Homefront Magazine | March 2017

HOMEFRONT A Fort Hood Herald publication | March 29, 2017

Students support soldiers P8 | Spring break fun P10 | Journey to space P3

| Homefront

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

[ Inside this issue ] Holding Down the Homefront: Transitioning from the Army

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Financial Fitness: New military retirement system coming soon

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Financial Fitness: Help elderly relatives avoid financial abuse

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Financial Fitness: Seven ways to cut your spending

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Financial Fitness: How credit cards work

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In the Classroom: First-graders show support for soldiers

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On the Homefront: Spring break fun for children

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What’s Happening: Upcoming area events

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Dining In: Fish tacos spice up Lenten Fridays

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Dining In: Making macaroni and cheese from scratch

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Vol. 10, Issue 3 | March 29, 2017 Homefront is a Fort Hood Herald publication.

Contact Us Editor: David A. Bryant | dbryant@kdhnews.com | 254-501-7554 Contributors: Abbey Sinclair | Todd Martin | Sarah Pahl On the cover: Learning the power of simple kindness, Cedar Valley Elementary School first-graders work on letters and pictures March 9 to send to a unit of Fort Hood soldiers currently deployed. Throughout the week, students in the class encouraged peers taking tests, wrote notes to teachers and gathered toys for a children’s hospital. | Photo by Todd Martin | KISD.

Homefront |

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Transitioning to civilian life feels like journey to outer space

A

s I type this, I’m sitting on the floor of my bedroom eating a yogurt, feeling like I already have one foot out the door of the house we’ve lived in for the past two years.

Our mattress and box spring are on the floor because we moved our bedroom suite out into the garage a few weeks ago, hoping to sell it before we move (it hasn’t sold). Assorted clothes and items from our dressers, now homeless and bereft of drawers, are lying around the room.

I hate this feeling. I hate not knowing a single detail of what the future holds.

When we recently decided to move back up north to the area where we grew up, it seemed like a good idea. In many ways, it still does (in fact, I just wrote a column about how nice it will be to finally have family and friends around again). But, there’s a “dark side” to all this, a restless uncertainty within me that is constantly apprehensive. This, I suppose, is what its really like to transition out of the military. At least for us.

Holding down the Homefront Abbey Sinclair

I wonder, “Will I be able to find a job?”

The area we are moving to mainly offers industrial work and medical jobs — basically, nothing to do with my chosen career field. Both locations that we are considering moving to (based on good schools and the price of housing) are also somewhat rural, meaning that I may have to commute to the nearest city to find decent work.

My inner child also irrationally fears the “ultimate demise” — “living out the rest of my days” in the town where I grew up. Gulp. If you are laughing at

me right now, consider the fact that I am a hopeless wanderer. Also consider the fact that I, along with probably anyone else who ever grew up in a small town, spent my youth plotting to escape and never return.

Loved ones, beautiful scenery and delectable farm-fresh goodies aside, there’s nothing quite like regularly intersecting with individuals you’d hoped to never have to ever see again.

You know the ones.

As the cherry on top, as would-be first-time homebuyers, my husband and I erroneously assumed that we would have no problem obtaining a VA loan to purchase a nice house to move into right away. After all, we figured, we have great credit, enough savings and his veteran status. He’s transitioning into the National Guard, finishing school and has several great job prospects. There wouldn’t be an issue.

Except, there was — other first-time homebuyers hoping to obtain a VA loan, take note.

The issue is, we don’t have a tangible paycheck anymore, regardless of the

fact that we are obviously in transition.

When you get approved for a VA loan, you, as the homebuyer, do not have to put down any kind of down payment (though we intended to anyway). Additionally, you don’t have to pay mortgage insurance, a measure that protects the lender.

The long and short of it? They want to be doubly sure they aren’t going to get bamboozled out of their money.

That leaves us living out of my parent’s house in the interim, hoping to find a temporary apartment for the few months until we can produce paychecks (which will hopefully be sooner rather than later, because we won’t have furniture since it will all be in storage).

“Just go with it and stop worrying,” said my friend John, the most laid-back human in existence.

“Sure,” I agree with an easygoing smile, as more (worry)warts continue to pop up all over my body.

Abbey Sinclair is a former Army spouse, mother and a Herald correspondent.

