My Favorite Recipes: December 12, 2019

Ruth was born in Montana as the sixth of 10 children and one of only three girls in the family. She has long been a resident of Whitman County. She was raised in Spokane through fifth grade, after which the family moved to Pullman where she graduated from high school before attending Washington State College.

Ruth in 1958 married her first husband with whom she had three daughters. They later divorced and she returned to school studying with a 38-hour credit load on top of working to support herself and her three girls.

While in school Ruth worked as a summer news editor for the Evergreen, and at the same time a sports editor for the Pullman Herald which she enjoyed as an avid sports fan.

Ruth graduated from WSU in 1964 with a double major in home economics and journalism. She had decided on journalism because of the many interests she developed growing up with so many siblings.

"If you have a lot of interests, journalism can cover it," Ruth said.

After graduating she got a job as a news editor in Oregon. She soon after left there and returned to Whitman County, moving to Colfax. Ruth filled in as a temporary news editor at the Gazette while the regular at that time was on vacation.

She met Earl Enos the Sunday following her move. Earl was the assistant Sunday school teacher. Thirteen days after they started dating, he proposed and they married June 13. The couple has now been married 54 years, living outside of Colfax on a farm. Of those 54 years she has lived in Colfax, 52 of them she has displayed something, mostly foods, at the fair.

"We raise a garden and I can, freeze and dry," said Ruth.

Ruth entered the workforce at the age of 13, not an uncommon thing at that time. Aside from being a news editor, she has worked as a researcher, shelver for the library, cook for daycares and a sorority, housekeeper, swimming instructor, church secretary, bookkeeper, the onsite conference coordinator for WSU and an actor, to name a few. Ruth refers to herself as a Jill-of-all-trades.

"I ironed for two years to go back to school," Ruth said, "I was a single mother of three girls and I ironed, sometimes 13 hours a day because it was something you could do at home without a car."

Ruth has taught three different college classes including knitting and has been a lifeguard and taught diving for public pools.

"What is retired? Please explain it to me," laughed Ruth. "Technically I still do something... My biggest thing people know me for is that I do a lot of theater."

She still works as an actor, both commercially and as a volunteer. She reports her age as 'senior' or 'mature' when filling out applications.

"Well, kids, they need their ages, but I figure, I've had spouses on stage that were 20 years younger." said Ruth, "I told my husband to behave because I have a younger man."

Coming from a large family, Christmas time in particular, Ruth has had to make dishes that feed about 60 people. The Pea and Lentil Association's baked lentils recipe she has used for family events has been popular with vegetarians. She has also had to be careful with nuts for family members with allergies.

"When my mother died she had almost 50 grandchildren and almost 90 great-grandchildren," said Ruth.

The raspberry ribbon pie was Ruth's mom's recipe, and was at one time a prize winner in the Dorothy Dean column. More recently Ruth's raspberry Jello salad has been a popular dish.

Recipes

Raspberry Jello Salad

(A favorite for church/family potlucks)

Makes about 3 quarts-

24 ½ servings

1 (6 oz.) pkg. raspberry

Jello

1 (6 oz.) pkg. strawber-

ry/banana Jello

1 (3 oz.) pkg. lemon,

orange or more rasp-

berry Jello

4 cups boiling water

2 pkgs. frozen raspber-

ries (3-4 cups)

1 (20 oz.) can crushed

or tidbit pineapple

(drained) "I take a

strainer, and dump the

can in over a measur-

ing cup and leave the

juice in the refrigerator

so it's cold when I'm

ready to mix it with the

hot," said Ruth. "You

can use chunks, but I

like crushed or tidbits

better because it can be

a little more spread

through."

1 (12 oz.) can ginger ale

or lemon lime soda

2-2 ½ cups cold water

Dissolve Jellos in boiling water.

Gently blend frozen berries into hot mix until separated.

Add juice, pop and cold water, "for large mixtures you want to have less water because it sets better," said Ruth.

Chill until starting to set and stir gently to distribute fruit.

Best if chilled overnight.

I vary Jellos and have used bananas, drained chopped pears or fruit cocktail and substitute juices for water.

"I vary things a lot" said Ruth "I never use just one type of Jello. I love to mix flavors"

Raspberry Ribbon Pie

("It's the pie that made my husband propose to me," said Ruth).

1 (3 oz.) pkg. raspberry

Jello

1 cup boiling water

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen

raspberries (partially

thawed)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream

cheese, softened

8 oz. container Cool

Whip

Baked pie shell, 9 or 10

inches.

Dissolve the Jello, let cool slightly; add raspberries to Jello and cool.

Beat cream cheese and then add Cool Whip. Beat until blended.

When Jello mixture is set, but still soft, put half the cream cheese layered in pie shell then layer half the Jello mix. Carefully spoon remaining cream cheese mixture and top with remaining Jello.

Let set until firm overnight.

(this recipe can also be found on page 194 of "Recipes from our Friends")

The Original Fantasy Fudge

3 cups white sugar

3/4 cup margarine

2/3 cup evaporated

milk

1 (12 ounce) package

semisweet chocolate

chips-"My favorite is

peanut butter or but-

erscotch chips," said

Ruth.

1 (7 ounce) jar marsh-

mallow creme

1 cup chopped walnuts

(optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

extract

Grease a 9x13-inch pan.

Mix sugar, margarine, and evaporated milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a full boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and thoroughly combined.

Beat in marshmallow creme, walnuts, and vanilla extract. Transfer fudge to the prepared pan and let cool before cutting into squares.