MY FAVORITE RECIPES By Mary Collins: Meet Jamie Keller

Brett and Jamie Keller of Colfax.

Jamie Keller was born in Seattle, raised in Spokane, moved to Colfax the summer before her 8th grade year and has lived here ever since.

Jamie and her husband, Brett, have three children, Gabe and Lyndi, both 17, and Graci Lu, 7. Gabe attends Pullman High School while Lyndi and Graci Lu attend Colfax High School and Jennings Elementary. The family also has two dogs, Ally and Toby, and a kitty, Punkin.

They enjoy spending time with family members that live in the area, camping at the river, hunting, riding four-wheelers and hanging out together on the back deck.

Brett has been a corrections officer at Whitman County Jail for the last 14 years. Jamie has been a telecommunicator with Whitcom for 13 years. Whitcom was organized in 2006 as a communication center that is operational 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year.

Telecommunicators answer both 911 and business phone lines. Whitcom dispatches for police, fire, and EMS agencies in Whitman and Asotin counties, the City of Moscow and Nez Perce Tribe.

In November alone, Jamie answered 1,025 phone calls. Those phone calls and radio requests resulted in 404 calls for service. Telecommunicators have to be alert at all times. The facility has 10 identical work stations with six computer screens. The desks have the ability to move up and down so workers can sit or stand, foot heaters, fans and lights that can be adjusted to keep dispatchers comfortable and alert.

It takes special skills to multi-task and give instructions in emergency situations while remaining calm. Dispatching is Jamie’s primary function, but as a supervisor she is also responsible for helping with new employee training, quality assurance, payroll, scheduling, updating response planning and completing recording requests. She also teaches CPR.

Jamie’s passion for helping people didn’t start with her career as a telecommunicator. It began at the age of 15, when she joined Colfax Fire Department as a cadet firefighter. She also became a Washington state first responder and an emergency medical technician. She continues to volunteer with Colfax fire.

Despite a busy work life and challenges associated with a recent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, Jamie keeps the family well fed. Here are some of their favorite recipes.

Recipes

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

3 chicken breasts

5 carrots, peeled and sliced

4 celery stalks, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 family-sized can cream of chicken soup

16 oz. chicken stock (or use water – stock adds extra flavor)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning mix

1 can refrigerator biscuits

Add all items except biscuits to the crockpot on low for four hours (longer if you start with frozen chicken breasts.) At four hours shred the chicken in the crockpot or remove it, cube it and return it to the crockpot and stir it. Cut each refrigerator biscuit in fourths and place on top of the mixture. Cook another hour and serve.

Spaghetti Pie

6 oz spaghetti noodles

2 Tbsp. margarine

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 beaten eggs

1 lb. ground beef or turkey

1/2 cup onion, chopped

3/4 jar spaghetti sauce

1 tsp. oregano

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Cook and drain spaghetti. Stir in margarine, parmesan cheese and eggs. Press into buttered pie pan. In skillet, cook meat and onion, then drain fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and oregano. Heat through. Spread cottage cheese over spaghetti crust. Fill pie with meat sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Salad in a Jar

Quick, easy, healthy way for eating on the go. Must layer salads in a jar as designated below so they don’t mix until you are ready for them to. There are so many options! They will last 5-7 days in the fridge.

Layer 1

ranch dressing of choice

2 tsp. southwest seasoning

1 Tbsp. lime juice

Layer 2 (non-absorbent veggies)

red bell pepper

olives

grape tomatoes

Layer 3 (absorbent veggies)

avocado

corn

Layer 4

chicken

black beans

Layer 5

romaine lettuce

Grandma Keller’s Zucchini Bread

This recipe makes 2 loaves

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups garden fresh, finely-grated zucchini

3 tsp. vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (opt.)

Beat eggs until light and foamy. Add oil, sugar, zucchini, vanilla and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients and nuts or chocolate chips to mixture. Mix well. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees F for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes two 9x4 loaves.