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[ Financial fitness ]

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

New military retirement system on the horizon

By J.J. Montanaro Courtesy of USAA

There are some big changes coming to military retirement planning.

The 2016 Defense Authorization Act will transform the military’s traditional, 20-year retirement system to a new blended system. The blend mixes the old — a defined pension — with the new — a new Defense Department matching contribution to the military’s version of a 401(k), the Thrift Savings Plan.

What does that mean? Service members will need to take a more active role in deciding how they finance their retirement, and those in the gap between the old and new plans have to decide which plan suits them better.

No sooner than the ink had dried on my first pass at this article and the DoD had already proposed changes to three of the four components of the new system. The blended plan begins in 2018 and, as of now, will feature these changes: Retirement pay (pension). Service

members will be eligible for a retirement benefit after 20 years of service.

Smaller than the current benefit, it will be calculated using a 2 percent multiplier instead of the current 2.5 percent.

(Multiply your years of service by 2 percent. That number is the percentage of your High-36 average base pay that you’ll receive in retirement).

Matching contributions. Service members will receive an automatic 1 percent Defense Department contribution to their Thrift Savings Plan after 60 days of service. At the beginning of their third year of service, service members who contribute at least 5 percent will receive up to 4 percent in matching TSP contributions.

Continuation pay. After 12 years in the military, service members will receive continuation pay if they commit to serving four more years. This one-time retention bonus will be worth at least two and a half months of basic pay for active-duty personnel and at least half a month’s basic pay for reservists. The amount could be higher

for in-demand positions.

Partial lump-sum option. Retirees can choose to receive a full retirement annuity each month, or they may be able to opt for a smaller pension along with a lump sum payment. Details are still being worked out, so it’s unclear how this will be calculated and what this would mean from a tax standpoint.

With any change, there are positives and negatives.

The positive: The new plan will benefit a lot more service members.

The overhaul aims to provide some retirement funding to about 85 percent of service members. Plus, the design should encourage service members to save for retirement on their own since they’ll need to make a personal contribution of 5 percent to get the full match. Being better prepared for retirement is always a positive.

The negative: Retirees will probably get less. Under the new system, that could equate to a six figure difference over their lifetime. That’s based on someone entering the service in 2016,

opting for the new system, receiving the minimum continuation payment and serving 20 years. However, it’s worth noting that today less than 20 percent serve long enough to qualify for full military retirement.

The new plan doesn’t take effect for two years, so what should you do now?

If you entered the military before 2006: Carry on. You’re locked into the current retirement plan.

If you’re entering service in 2018 or later: You automatically fall under the new plan. Make sure you contribute enough to your TSP to get the match and put in more if you can.

If you entered between 2006 and 2017: You’ll have a choice to make in 2018 — the old plan or the new one. Crunch the numbers and consult your financial advisor. If you’re committed to and anticipate serving at least 20 years, opting to stay in the old system may make sense. If you’re uncertain about your plans in the military or have only served a few years, the new blended plan could be best.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

[ Financial fitness ]

Homefront |

Be aware of risk factors to help elderly loved ones avoid financial abuse

By Robert Steen Courtesy of USAA

Earlier in my career as a financial planner/adviser, I worked with an elderly client who had considerable net worth and lived at home, but whose only close personal relationship was with her caregiver. This client’s portfolio consisted mainly of high quality municipal bonds that were also tax exempt at the state level.

Over several days, I received calls from her demanding that we liquidate the entire portfolio — now. She sounded confused and under stress, and I could hear someone in the background coaching her on what to say. I asked if I could speak with the person whose voice I heard, and my client became even more upset, and again demanded the immediate sale of her securities, although she could offer no reason for needing the money. I explained that it would take some time to settle the trade, and in the meantime, I contacted my manager to discuss what could be done. After several discussions between the client and our team, it was decided that we could not

legally continue to delay or prohibit the transaction under the circumstances.

I lost track of the client after that, and I have always suspected that she was under the influence of an abusive caregiver or others. I don’t know if she suffered significant financial loss from these events, but I will never forget the fear and exasperation in her voice while I was talking with her.

What is financial elder abuse? Although there are several definitions of financial elder abuse from sources such as the National Center on Elder Abuse, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a simple but appropriate description is: “Failing to do, or doing, something that results in harm or puts a helpless older person at risk of harm.” However, coming up with an exact definition is hard given that financial elder abuse can overlap with other types of abuse such as physical abuse and neglect.

