Ghosts of Theatres Past.

 

Young's Theater

 

Opera House - Monticello Memories Calendar - 1988

 

 The Opera House aka Young’s Theatre has a history rich in entertainment.  Originally built in 1907, it was a community center for Monticellians to play basketball, put on plays, hold dances or watch movies (silent ones of course).  In 1918, a severe snowstorm dumped so much upon the building’s roof, it completely collapsed.  Along came Alfred Young, who built a new building, in a different location, and called it Young’s Theatre. Naming things after one’s self is definitely a way to be remembered.

The Theatre remained opened until 1931, and then was purchased by…, San Juan Record, May 10, 1934, page 5, “Marie M. Ogden last week purchased the Young show hall, a well-known building which has been idle for two or three years. It is expected that a community house will be made, that is, it will be converted into a place for her people to stop for rest while considering their future activities in this county.” 

However, in 1935, the controversy over the death of Home of Truth member, Edith Peshak, forced Marie Ogden to close the theatre, and it has remained closed since that time.  While the Monticello Community Foundation made many attempts to obtain funding, to renovate and save the building, it, sadly didn’t happen.  Now it is scheduled to be demolished as the San Juan County Public Safety Building Expansion Project plans to remodel and expand the existing facility, which houses the Sheriff's Department, courts, and corrections.

However, entertainment was not lost to the citizens of Monticello.  Mr. and Mrs. Claude Foy opened their first movie theatre, on Main Street, June 15, 1936. Then, in 1939, they opened a larger 120-seat theatre, located in the Moab Garage warehouse, which Mr. Foy also managed.   The first movie featured was “Young Mr. Lincoln”, with Henry Fonda. The seating was eventually increased to 225, and in 1953, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Randall bought the theatre, but alas, it too closed down.

 

The Little Theater - Cinema Treasures (https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/67616)

 

 

Personal story time!  Bill Boyle, editor of the San Juan Record, related, to yours truly, a story about his mother.  During the 1930s, she would go to the theatre daily, and with leading actors such as Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Robert Montgomery and Errol Flynn…hubba hubba, someone get me some cold water please!

In 2015, the San Juan Record’s editor hosted a haunted hayride, The Monticello Ghost Tour, and related ghostly stories of various buildings around the city.  This was one of the best events for Pioneer Weekend, so Bill, please bring it back, I’m begging you!!!  Anyway, the San Juan Credit Union, in 2015, was the former location of the movie theatre; the rooms over the San Juan Pharmacy (now Main Street Drug) were used for storage for the theatre.  Monticello was making headlines all over the United States when an armed gunman was noticed in the upper window.  A young police officer, Kent Adair (Monticello's long time Chief of Police for 34 years) deftly disarmed the culprit with an expert karate chop.  Only to find out he had knocked off the arm of "Rambo", a large cardboard display of Sylvester Stallone; Kent's call in to other officers..."The suspect has been disarmed."  

 

If you’re interested in seeing what The Monticello Ghost Tour was all about, go to my travel blog posting at: https://www.southwestbrowneyes.com/2015/08/hayriding-to-meet-ghosts-of-monticello.html

Now, after all that researching to find details and photos of the old theatres, I am hungry!  How about a comforting plate of creamed chicken over country biscuits?  The best part about this recipe is that you can make this dish over and over, but with different flavor enhancements.  This is a semi-homemade recipe, so using “cream of …” soups for the sauce making.  Two cans (10.75 oz.) of cream of chicken gives that downhome chicken taste that is so satisfying.  Use one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of celery or cream of potato, you’ve got pot pie.  For a more savory taste, one can of cream of chicken plus one can of cream of mushroom; and adding some sliced mushrooms into the mesh won’t hurt either.  By the way, I boiled the chicken breasts, in salted water, over medium-high heat, about 20 minutes, and then diced it up.

 

Creamed Chicken

 

Ingredients:

1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of (see variations above)

1 cup half n’ half

1 (12 oz.) bag frozen peas, thawed and drained

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or diced

Preparation:

In a saucepan or large skillet, over medium-high heat, combine contents of the soup(s) plus half n’ half, and whisk until smooth.

 

Two chicken breasts, boiled in salted water, then diced.

 

Add in peas, black pepper and chicken; stir and let cook until bubbles begin to form around interior wall of pan.

 

Serve immediately over biscuits, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Makes 6 servings.

So, put on a movie, and enjoy a bowl full of creamed chicken.  Um, don’t watch a very scary movie though, don’t want you throwing that bowl of food up in the air.

Mary Cokenour 

 

Frying Up Them Fritters.

These United States of America were founded on basic principles, one being Freedom.  It became a melting pot for immigrants, mainly from Europe, who were leaving poverty, or seeking sanctuary for religious and/or political beliefs.  This mixture of peoples from different countries also brought their tried and true recipes of the former homelands.  As families met, couples married, and created blended families, so did the recipes intermingle.  The East coast was becoming crowded; the streets were not paved with gold, but a new land was being shouted about…The West.  The Pioneers began the trek out to the West; to seek their fortunes on open plains, or in the hills and mountains laden deep with gold, silver and copper.

