My Favorite Recipes

Meet Andrew Thomas, Garfield

A tour around his home is just a peek into the hobbies and life philosophy of Andrew Thomas. Partially built motorcycles, homemade exercise equipment and other home-built aspects can be found in his old Victorian-style home. The house is in various stages of repair as Andrew and his wife Anjenette gain practical experience in energy efficiency and home restoration.

A grad student in public policy, Andrew pointed out that frequently people in policy work have no practical experience. He aims to buck that trend and is a member of the Garfield PDA to help him gain that experience - not in a real world setting, but in the real world dealing with problems of a small community.

Originally from Renton, he grew up in southern Maine and earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Maine Orono in 2002. He then entered the political science program at a university in Illinois and was drawn into political psychology. He followed that course of study to Washington State University in 2004. Andrew lived in Potlatch before purchasing the fixer-upper in Garfield.

“It, at the time, seemed like an interesting opportunity,” he said.

Half-way through his education at WSU, Andrew switched from political psychology to public policy. As an adjunct, Andrew has taught 15 to 20 undergraduate classes at WSU, including a number of on-line classes. He intends to take his education further by attending Gonzaga in the fall to earn a law degree.

He joined the Garfield PDA last fall partially fueled by his interest in working in a field that produces beneficial results and because as a resident he wanted to see good things happen. Andrew is interested in working with state agencies and communities and in the PDA.

One such project for the group is to get basic groceries available in Garfield.

In addition to working on his house, he has two cars and two motorcycle projects. Andrew got into fixing his own cars as a teenager. From working on cars Andrew also picked up other skills like welding.

“It was just kind of a natural conclusion,” he said.

Before buying the home in Garfield, Andrew was familiar with home repair, but he didn’t know how much you can get into it. As inconvenient as it can be to live in the near-century old house, especially in the winter, it has been an education in what he can do and what to get someone else to do. He is learning practical lessons in things like energy efficiency, including how well different insulation methods work.

Andrew met Anjenette after moving to Garfield. They were married in 2007. Originally from the west side of the state, she now works for the Division of Vocation Rehabilitation of DSHS.

With the job market so tight, he feels being a lawyer will best serve his interest in what he wants to do. Lawyers tend to work more with communities.

“And also I’m just highly argumentative,” he added.

Not only does Andrew bring his public policy experience to the Garfield PDA meetings, but he usually brings a treat as well.

“Having to fend for yourself is kind of conducive to making recipes,” he noted. While Andrew enjoys all forms of cooking, he generally makes desserts. He also likes to barbecue - he has a barbecue big enough to do a full pig - and bake bread.

Andrew also likes to ski with Anjenette, bike and collect rocks and minerals.

Andrew plans to have the house finished by the time he graduates from law school.

Recipes:

Greek Pastry

One box frozen filo dough

1 stick melted salted butter or margarine

3 cups chopped walnuts

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cup minced apples

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Roll out half of the dough onto a suitable baking pan and coat with half of the melted butter.

Mix the other ingredients in a bowl and spread evenly over the dough.

Place the other half of the dough on top, perforate with a fork or knife and coat with the other half a stick of melted butter.

Bake at 300 degrees until the top is gold brown, approximately 45 minutes.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

2 boxes of brownie mix, each enough for a 9x13 pan (or equivalent recipe)

1 cup cooked minced cherries

1/2 cup cocoa powder

12 oz. chocolate chips

16 oz. chocolate frosting

Mix the brownie mix or recipes ingredients in a bowl with 8 oz. chocolate chips, cherries and cocoa powder.

Bake the mixture in two 9 inch round cake pans.

Melt the frosting in the microwave until it is a liquid.

Place one cake on a serving dish and coat the top with frosting and some of the remaining 4 oz. of chocolate chips.

Place the second cake on top and coat with remaining chocolate chips and liquid frosting. (The frosting will run down the side and onto the serving dish.)

Garnish with cocoa powder.

Sludge Cookies

12 oz. white chocolate chips

12 oz. chocolate chips

14 oz. shredded coconut

2 cups chopped dried strawberries

1 oz. almond extract

3 cups brown sugar

2 sticks butter or margarine

5 cups white or wheat flour

2 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt

Roughly 8 oz. each of chocolate and vanilla frosting

Mix ingredients in bowl. Spread onto a well greased 11x18 pan or two smaller ones of similar surface area until the batter is about one inch thick.

Cook at 300 degrees until the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Melt frosting in microwave and drizzle on top for marbled pattern.

Cut into squares and scrap out pan.

Note: baking soda can be added for a more “cookie like” result.

Correction:

Last week’s Perkins House Gingersnaps omitted the measurement of 2 1/2 cups flour.