How big is the problem? Recent studies have estimated the dollar amount of financial elder abuse to be around $3 billion per year, with one out of 10 seniors being victims of some form of elder abuse. However, very few incidents

of financial elder abuse are reported, so the dollar amount and number of victims could be much larger. In addition, financial elder abuse affects more than the wallet, as great emotional harm and stress tend to accompany financial abuse.

What are the risk factors? Although it’s difficult to establish cause-and-effect relationships between risk factors and financial elder abuse, older people generally are more at risk when they: • Are still financially responsible for an adult child or grandchild • Have low levels of social support or are socially isolated • Are going through bereavement • Require assistance with activities of daily living, are in poor health, or are dealing with depression • Have experienced previous traumatic family events.

Who are the perpetrators of financial elder abuse? The perpetrators of financial elder abuse may be surprising. Although internet and phone fraudsters are a real and growing problem, interviews with victims show that most of the perpetrators of financial abuse are family

members and non-strangers. It may not make the news, but a family member badgering an elder person for money constitutes financial elder abuse and is the most prevalent form.

What can you do? Although there are numerous initiatives underway to better manage financial elder abuse, here are some starting points to help protect yourself or loved ones in your life: • Involve trusted family members in your financial and estate planning to avoid conflicts and surprises.

• Consult with a qualified financial professional or attorney before signing complex agreements or anything you don’t understand.

• Build relationships with professionals who are involved with your finances — they may provide another set of eyes and ears in your financial life, and assist in monitoring for suspicious activity.

• Limit your use of cash — using checks and credit cards leaves a paper trail.

• Feel free to say “no” or “let me check with my advisor first” — don’t let attempts of kindness end up harming you financially and emotionally.

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[ Financial fitness ]

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Seven surefire ways to cut your spending

By Angela Caban Courtesy oF USAA

Finding ways to cut down on spending can be a challenge, however the best way to start is by hitting your already budgeted monthly expenses. Monthly bills are inevitable, but finding ways to reduce them can have a tremendous effect on your budget and savings at year-end.

Remember how I said that budgets fail because we aren’t realistic? Same goes with reducing your spending. Cutting down your spending realistically means that you can try without too much hassle as well as knowing it will be manageable for you and your family.

What’s the benefit? The potential of saving money that totals a large sum by the end of the year.

Here are seven realistic places to cut spending.

Carpool: Did you know that Americans spend a total of $1,681 a year on

Cutting down your spending realistically means that you can try without too much hassle as well as knowing it will be manageable for you and your family. fuel for vehicles? Ask a co-worker to ride into work together. Take turns driving weekly, and you can save on gas as well as wear and tear of your vehicle.

Pay off Debt: If you have any debt looming over you, work on paying it off immediately. Having debt is not only stressful, but it means you have less money to save, as well as possibly spending more with high interests rates.

Refinance and Consolidate Loans: If you have high monthly payments on a car loan, mortgage or student loans, think about refinancing at a lower rate, or consolidating your loans. This equals lower payments as well as lower

interest rates which helps payoff balances sooner.

Cut Your Electric Bill: The average home spends around $2,200 a year on energy bills. There are ways you can reduce the amount you are spending monthly on your bill. Consider changing out old light bulbs for LED’s. It may not sound like it would do much, but this could save you around $40 a year off your bill. Unplug all electrical devices that are not being used such as the toaster, coffee pot, and microwave.

Energy is still drawn out, even if the appliance is turned off.

Cut Your Cable Bill: This is an area most are afraid to visit, but is surely one where you can save. The average

cable bill is $1.25 a month. Imagine saving that much? It would equal to $1,500 a year, and there are various affordable options such as a digital antenna, Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.

Negotiate Your Payments: Okay, so don’t want to cut the cord completely on cable? Call your service provider and ask if they have any specials or bundling options that could save you more at the end of the month. You can also call your electric, internet, cell phone and car insurance providers to negotiate services and lower payments.

Save on Food: Food is a necessity and also a huge spending problem that eats away at our monthly budget. A great way to save on food spending is by packing your own lunches for work, reducing the amount of take-out – meaning cook your own meals, utilize your left overs, buy in bulk, and shop online.

Also, using coupons and purchasing generic brands can reduce cost tremendously.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

[ Financial fitness ]

Homefront |

Understanding how credit cards work key to proper use late fees or penalties, and even a penalty annual percentage rate (APR), which increases your interest rate even more.