Along the way, there were no general stores or restaurants; perhaps a trading post a thousand miles or so.  Provisions were on the wagons; hopefully the men would be lucky enough to catch fish in the rivers, or shoot wild game for meat.  Now the pioneer women were resourceful themselves; every scrap of food, from flour to butter to fruit and vegetables, had to be used up; there could be no waste!  In other words, leftovers were not something to sniff at and turn the head away; they were used and reconstructed into something new and delicious.

Let’s take one of my old time favorites, mashed potatoes…a fluffy mass of potato goodness seasoned with salt, pepper, perhaps an herb or two; rich and comforting with milk and butter.  I can picture it now, sitting in front of the fire on a cold or rainy day; a steaming bowl of buttery potatoes, a spoonful resting on the tongue, then slowly slides down the throat.  The deep sigh of satisfaction as warm comfort envelopes, not just the stomach, but the entire body and mind.  Alright, you get it, I truly enjoy mashed potatoes when they are fresh and hot.  Ah, but what about when they become cold, not so nice then…and back to our women pioneers.

Potato Fritters, British and Irish Pancakes, Jewish Latke, Polish Placki; name a European ancestry and you’ll find a version of one of these.  Now while I was researching Utah pioneer recipes, I came across an article, “A Melting Pot of Pioneer Recipes” by Winnifred C. Jardina at the Official Website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Let me quote one paragraph, “Thrift fritters were a combination of cold mashed potatoes and any other leftover vegetables and/or meat, onion for flavoring, a beaten egg, and seasonings, shaped into patties and browned well on both sides in hot drippings.”  However, there was no actual recipe within the articles, and I wondered, how was I to make these without a recipe?  I began searching and searching, and I had a “Duh!” moment; of course, this was what I knew as a potato pancake!

Now it just happened I had made a roast beef dinner including mashed potatoes and peas; gee, can you guess what I did with the leftovers?

 Pioneer Thrift Fritters

 

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 Tbsp. dried parsley leaves, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste.
1 cup cooked beef, diced
½ cup cooked peas
¼ cup sautéed diced onion
1 cup plain, dried bread crumbs
4 Tbsp. canola oil
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

 

Preparation:
 

I

 

 

 

n a large bowl, mix together the first seven ingredients, combine well.  From the mixture, use an ice cream scoop to make balls (if using hands, golf ball size); flatten to ½ inch and press both sides into the bread crumbs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter in the oil over medium-high heat.  Put 4 fritters into the pan; reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Carefully lift a fritter to check for brownness before flipping them over.  Fry other side for 15 minutes; drain on paper towels.  Repeat frying the fritters in batches of 4 as instructed for the first batch.  Add more oil and butter as needed.

 

 

Makes 16 fritters.

 

Mary Cokenour

 

Note:  Just because I used a Mormon site to obtain this recipe, does not mean I am Mormon.  I don't discriminate; I accept people for who and what they are, and I expect the same treatment; regardless of, well just about anything.  Now, of course, if the person is a complete smuck, well then that goes towards the personality, not against race, religion, politics, ethnicity, yada, yada, yada.

 

Simple Chicken and Rice, but it's Not Average.

For about a 24 hour period, our little town didn't have any natural gas; human error had caused the lines to depressurize which meant no heat or hot water for many residents. It also meant no using the gas stove which meant no cooking up anything fresh for meals, except via the microwave. Yeah, that wasn't happening. Luckily the gas was back on before I went to work, and as soon as I came home I went to work on a very simple, comforting and delicious chicken dinner.  I call it "Simply Seared Chicken" due to that being the main method of cooking, searing; the side dish is "Risi e Bisi" or "Rice and Peas".  The side dish is a risotto which originated in Venice and goes very well with poultry or the other white meat, pork.

Now when picking out your chicken, I like using plump, boneless, skinless chicken breasts; however, they take a little longer to cook because of the thickness and usually need to be finished off in the oven.  Keeping them searing in the skillet is not a good idea for while they will finish cooking completely, the seasonings will end up burning.  A thinner cutlet can be used, or pound out the chicken breasts if you do not want to use the oven to complete the cooking.  Personally, once I cut into that thick section of chicken breast, the juices begin flowing out, mixing with the seasonings and olive oil; there is no need for any sauces or gravies!

 

Simply Seared Chicken

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 tsp each of medium sea salt, paprika and garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbsp olive oil

 

Preparation:

 

 

 

 

 

Mix together the seasonings and sprinkle on both sides of chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch skillet on medium-high heat; as it just begins to sizzle, add the chicken (skin side down) into the pan.  All four pieces will fit with a slight space in between each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sear the chicken for five minutes, turn over and sear the other side for another five minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test the doneness by slicing open the thickest part of the breast.  If it is still undercooked, place the chicken into a baking pan and finish off cooking in a 350F oven for three to five minutes.

 

 

 

The Risi e Bisi can be cooking at the same time you are preparing the chicken; a main and side dish done at the same time!

