25th Annual Christmas PaRtY

25 years! Can you imagine? This was our 25th annual Christmas party and I couldn’t help but reflect on all our past parties. We bounced around for a few years but landed squarely at the SuPeR historic Elks Lodge 18 years ago. What a terrific job they do, decorations, food and always smiling faces. Thank you to the Elks for always taking excellent care of us!

When Rick asked at the party how many have been there for all 25 parties we had several stand. Many more have been with us for a decade or two and some brand new. It’s like that old Scout song “make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold”. All precious. Thank you to all who serve our community shoulder to shoulder with us.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to our customers. Your continued support make it possible for us to continue to do what we love, where we love.

I wish all a prosperous, joyous and blessed New Year!

Christmas Memories

This time of year stirs up memories for many. Me included. My Mom always told the story of my brother and I sneaking down the hall when we were little with a (crudely) wrapped gift, giggling every few steps. John and I had pooled our money earned from chores to buy Mom a Nativity scene in a dome, when you wound it up Silent Night would tink out in music box fashion. That’s why we were giggling, it kept playing a note no matter how still we tried to hold it. Fond, warm Christmas glow settles on me when I recall this.

I asked my husband to share one of my favorite stories of his.

Susanville Super Owner Rick Stewart~
"I was about 7 or 8 visiting my Grandma in Chico. I had done some chores for her and had earned exactly one dollar. I wanted to get her a Christmas present so I took my dollar down to the 5 and dime. I found a red velvet reindeer that I thought was just right. The problem was I didn't have enough cash. After some serious negotiations with the shopkeeper, this seven year old walked out of the shop with the reindeer.

My Grandma put that reindeer out every Christmas until she passed away. It was old and tattered then, much of the velvet having long since rubbed off. But the love it represented for my Grandma was just as new and perfect as they day I gave it to her.

53 years late, but thanks to the shopkeeper who made it possible.”

From Rick, me and all our Susanville Super family: May your Christmas be filled with joy and fond memories of loved ones far and near!
God Bless!

Kailie’s Overnight Oats

 You know those recipes someone passes on that will be favorites for ever? Well overnight oats is definitely one for me. It makes such a satisfying breakfast. I toss them in my bag when I leave for work and almost can’t wait to eat them. Today I tossed Persimmon and walnuts in half of them and mixed fresh Driscoll berries in the others.  BUT the really big news is McCormick breakfast seasoning to sprinkle on top.
     
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup almond milk
Fresh fruit topping
McCormick breakfast topping

Cake in a jar

My Mom would don a starched apron and start 
cooking the day before Thanksgiving, that would continue through New Year's Day. Every day there were more goodies: cookies, peanut butter balls, marzipan colored and shaped into miniature fruits and veggies, popcorn balls, peanut brittle, candy apples…. you get the idea. When I was dating Rick she insisted on sending a tray filled with all these delightsto his family. Rolling my eyes only when Mom couldn’t see I would head out the door like a dutiful daughter. What I wouldn’t give to have her hand me a tray today.

Since last year’s attempt at Mom’s Candy Apples landed me in the emergency room when the stick broke, apple landed in HARD CRACK stage candy and splashed back on my hand. As a side note my family made me take the picture off Facebook. It kept freaking them out :). Anyway. I’m sticking to baking this year. I came across recipes a customer gave me years ago for cakes baked in a canning jar to give as gifts. Love it! After baking, the article suggests cutting fabric out with pinking shears to decorate each jar. Haha! I have my Mom’s shears and the memory of her using them to cut my bangs for a more ‘natural’ look. It kinda works…


I read a little about these cakes, they used to call them Pirate Cakes because the jars are capped hot from the oven and seal to keep for about a year. I chose to make the Apple and the Pumpkin sticking mostly to the recipe except I added dark chocolate chips to the pumpkin.Like bacon there isn’t much dark chocolate doesn’t make even better! They are moist and delish! Great gift idea and something the kids would really enjoy decorating too!