If there’s still no payment at all, the financial institution may turn the account over to a collection agency, which could attempt to garnish wages.

Courtesy of USAA

“A credit card is not inherently evil or good,” said Mikel Van Cleve, a certified financial planner professional and director of personal finance advice for USAA. “It’s a tool that if used wisely and with discipline can have benefits that outweigh the costs.”

It’s a tool millions of Americans employ to make easy payments, build credit and earn rewards.

Unfortunately, undisciplined credit card practices can also bring significant trouble.

What happens when you use a credit card?

Whether you’re at a brick-and-mortar establishment, buying online or by phone, your card-issuing financial institution makes payment to the vendor on your behalf. The vendor pays a small fee to your institution, too, to offer you the convenience.

How does the bill work?

You’re obligated to send in a minimum payment each billing cycle, though you should aim to pay the entire bill off each month.

What if you don’t pay your full bill?

You’ll accrue interest on the balance.

“If you delay paying your entire bill off for a long time,” said Van Cleve, “you could end up paying significantly more

How can you avoid credit problems?

“Don’t treat credit like free money,” said Van Cleve. “Think of it as cash; if you don’t have the money to pay back immediately, then don’t make the purchase.” than the original price — just due to the interest.”

What happens if you don’t pay?

Cardholders who don’t pay the minimum can encounter bigger problems. If there’s no payment at all, then after 30 days the institution can make a report to the credit bureau. Further delays can have even worse results: Negative impacts to your credit report, lawsuits,

What about keeping your card safe?

Criminals who get your account info can rack up erroneous charges in your name, causing credit problems. Take commonsense precautions with your wallet or purse, and shop online only with secure, reputable sites. Don’t give passwords or account information to anyone who doesn’t need them, and certainly keep them out of sight at home.

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[ IN the Classroom ]

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Showing their support

Killeen first-graders spread joy to deployed soldiers

BY TODD MARTIN SPECIAL TO THE HERALD

I

Photos by Todd Martin | KISD

Cedar Valley Elementary School first-grader Katara Villareal works on a thank-you picture March 9 for a deployed soldier during a week of “pumping up the joy” at the school in Killeen. A first-grade teacher led her students in daily acts of simple kindness during the week.

nvestment of time and money is not required to pump up the joy, according to a teacher and her first-grade class at Cedar Valley Elementary School in Killeen.

For the second year, Jessica Bautista borrowed a concept from a national radio show and celebrated with her young students a week of “Pumping Up the Joy.” The radio show did its program during spring break locally, so Bautista pumped up joy at her school a week earlier. The week also corresponded to benchmark testing for some grade levels.

First-graders cut out handprints and gave them away as “high-fives” to encourage the older students to do their best on the testing.

They also wrote notes of encouragement to teachers and on March 9, they wrote letters and colored pictures to be mailed to deployed soldiers.

This year, Bautista added a community element. She collected coloring books, colors and other simple activities to donate to the McLane Children’s Medical Center in Temple and also hosted parents for breakfast.

“I discovered last year that it developed a sense of teamwork in my class,” the teacher said March 9 as her students colored pictures for soldiers.

“It had a residual effect and they were more compassionate with each other,” she said. “I can see that this group is working together better this week.”

More teachers got on board this year and took part in specified dress days along with their students. The school’s student council supported the firstgraders’ efforts as well.

The first-grade teacher introduced the concept of pumping up joy through a popular book, “The Giving

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

[ IN the Classroom ]

Homefront |

Cedar Valley Elementary School first-grade teacher Jessica Bautista watches over her students March 9 as they write letters and color pictures for soldiers. The teacher and her class led the school in several days of kindness in an effort to “Pump Up the Joy.”

Tree,” explaining the power of giving to others without expecting anything in return.

“I explained to them that you can use your words and your art, that you don’t need money, to share the joy,” she said.

“You can do that for the third-graders, for teachers, for soldiers, for anyone.”

For the teacher, the week of spread-

The first-grade teacher introduced the concept of pumping up joy through a popular book, “The Giving Tree,” explaining the power of giving to others without expecting anything in return. ing joy is part of remembering her sister, Chelsea Bownds, who passed

away four years ago from cancer.

“I try to think, ‘how would my sister

want to be remembered,’” she said.