 

Risi e Bisi (rice and peas)

 

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 cup Arborio rice

4 cups warmed chicken stock

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted and warmed

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preparation:

 

In a deep, large skillet, medium-heat, melt the butter with the olive oil; add the rice and toast it for two minutes; add the garlic and mix thoroughly.  Add 1 and 1/2 cups of stock, bring to a low boil (just beginning to bubble); stir until the liquid is fully absorbed into the rice.  Continue adding in half cups of stock, letting it be fully absorbed by the rice before adding more; stir constantly.  The rice should be al dente within 20 minutes at which time the peas and cheese can be added and mixed in.

 

Both the chicken and side dish recipes are for four servings.  Simple, easy, comforting and very delicious; how can you go wrong!?!

 

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Tuna Melt into Tuna Casserole.

Hubby and I love tuna melts; tuna salad with melted cheese on grilled, buttery, crispy bread; this has got to be one of the top items on anyone's comfort food list. Of course, so is the classic tuna noodle casserole. Basically what I recently did was create a tuna melt within a tuna noodle casserole by taking out a couple of ingredients, adding others in and got the best of two comfort food dishes. Nothing fancy, nothing difficult, but everything in taste; and most especially feeling good all the way from the senses of taste and smell to that warm, comfy hug in the stomach.  

Tuna Noodle Casserole - Version #2

Instead of typing out the recipe and leaving it at that, I'll do a breakdown of ingredients and preparation steps with accompanying photos.  That way you can compare directly with my first version (click on the link in the first paragraph) and see the differences.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked extra wide egg noodles
1 (8 oz) bag frozen baby peas, defrosted and drained of excess liquid
2 (12 oz) cans solid white albacore tuna in water, drained and broken apart
2 (10 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (white or orange)


Question?  Can fresh peas be used?  Most definitely, make sure they are firm, thoroughly rinsed and dried before using though; you want to avoid excess liquid as the casserole should be creamy, not watery.

Question?  Does Cheddar have to be used?  Sharp Cheddar balances out well with the mildness of the sauce, noodles and tuna; adding a mild cheese, it will get lost.  Adding cheese with a kick, such as Pepper Jack will boost the flavor...as to its comfort factor, that would be up to the person eating it.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F; spray the inside of a two quart baking dish with nonstick spray; it doesn't give the casserole an oily residue like butter would.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream of mushroom soup, milk and black pepper; set aside.  In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, bread crumbs and cheese until crumbly; set aside.  Now the fun begins; in a larger bowl, mix together the noodles, tuna, peas; add the liquid mixture and mix thoroughly being careful not to break the tuna up any smaller, or tear the noodles.





 



Spread this mixture evenly into the two quart baking dish.

Now take that topping that was set aside and spread it out evenly over the noodle mixture; edge to edge around the dish.  I used the Italian flavored bread crumbs to enhance the flavor of the crust that will form.  If someone doesn't like the crumb crust, it can easily be removed from a serving without effecting the overall taste of the casserole itself.









Place the casserole into the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes; liquid will be bubbling up to the top and the crust will be browned. The crust forms what is similar to the grilled bread and melted cheese of a tuna melt; while the noodle and tuna mixture is the "salad" part. Noodles aren't typically in tuna salad; but if you read my post on tuna melts (click on the link in the first paragraph), you'll notice I did put macaroni and cheese inside a tuna melt.

There you have it, my second version of Tuna Noodle Casserole giving credit to a Tuna Melt.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour

I Ache too much to Cook something from Scratch.

Way back in May 2011, I wrote a blog post about Monticello, Utah and how it needed to spruce itself up, and get more business in town. It was even reprinted in the local San Juan Record, and while I expected some sort of response to my opinionated post, no one wrote a pro or con about it. Well someone must have been paying attention because tomorrow is a cleanup campaign for Monticello, and the theme is "Neighbor Helping Neighbor" where, not only should we spruce up our own properties, but help those who can't do it on there own.

I decided to get a head start on the property; a section of the front yard had all kinds of loose wood and gardening supplies piled around. I stacked the wood by the garden shed, just a small pile for our fire pit, but it shouldn't be on the front lawn. I have an herbal garden by the dining room window, so finally finished off the rock wall I had started to build around it. I piled up bags of red mulch and large rocks I had collected from the canyon areas to complete the garden area on the living room side of the house. Did a bit of weeding too, but now I'm too pooped to pop.

Dinner? I really don't want to do anything really, but something needs to be made. I should have started something earlier, before all the manual labor, but it was a spur of the moment thing, so didn't really give it much thought. Ok, so I'm gonna go into "make it quick" emergency mode. I've got packaged noodles, imitation crab meat and frozen peas....crab alfredo!!!

Basically, I took one package of Knorr Alfredo noodles and made them according to package directions. I added 8 oz. of imitation crab meat, broken apart and one cup of thawed frozen peas; mixed it all together; covered and let it all cook together for about 5 minutes just to let the crab and peas warm up. It makes four servings and considering all the make shift ingredients, tastes pretty darn good.

I make meals from scratch as a rule, but even I break my own rules. Now it's time for some Advil and much deserved sleep. Night all.

Mary Cokenour