Apple Cake
2/3 cup shortening
2 2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
3 cups pealed, grated apples (I used Honeycrisp)
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup water
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
8 pint size wide mouth canning jars (aisle 9)


Sterilize jars, lids and rings (I did it in the dishwasher). Keep lids warm on top of oven. Spray non stick in each jar. Preheat oven to 325*, place jars on cookie sheet (or my super cool jelly roll pan I got on aisle 9).
Cream together shortening and sugar, add eggs, mix thoroughly. Add apples, raisins and water. In another bowl sift together, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to apple mixture, mix well, add nuts.
Fill jars half full with batter. Bake for 55 minutes. Since ovens vary, test with a toothpick. Remove jars one at a time, sealing as you go with lids and rings tightened down. As they cool each will seal with a pop. Decorate. BAM.


I may never attain my Momma’s mad cooking skills but I try to channel her enthusiasm for the Holidays and jest for life each day! Ha! Jest for life :) I meant to say ZEST but that works too.


Hometown Holidays~
As promised, here's the pumpkin and brownie recipe:

                 

Hometown Helping Hands...

Somebody can’t do everything but everybody can do something.~ IDK who said this, or if I just have the quote wrong. Either way it’s true. When we all do just a little it is astounding what we can accomplish!

When wildfire ripped through Paradise it created need. Lassen County-ians were there to help. Displaced pets, large and small, needed to be housed and fed. Ronnie Chandler, Shelby Lewis and Kami Chandler Prater called a “cowboy 911”, in no time they had $1000 and 1400lbs of hay donated! The money was used to purchase dog and cat food and whatever else they could. Then they delivered all of this to Chico where the animals are being cared for until someone claims or rescues them. Thanks to a whole lotta people these cowgirls got the job done!

                  
Terra Avila and Shannon Cook hopped in the car and headed down to Chico’s tent cities just to see what they could do. They offered their time, attention and hard work. There is much work to be done. They fed people, sorted donations (mountains of donations) and sometimes just listened. And they didn’t just do it once.
                                 

Rod Chambers, owner of KSUE/KJDX wanted to help in a big way. He did some research to see what Camp Fire victims needed most, the answer was MONEY. Rod called us and asked if he could host a live remote in our parking lot, Rick was delighted to help. Then Rod enlisted Fire Chief James Moore and several Firefighters for a Boot Drive. This event raised $6000 in 5 hours! The amount of generosity from one small community to another blows me away.
                               

There are many more stories to be told of so much kindness and goodness. THAT makes it feel like Christmas time. As usual I am bursting with Hometown Pride for all our Hometown Heroes freely lending a helping hand.

                                         

Al pastor

There’s nothing quite like my family filling the house during the Holidays. We do it all. Cooking, cleaning, more cooking, lots of eating, more cooking, movies, more cooking, Christmas shopping, more cleaning…Life is so fun and full when everyone’s home. At the market the hustle and bustle is SuPeR rewarding. Visiting with all the shoppers, helping them find items not used everyday, the crew is enthusiastic and we always try to have a few treats around. Right now is the sweet spot to catch my breath between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Time to keep it simple at home and work.

So now more than ever I love recipes that pull double duty, at LEAST two meals. Susan River Fire Chief Jim Uruburu is kind of a grillin’ king so when I saw his recipe for Al Pastor, which he used for street tacos one night and pizza the next, I had to get it! Lots of his recipes are trade secrets but this one he agreed to share PLUS he brought me a piece of the pizza AND plenty of the Al Pastor for Rick and I to have street tacos! Have I mentioned I love my job!? I do. Everything about this dish was right. Just right amounts of heat, sweet and savory. You’re gonna love it.

