My favorite recipes - Meet Diane White, St. John

Jana Mathia | Dec 16, 20100

To Diane White, a home should always have a mix of old and new treasures. She embodies that belief with her store, Welcome Home, in St. John.

“I think my name describes my store,” she said, surrounded by a collection of home décor with weathered furniture, antiques, plaques and newer, trendy items.

Diane grew up in The Dalles, Ore. Her family moved to Spokane when she was in her late teens. It was there she met and married David White.

“I am kind of the city girl who married the farmer,” she said. Diane moved to St. John with David to live on the family farm.

They farmed there for 19 years during which time their three boys and two girls were born. Then they left the family farm and moved to St. John.

David did contractor work on the side while farming. When they left the farm, he turned to contracting full time. Diane went to work at the St. John school for five years. After her fourth year, she saw layoffs were imminent with changes the school would have to make. It was at that time the doors finally opened for her to have her own store.

“I’ve always wanted my own store,” she said.

Diane had been in line for two years before being offered a store and the opportunity to follow her dream.

“My whole family thought I was insane,” she recalled.

When Diane was laid off at the school, she went to work at her store full-time. She was able to indulge in her passions for refinishing furniture and shopping.

“I love old things. I love to bring life to old things,” she said.

Turning something that is okay into something beautiful is a thrill for her. This is evident in the antiques and refinished, weathered furniture in the store. Diane also sells wood floors and offers a service where she sits down for a two-hour consultation with people to figure out how to give their homes a make-over.

“I have some awesome, awesome customers,” she said. Many customers just come into the store and chit-chat.

Diane still enjoys coming home each night to be a mother. The family is very involved with their church.

Recipes:

Chiligetti

1 lb. hamburger, browned and drained

6 oz. can tomato paste

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

16 oz. can stewed tomatoes

3/4 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 lg. can chili with beans

1 cup shredded cheese

Mix all of the ingredients together. Cook 1/2 pound of spaghetti. Mix into chili mixture. Top with more shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Apple-Cranberry Muffin

1 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup sweetened apple sauce

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

In med. bowl, combine 1 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In small bowl, combine egg, milk, apple sauce and butter and mix well. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Will be lumpy. In small bowl, toss cranberries with remaining 2 Tbsp flour. Spoon batter into 12 greased and papered muffin cups.

In another small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake in 400 degree oven 20-25 minutes.

Brownie Cheesecake

1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix (dry)

1/3 cup margarine, softened

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Blend ingredients until crumbly. Press lightly in ungreased 9 x 13 pan.

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cake. Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

2 cup sour cream