“We are spreading happiness,” said first-grader D’Nikko Rubianes as he spread his arms apart. “We’re giving out stuff and we’re helping people out because it makes them feel happy.”

His classmate Marcus Baity Jr. agreed. “We can make people happy so they will feel good.”

10 | Homefront

[ On the Homefront ]

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Centers host spring break fun

By Sarah Pahl Fort Hood public affairs

C

Sarah Pahl | U.S. Army

Children at Montague Youth Center play a bubble game during the center’s weeklong spring break event March 15. Montague hosted a variety of field trips and activities at the center, including Austin’s Graffiti Park and bowling.

hild and Youth Services hosted spring break events for youth March 13-17, a weeklong event open to all Fort Hood children registered with CYS. Two centers — Muskogee School Age Care and Montague Youth Center — held the event and hosted a variety of field trips and activities inside the centers.

Keshia Gray, Montague Youth Center facility director, talked about how important their spring break event is for families.

“The most important thing is the kids are out of school for spring break and we want to make sure the children have a productive, fun, safe environment for something to do during spring break — we don’t want them to sit down and be idle, coming up with some not so great things to do,” Gray said. “So we want them to (come here) and be in a safe environment, fun environment.”

Montague, which hosts children grades 6-12, held a variety of fun activities for the military youth including making tie-dye T-shirts, painting and a variety of arts and crafts.

The center also held other outside activities, including launching off makeshift rockets and playing with oversized bubbles you wear, and playing games like soccer and football.

The center also took the youth on field trips including Graffiti Park and Main Event in Austin, Spare Time in Temple, paintballing and also to Six Flags in Arlington. Montague closed out its last day — Friday — with a big barbecue bash on the grounds of Bronco Youth Center with everyone wearing their tie-dye shirts.

Muskogee School Age Care hosted the event for grades 1-5 and had a spring break theme titled Spring Carnival of Dreams. The center also went on field trips such as Cameron Park Zoo, bowling, Apache Arts & Crafts and Painting with a Twist. On

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

[ On the HOmefront ]

Photos by Sarah Pahl and Mary Ann Nowland | U.S. Army

ABOVE: Children at Montague Youth Center participate in arts and crafts March 14 during the center’s weeklong spring break event. Montague hosted a variety of field trips and activities, including making tie-dye shirts. AT RIGHT: Jacob Bower, 8, builds a house with a Lego construction set at the Muskogee School Age Care Spring Break Carnival of Dreams on March 16.

days the center did not do field trips, children were able to participate in games and crafts like cooking classes.

Muskogee held its carnival party the Thursday during the weeklong spring break and focused on the theme, which included spin the wheel, bean bag toss, clown bulls eye, toss a ball and coin toss. Each game offered a prize or tickets to receive an item at the prize counter, which included things like suckers, hats and sunglasses.

Isolean Young, who is the facility director for Walker School Age Care, helped at the carnival event and also mentioned not only how beneficial the spring break event is for families, but the centers in general as well.

“We help the soldiers feel comfortable in bringing their kids here because they have to go work,” Young said. “So we make sure they come to a safe environment while they’re here. So parents don’t have to worry while they’re working. The center is (also) very educational. We don’t duplicate the school system, we implement it. That’s the reason why we still have education things going on along with them being able to still have fun.”

For Young, being able to help the local youth is just another way she can give back to the soldiers who continue to do so much for the community.

“We take care of the soldier’s kids and the soldiers take care of us.”

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[ What’s Happening ]

12 | Homefront

Local Music Dirty Harry’s presents live music on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. For ages 21 and older, no cover. Dirty Harry’s is at 206 W. Veterans Memorial Blvd., Harker Heights (next to Kin Pin Tattoos). Call 254-680-6557.

Mark Richey performs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Friday at Bo’s Barn Dancehall at 4984 W. Farm-to-Market 93 in Temple. Cover: $8. Tony Ramey is Saturday’s featured entertainer from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Cover: $8.

Catch karaoke from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. every Thursday, with a DJ until 1:30 a.m. Happy Hour is from 5 to 8 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Go to www.bosbarndancehall.com or call 254-939-7131.

