Homefront Magazine September 2016

HOMEFRONT A Fort Hood Herald publication | September 28, 2016

Local groups plans Vietnam Memorial P10 | Killeen native a star performer P8

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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

[ Inside this issue ] Holding Down the Homefront: Texas transplant misses fall

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Financial Fitness: Social Security and military spouses

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Financial Fitness: Five truths about working from home

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Financial Fitness: Navigate health care for long-term goals

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In the Field: Killeen native an AFCENT Star Performer

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In the Classroom: CTC gets military best practices award

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On the Homefront: Group plans local Vietnam War Memorial

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On the Homefront: Protect your family from the flu

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Dining In: Make mouth-watering mac and cheese

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Dining In: Raising the bar on terrific treats

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Vol. 9, Issue 9 | September 28, 2016 Homefront is a Fort Hood Herald publication.

Contact Us Editor: David A. Bryant | dbryant@kdhnews.com | 254-501-7554 Contributors: Abbey Sinclair | Val Valdez On the cover: A rendering of the proposed Vietnam Memorial

by Salado artist Troy Kelley. Courtesy image.

Find more news at forthoodherald.com.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Homefront |

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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Texas transplant comes to grips with autumn in Lone Star state

A

utumn, the season of pumpkins, turkeys and Halloween candy galore, has always been my favorite time of the year.

This is probably because some of my best memories are tied into this season — raking leaves with my family as a kid, visiting apple orchards and decorating the house for Halloween.

Unfortunately, it’s like the great state of Texas is ignoring the season. It’s nearly the end of September, but it still feels like we are in the worst dog days of summer (“Summer part-two,” someone called it on social media).

This winter, I will bask in delight as I tell my family back home about the awesome weather we are enjoying while they slog through ice and the grey mush of last week’s snow storm.

But for now, I’m positively miserable.

It’s always the same sad story — at the start of each new week, I eagerly assess the weather forecast on my phone, only to be disappointed yet again. The days are supposed to be getting cooler, but the exact opposite is happening — it’s

HOlding down the Homefront Abbey Sinclair

only getting hotter. How am I to enjoy a hot cup of spiced anything, wear my sweaters and crunch leaves when it’s 97 degrees outside? This is not fall.

As any military spouse can understand, living in different locations can be an eye-opening experience. Sometimes, it’s a good thing — like being able to appreciate different cultures and meeting new friends. But sometimes it can leave you feeling a bit wistful, too. That sacred period of time you always took for granted no longer

seems to exist.

I’m no rookie to the letdown. After all, this is my second Texas fall.

Before that, I endured three autumns in Louisiana. Neither one is exactly a hotbed of pumpkin patches and apple orchards, but I figured I could handle it.

And I like Texas, truly, I do — the big, open skies, the pretty cacti, the cute little lizards that hang out in our backyard. Like every state, it has it’s own special aspects. But sadly, I just wasn’t prepared for how much my love of the season would overcome me during these past five years.

Maybe you’re a longtime Texas resident who is reading this and thinking, “What’s the big deal?” The big deal is, without trying to sound pretentious, all of the amazing experiences you’ve been missing out on — things like crisp, cool air that brings with it a feeling of nostalgia and just the faintest whisper of cozy nights to come bundled up on the couch before a fire. Or, the incredible smell of ripe apples from your local farm stand that doesn’t even

compare to fruit found in a grocery store. It’s leaves crunching under your feet as you observe breathtaking colors all around you, or smell cinnamon on your way into a store and think, “Yep, it’s really fall,” because it actually feels like fall.

For anyone who has never experienced such things, words can do little justice in describing this decadent season and I would really encourage you to find out for yourself one day.

As for me, I’ve been coping the best I can — jacking up the AC in my house as I drink my hot pumpkin-spice coffee, pretending that the leaf that just crunched under my foot is there because it’s fall and not because it died of heat stroke, and changing the wallpaper on my computer to a photo of an autumn wonderland — generally, living in a fantasy world in my head. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with that, right?

After all, it’s almost Halloween.

Abbey Sinclair is a Herald correspondent and a military spouse. She lives in Killeen.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

[ Financial Fitness ]

Homefront |

Social Security another reason for military spouses to seek employment

By Ingrid Bruns and Robert Steen Courtesy of USAA

A recent Blue Star Families study revealed the challenges military families face while those on active duty serve our country: Military spouse unemployment rates are 1.55 times higher than their civilian counterparts.

A new Blue Star report, “Social Cost Analysis of the Unemployment and Underemployment of Military Spouses,” said the economic costs to society from the high rates of unemployment, underemployment and reduced labor force participation among U.S. military spouses could top $1 billion.

The eye-opening findings of the study show that in addition to hurting families and military retention, military spouse unemployment has a profound economic impact.

One of the ways unemployment could negatively affect you as a military spouse, especially if you are female, is your future opportunity to collect Social Security. Here are some

reasons why taking even a part-time job at some duty locations may be what you need to receive this benefit: Social Security is especially beneficial for women.

• Women tend to earn less than men, take more time out of the paid workforce, live longer, accumulate less savings and receive smaller pensions, making Social Security an especially important part of their retirement income.

• According to the Center on Budget

and Policy Priorities, women make up 56% of Social Security beneficiaries age 62 and older and 66 percent of beneficiaries age 85 and older. In addition, 97 percent of Social Security survivor beneficiaries are women.

• Women benefit more from Social Security’s inflation-protected benefits because they tend to live longer than men, tend to have lower earnings and often receive benefits as a spouse and later as a survivor.