              
3 tbs achiote powder or paste 2 tbs chili powder 1 tbs garlic powder 1 tbs dried oregano 1 tbs cumin 1 tbs salt 1 tbs pepper ¾ cup white vinegar 1 cup pineapple juice
Juice of 3 limes 3-4 lb Pork Tri-Tip sliced thinly (our Meat Dept does this for no charge :)
1 pineapple, skinned and sliced in rounds 6 jalapeno sliced

Combine first 10 ingredients for marinade, reserve some for basting. Marinade pork. Preheat Grill. Layer on a skewer pork alternated with pineapple and jalapeño. Stick skewer through grates so meat rests on grill. Grill low and slow, about 350* for 1 1/2 hours or until internal temp reaches 145*. Baste frequently with reserved marinade.
No pots and pans to clean and dinner is done for a couple of days.
             
I just saw Jim is the cover photo of Trakker Inc. A company that makes a portable hydrant for ‘farm to fire’ water! They know a LoCaL Hometown Hero when they see one!
               

Thanks Jimmy!

Ch-Apple Dumplings

Even if I knew tomorrow the world would end I would still plant my apple tree- Martin Luther King Jr.


…because I could be wrong. I’m mostly an optimist but always a skeptic. Anyway. Thank goodness someone planted an apple tree in Jim Chapman’s yard about 150 years ago! Every year Jim's tree produces a plethora of apples that he and his sisters, CJ and Barbara, process. Peeling, slicing, laughing, teasing, packaging, making applesauce. Best of all he ALWAYS shares with me sometimes even in the form of a pie! "Ch-apple pie” makes us very happy. The tree is known as the Isaac Roop tree. Did Isaac plant it? I have no idea but I bet if you ask Jim he’ll tell you.


             
That is done the third week of October then on Halloween Jim and Marilyn Sue open their home to friends, old and new, for tacos made on the wood stove and the most heavenly dish called Quick Apple Dumplings! The first time I had this sumptuous dessert it was made by Cindy O'Rorke but Chapman can’t remember if the recipe was originally Cindy’s or Susan Osgood's. Either way I love it! The recipe states it serves 8, you can easily get 16 out of it, it’s SuPeR rich! It’s not made with Isaac Roop apples but it’s a nice story to lead in :) ~                                                            

Quick Apple Dumplings
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and quartered
1 pkg refrigerated Pillsbury crescent roll dough, unrolled and separated
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter (Jim’s fave is Tillamook)
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup very finely chopped pecans
                                

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease, butter or spray a 8” square baking dish. Wrap each apple quarter in a crescent roll. Place in pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Combine butter, sugar and orange juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over dumplings. Sprinkle pecans over top. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown. Jim puts this in the oven while we eat our tacos so we can enjoy it warm. I gotta try it with ice cream!
                        

Thanks Jimmy for another Hometown simple-icious recipe!

                                

Turkey Trot

"I try hard to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits. When brimming with gratitude, one's heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love, the finest emotion that we can ever know."~ Bill W.

CHP Sergeant Linda Powell has set up a way for you to share that outgoing love on Thanksgiving. And it’s hecka fun. AND you can help our Senior Center feed seniors. IT”S A TURKEY TROT! For 6 years our LoCaLs, around 300 of them, have gathered and enjoyed the super brisk morning to run, jog or walk (even if you gotta use a walker) along this lovely 5k course. Bring your family, friends, unsuspecting guests...Prizes are given for the first finisher, largest family and the best costume, the largest family so far was 27! Admission is a nonperishable food item for the Lassen County Senior Services, but just so you know LCSS will also accept cash :) What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving.

                                   

                       
Now, a few shout outs. Just more LoCaLs to be grateful for~
Linda Powell, she shares her love for running with events and coaching pre-k to 8th grade in addition to her job as a full time CHP Sergeant!
Penny and everyone at the Senior Center, the food and donations collected from this event will be used not only for meals at the center but also bags will be made up and delivered to shut ins.
All the volunteers and participants that are out there sharing the LOVE!
                                  
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! xoxo

Produce Butcher Marie!

“It’s about quality of life”.~ Marie Bowden.


When Produce Manager John Whitby started making all his Fresh Cut options it was fun for him to branch out a bit especially since at one time he was on his way to becoming a chef. It wasn’t long before he needed a full time Fruit Butcher, (really the title is misleading there’s so much more to it) enter Marie! Marie moved from Chester where she had worked for 11 years at the Forget Me Not store, a primary fundraiser for Sierra Hospice. She fit right in. 
                      
                           

John and Marie have come up with great new additions to our Fresh Cut like Cauliflower Rice, cubed Butternut Squash *perfect for roasting and a veggie variety Soup Starter. Oh, AND if you haven’t tried the Guacamole or Pico IT. IS. Phenomenal! Response has been spectacular. Marie says feeding the people is what she’s passionate about. Her reasons for buying Fresh Cut? Avoiding the mess in the kitchen, ricing cauliflower isn’t for wimps, saves room in the fridge but most of all who wants to do all this prep after working 40 hours a week. “It’s about quality of life”.
           

I don’t mean to gush but I’m awfully proud of SSM’s Produce Team taking on Fresh Cut! It feels like doing good for our community. How? Well Fresh Cut makes it soooo easy to get your 5 a day and it makes me smile to see kids choosing Yogurt/Fruit Parfaits or Overnight Oats for breakfast. Daily if we have Fresh Cut items are about to code we place some in our break room fridge so our staff has a healthy option for snack or lunch. It’s a nice way to reduce waste, another thing Marie is passionate about.


Marie really wants to know if there are other offerings you’d like to see. You can Facebook message the store, or call us at 257-5136.


Your Hometown Healthy Susanville Supermarket~ All about FrEsH!

Lassen High ASB

Lassen High prides themselves on inspiring excellence in so many ways, they offer lots of varied extracurricular activities that can provide an edge when applying to college. Activities are led by dedicated, hard working teachers that really care about our community. Teachers like Carrie Satica. She is also Coordinator for the Associated Student Body and you can tell right away when you talk to Carrie that her involvement with ASB comes from her heart, she was the ASB Director of Public Relations as a student at Lassen. Today Carrie has an honest desire to help kids express their love for LHS and school spirit.


Here’s what Carrie tells me they learn in this club~
"ASB teaches kids how to work together and learn leadership skills. We focus on working in the community and spreading positive energy. ASB focuses on helping to prepare students for life after high school in the sense of working with others and being prepared to communicate and become strong leaders.”

…and activities? They’ve got them~
"The ASB class participates in many activities. We organize a portion of the Holiday with a Hero event, which includes pricing out items for stockings, purchasing the supplies, and putting the stocking together. Then getting assigned a child and helping them shop with a first responder. We do so many events its hard to name them all. I believe we organize the BEST student section in the Northstate at our sporting events, we incorporate a We Are Lassen Activity into every aspect of school culture, reach out to the feeder schools each year to welcome the incoming 8th graders, appreciate teachers and students caught doing good.... and on and on…”


Susanville Super has a very special connection with our LoCaL high school students, so many have worked for us and/or spent their lunches with us. Watching them mature to Hometown Proud members of our community is everything.


Thank you LHS teachers and staff. The work you do makes you Hometown Heroes!

Pumpkin Patch Time!

Ahh. Fall. There is nothing like it and Lassen County is exceptional when it comes to Fall. The colors! The smells! AND, of course, Wemple’s Pumpkin Patch! It’s not just for the kids you know, not at all. As a matter of fact I find the corn maze so difficult I swear I won’t do it this time but there I am, hopelessly lost again, laughing and having the best time. There’s a hay bale maze that may be more my speed, don’t tell anyone but I had to sneak out of the corn maze once. Fred and Dena Wemple make sure there is plenty of delicious food too, burgers on the grill, apples and caramel, marshmallows dipped in caramel, nachos, hot chocolate… Rick and I go out after work one day for dinner then we also go back with our kids and grandkids. This year I’ll probably make 3 trips because I just found out Hope has never been there, sounds like it’s time for a Susanville Market girls dinner night :). PLUS don’t miss the gift shop, lots of local crafts and goodies!


Thanks to the Wemples for one of my favorite Hometown LoCaL traditions!


Jennifer Cesarin sent me a photo, their 17th annual group photo at the Pumpkin Patch!