Stillhouse Wine Room has live music from 8 p.m. to midnight every Friday and Saturday. Wednesday is Karaoke and Teachers Night. Thursday Night Trivia is at 7:30 p.m. with a relaxed version of the game. Topics include music, movies, sports, geography, animals and more. Every 10 questions someone wins a bottle of wine. Stillhouse Wine Room is at 403 E. Stan Schlueter Loop, Suite 308, Killeen. For information, go to StillhouseWineRoom.com.

Farmers Markets All-Year Pioneer Farmers Market will be open in front of Tractor Supply Co., on Central Texas Expressway in Killeen from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, weather permitting.

Call Heike at 254-458-8223 or go to www. facebook.com/pioneerfarmersmarket.

Green Acres Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The market is in front of Lowe’s Home Improvement Store at W.S. Young Drive and Lowes Boulevard. For

more information, call Hugh McDanel at 254-813-5177 or go to www.facebook. com/greenacresfs.

Arts & Theater The Mayborn Museum Complex presents the “Wizard of Oz Educational Exhibit” through May 7. The exhibit is a journey of self-discovery that’s fun for the whole family. Children will take part in a variety of activities as they travel from the Gale Farm to the colorful Land of Oz. The museum offers free admission from 1 to 5 p.m. the first Sunday of each month. The museum is at 1300 S. University Parks Drive in Waco. For information, call 254-710-1104.

RAW — Royal Street Art Walk is from 6 to 9 p.m. today along Royal Street in Salado.

The featured galleries include Bentons Custom Jewelry, FSG Fine Jewelry, Ro Shaw Clay Studio, Salado Glassworks and Sirril Art Gallery. Also participating in the art walk are Barrow Brewing Co. and Chupacabra Craft Beer & Winery. Call Salado Glassworks at 254-947-0339 or go to www.royalstreetartwalk.com.

Dancing In the Mood Ballroom offers dance classes throughout the week. Call 254-773-7088, email Karen.Keith@inthemoodballroom. com or go to inthemoodballroom.com.

Bars, Clubs Chopstick, 2600 Trimmier Road, Suite 200, Killeen, has karaoke from 8 to 11 p.m. every Thursday.

Longhorn Saloon, 2503 S. General Bruce Drive, Temple, presents Waco’s DJ Loco

from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. today and DJ Grito from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday. No cover charge. For more information, call 254-7711364.

Main Street Tejano Club, 201 S. Main St., Temple, has a DJ/live music from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Call 254-5418329 or go to www.mainstreettejano.club.

Family Fun The Bell County Museum presents “Citizens at Last: The Woman Suffrage Movement in Texas” and “Changing the Face of Power: Women in the U.S. Senate” through May 20. The museum is free and is open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday. For more information, call 254933-5243.

Temple’s Railroad and Heritage Museum, 315 W. Avenue B in downtown, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

For information, call 254-298-5172.

Free guided tours of the historic Lampasas County Courthouse are offered each Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., except for major holiday weekends. Tour attendees will see the water level mark of the 1957 Mother’s Day flood, as well as the stately second floor courtroom and clock tower works on the third floor. The courthouse is on the downtown square, 501 E. Fourth St. Take the Loop 257 exit off U.S. Highway 190. For more information, contact Linda Moore-Lanning at 512-564-5122 or Jim Rutland at 512-556-5302, during regular business hours.

Clubs, Meetings The Copperas Cove Bass Club meetings are

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

held at the Lil Tex Restaurant in Copperas Cove on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Call 254-661-9274.

The Killeen Civic Art Guild has open studio time from 5 to 8 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and offers various workshops from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at the Killeen Arts & Activities Center, 802 N. Second St., Suite D 100. Contact Jutta Mack at jmack1@hot.rr.com, call 254-466-4040 or go to www.facebook. com/KCAG1963.

Fundraisers Gift City is partnering with vendors, businesses and nonprofits to sponsor a communitywide garage sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 1 at Gift City, 306 E. Avenue D, Killeen. Activities include raffles, dance, jewelry making and a car show. Proceeds will go to gift a local high school graduate continuing on to college or trade school.

For information or to become a vendor, performer or to display classic cars and trucks, contact Faye Thomas at 254-2907974.

Planetarium Several films are now showing at the Mayborn Science Theater at Central Texas College. Matinee shows are $5 per person and the Saturday evening shows are $7 for adults and $6 for children younger than the age of 12. Discounts are offered to active-duty military, senior citizens and members. For show descriptions, full schedule and ticket prices, go to www. starsatnight.org or call 254-526-1800.