Women shouldn’t expect to rely solely on a spouse’s Social Security.

• Women tend to have more career interruptions and family commitments.

Starting your earnings record early is important, because it may be harder to re-enter the workforce later.

• Having your own Social Security benefits can allow you and your spouse more flexibility in claiming strategies.

• Divorce can complicate claiming a spouse’s Social Security benefits.

Earning Social Security credits isn’t hard to do.

• Anyone born in 1929 or later needs 10 years of work (40 credits) to be eligible for retirement benefits.

• In 2016, you receive one credit for each $1,260 of earnings, up to the maximum of four credits per year.

• Under those rules, a spouse only needs to earn $5,040 per year in 2016 to receive four credits. Assuming she earns the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, that’s 696 hours of work needed per year, or about 14 hours per week.

| Homefront

[ Financial Fitness ]

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Looking for a job? Five truths about working from home

By Angela Caban Courtesy of USAA

For many of us, working from home is a wonderful option. I know it was for me as a mom of two, graduate student and military spouse. My husband was away so much for training and this left me solo parenting for most of the time. However, I knew that I didn’t want to let my career take the back seat and working from home helped me keep my professional skills sharp. I also could not see myself shelling out hundreds of dollars a week on day care for the children, when I could easily stay home and work. Sounds great, right? However, it may seem a little too good to be true. And it surely was harder six years ago when I was job searching and organizations were hesitant about hiring a remote employee.

As someone who has worked from home for the past six years, I have gained just a little insight on the gift of working from home. I like to call this insight, work from home truths.

As someone who has worked from home for the past six years, I have gained just a little insight on the gift of working from home.

It hasn’t been an easy ride, I’ve experienced the occasional ups and downs; however, I consider myself so darn lucky to have had this type of opportunity. What truths have I learned these past six years? Here are five truths about working from home: Lack of a college degree does not mean you cannot work from home. I did not earn my degree until later in life (28 years old) and I was gainfully employed for many years before doing so. Many professions do not require a degree, but can still generate a healthy second income from home.

Work-from-home jobs are not scams and are a genuine opportunity to make money. Certain professionals actually find it more comfortable to work from their home, myself included. Having the freedom of the 30-second commute to my desk is fantastic. No, I do not stuff envelopes, and no I do not write chain letters. There are real opportunities out there!

You will need awesome time management skills to pull it off. Companies measure employees by their productivity. If you do not produce results, you are out of there. When working from home, especially with small children, it is important you carve chunks of time throughout the day that are devoted specifically to your job. There may be times when you need to arrange childcare or only work during school hours.

Everyone’s schedules will vary and your company might require you to be connected at certain times of the day, but time management is a key to success.

You might need to spend money to

make money. I recently participated in a discussion with one of the leaders for civilian workforce development in the National Guard. One of our remote employees asked what she looked for in a consultant (in our case, someone who works from home). The leader shared professional organization memberships and training were key indicators of a successful consultant. Consider joining professional organizations related to your field and take advantage of any training opportunities out there.

They can be expensive, but very helpful in the end. Many companies will pay a certain amount per year for training.

If you get discouraged, you are less likely to keep looking. Keep looking for opportunities. Remote positions are out there. The internet can be very daunting when it comes to work-from-home opportunities. Every link may promise the moon and you may find that as you dig deeper, things are not what they seem. I encourage you to be careful and be smart, but keep looking.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

[ Financial Fitness ]

Homefront |

Navigate health care enrollment with a long-term plan in mind

By Sean Scaturro Courtesy of USAA

Choosing the right employer-provided health insurance can be like pulling teeth. And just like a painful trip to the dentist, being unprepared or underinformed regarding your health care can be painful on your wallet as well. Since many companies’ annual health care enrollment period occurs in the fourth quarter, now is the time to become educated to make the right choices for your financial situation. Consider the following questions when navigating your enrollment period: What has changed in your life? Big life events such as the birth of a child, a marriage or job moves may qualify you to change your health care plan outside the open enrollment period. Is there anything on the horizon that may change your health care needs?

What is changing in your health care plan? Review your plan to determine whether there are changes in your monthly premium, prescription drug benefits or co-pay and coinsurance amounts. If your plan is going to cost more, consider how that will affect your monthly budget. Many employers are making the shift toward high-deductible health care plans, which typically have lower monthly premiums

but carry a higher out-of-pocket responsibility for the insured. According to a 2015 Kaiser Family Foundation report, 24 percent of U.S. workers were covered by a HDHP in 2015, compared with 8 percent in 2009, and almost half of those employees had deductibles over $1,000. If your plan is making a big shift, do your homework and talk to a financial advisor before your enrollment period.

How does your health insurance affect your financial plan? Were your out-of-pocket medical costs typical during the past year? Without having a grasp on your personal medical costs, you could be forced to rely on credit cards or spend retirement savings, resulting in interest fees or taxes and penalties, respectively. At a minimum, it is important to budget for your deductible and keep in mind your ability to tackle bigger unplanned expenses. If your plan offers optional coverage such as dental or vision insurance, consider your needs and each plan’s advantages and disadvantages. Having comprehensive health coverage can help keep your long-term financial plan on track.

The “right” health insurance plan is one individualized based on your age, your family dynamic, current health and plans for the future. Don’t put off doing your homework so you can choose wisely.

To be prepared, you must think long term

Capt. Ernest C. “Cliff” Francis Jr. and his wife, Barbara, were healthy in 1999, but the Navy retiree bought long-term care insurance anyway. It turned out to be a wise decision.

In 2000, