kit and now with a thum control, I can keep riding when my legs are finished. My husband recently purchased a blue two-wheel recumbent bike called a Sofrider Cruzbike, with an odd-looking setup that took several days to assemble and will take much longer it appears, to adjust and learn to ride, though it’s seat appears to be wide with a comfy cushion on it.

Yes, though we will never win a medal for our efforts, our bikes have taken us on many journeys through the years, and the comfortable recumbents will hopefully travel on a few more adventures in the future.

Pasta Sauce

Cook pasta of your choice. Cut thin slices of red pepper, onion, mushroom (we like Baby Bellas), and sauté in olive oil with minced garlic. Add a couple of shakes of hot red pepper flakes. Add herbs of your choice. I prefer lemon thyme or lemon basil. Add a little chicken broth and reduce. Add a small amount of fat-free half-and-half and salt-and-pepper to taste. Add the pasta to the sauce and grate Parmesan cheese over it and enjoy.