Have upcoming events to include? Email events@kdhnews.com.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

[ Dining in ]

Homefront | 13

Patricia Beck | Detroit Free Press

Battered and fried, these fish tacos spice up Lenten Fridays

By Susan Selasky Detroit Free Press

On Fridays during Lent, many Christians are avoiding meat. And while there are lots of fish fries around town featuring traditional fish and chips, these fish tacos are a nice way to spice up the routine.

Fish tacos continue to be popular.

Many area restaurants offer fish tacos on their menus on a regular basis and some even more during Lent. The fish is prepared in many ways: battered and fried, sauteed, grilled or baked.

The fish in this recipe is battered and served on warm tortillas with crunchy cabbage and topped with a cilantro tartar sauce. Any firm fish such as tilapia or mahi-mahi can be used in place of cod. You can also substitute any variety of tartar sauce.

FISH TACOS WITH CILANTRO TARTAR SAUCE

Makes: 12 tacos Preparation time: 15 minutes Total time: 1 hour Use any firm fish for this recipe. Mahimahi and tilapia also work well.

CILANTRO TARTAR SAUCE 1 cup low-fat mayonnaise 1/3 cup cilantro, freshly chopped 1 tablespoon lime juice 2 tablespoons capers, plus a little caper juice 1 small jalapeño pepper, minced (with seeds, if desired) FISH 1¼ to 1½ pounds cod fillets 1 cup Drake’s Crispy Frymix (or favorite fish-fry mix) 1/3 cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon favorite chili powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup oil for frying 12 flour tortillas (5- to 6-inch size) FOR SERVING 2 cups finely shredded cabbage 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1 avocado, halved, pitted, diced To make the tartar sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Set aside. You can make this a day in advance.

To make the fish: Rinse and pat dry the cod fillets well. Cut fillets into 2-by-1-inch pieces. Set aside.

Place the fry mix in a bowl. Whisk in ½ to 3/4 cup water. The batter should be very thin, like pancake batter. On a shallow dish or pie plate, mix the flour, cayenne pepper, chili powder and salt and black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

When ready to fry, in a large nonstick

skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. The oil should cover the bottom and come up at least ¼ inch in the skillet.

Working in batches, dredge several pieces of fish in the flour mixture and then dip in the batter, allowing the excess batter to drip off.

Place in the hot oil and fry on all sides until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep the fish hot. Repeat with remaining fish.

Microwave the flour tortillas to warm.

To assemble, place some cabbage on each tortilla. Top with 2 to 3 pieces of fish and a dollop of tartar. Garnish with green onions and diced avocado.

From and tested by Susan Selasky in the Free Press Test Kitchen.

Analysis per 1 taco with Cilantro Tartar Sauce: 290 calories (45 percent from fat), 15 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 27 g carbohydrates, 15 g protein, 644 mg sodium, 29 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber.

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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Making mac and cheese, for the first or the 1,000th time

By Amy Scattergood Los Angeles Times

If your household includes children, you likely lost count long ago of the number of bowls of macaroni and cheese you’ve made, ordered at restaurants, microwaved or poured out of a box. As if by some collective agreement, the stuff becomes locked into our food psyches from an absurdly early age, the very definition of comfort food.

There’s good reason for this, of course. A bowl of pasta loaded with cheese sauce is a 3-year-old’s version of the crispy baguette and excellent French Camembert that is for some of us a staple food of adulthood. (Some kids jump straight to this. I have happy memories of attending elementary school basketball games with my younger daughter, whose love for ripe cheeses exiled us to the upper bleachers.) And as with many simple recipes, the dish hinges on the quality of its ingredients. Also, if you’re going to make pot after pot of the stuff, it should be good. Most of all? You’ll want your kid to make it for herself as soon as is reasonably possible.

The best reason for making mac and cheese is the cheese itself. As with fondue, a pot of melted cheese sauce is by nature forgiving: You can grate whatever odds and ends you have in your cheese drawer into a pot and they can coalesce into something quite marvelous. But it’s also an occasion to source the good stuff, to turn the production of your dinner into a kind of cheeseplate tasting menu. Head to your local cheesemonger (your kid will appreciate both word and job description) and get some Montgomery’s cheddar from England, or Vermont’s Cabot clothbound cheddar or Hook’s aged cheddar from Wisconsin. If you haven’t tried Gruyère in your mac and cheese, you’re missing out. Nutty and slightly sweet, the Swiss cheese has a complex and highly addictive earthy flavor when aged — and it’s often done in actual caves, something else your kid will appreciate. And if you usually just grate Parmesan over pasta or bowls of spaghetti and meatballs, then you’ll likely enjoy adding it to your cheese sauce; the pungent,

Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times

salty cheese gives further dimension to the flavors and means you don’t need to add any more salt than what’s in the pasta water.

You can also think of a pot of mac and cheese as an object lesson. If you break down the components, you have a surprisingly extensive tutorial on basic kitchen techniques in the short space between your counter and stovetop. The mound of pasta, for starters, is an occasion to discuss the relationship between sauce and noodle, how the consistency of the former matches with the shape, size and texture of the latter to create a particularly great dish.

Imagine mac and cheese made with lasagna, orzo, vermicelli, fideo. No. Then

there’s the tragedy of overcooked pasta.

If your kid learns how to cook her noodles properly al dente in elementary school, then you have passed on a gift that will last a lifetime.

You can achieve a perfectly creditable mac and cheese without making a roux. My mother went her whole life without making one, just grating Velveeta and then, mercifully, real cheese, into a pot of warm pasta and milk for our dinner. But making a roux is a lot easier than it sounds — you just cook flour and butter for a while. It also sounds pretty impressive. You can then segue naturally into a discussion of mother sauces, and graduate to making béchamel and velouté. Or, if your kid is

interested in Cajun and Creole cooking, and why would she not be, then gumbo and étouffée. Either way, making a roux is fun, does not take long, and can even be slightly meditative once you get the hang of it. When she was younger, my daughter would stare intently at the pan as she whisked, the timer set, to make sure it didn’t burn. Now she reads Victorian novels while she stirs.

The beautiful thing about mac and cheese is that you’re not going to grow out of it. You’ll crave it at odd moments, wanting a soothing pot of it, as one of my daughters prefers it, or preferring it baked until crunchy and golden, as my other daughter likes it. (Do not buy bread crumbs for the baked version

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if you can help it; instead, use stale baguettes and pulverize them in a food processor.) It’s a dish that migrates from afternoon homework sessions to dorm room kitchens to, some day, maybe more children.

And as your kid’s palette changes, you’ll find that mac and cheese can be dressed up with other stuff (bacon, truffles) and that it is an utterly fantastic conduit for hot sauce. My daughter’s current favorite addition to the basic recipe she’s been making since third grade? A shaker of bhut jolokia salt.

I like to think of it as our kitchen version of the American dream: from loaves of Velveeta to ghost chiles, in one generation.

MAC AND CHEESE

Time: 45 to 65 minutes.

Serves: 8 to 12

1 pound elbow macaroni ¼ cup (½ stick) butter ¼ cup flour 2 cups milk, more if needed ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 fresh bay leaves 2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese 2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated cheddar cheese 1¼ cups (about 4 ounces) Parmesan cheese, divided ½ cup bread crumbs 1. If baking the mac and cheese, heat the oven to 400 degrees and butter a 13- by 9-inch baking or casserole dish.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni to the

Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times

water and cook until it is just al dente, stirring occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking together and to the bottom of the pot. Drain the macaroni in a colander, then place into a large bowl and set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. When it’s melted, quickly whisk in the flour to keep it from clumping and to form a roux. Reduce the heat and continue to cook the roux, whisking constantly, for two minutes.

4. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking.

Add the pepper and bay leaves. Increase the temperature until the mixture begins to simmer, still whisking, and cook until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. Remove from heat and fish out the bay leaves, using a pair of tongs or spoon.

5. Gradually add the Gruyère and cheddar cheeses, along with 1 cup of Parmesan to the sauce, stirring until the cheese is melted. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in additional milk, a tablespoon or so at a

time. When the cheese sauce is smooth, pour it over the bowl of pasta and stir until combined. Serve if desired.

6. To bake the mac and cheese, spoon the mixture into the baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the remaining Parmesan cheese and sprinkle the mixture over the pasta. Bake until the bread crumbs are golden brown and the mac and cheese is bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Note: From Amy Scattergood.

Call 254-501-7500 (Killeen) or 254-778-4444 (Temple)

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Wednesday, March 29, 2017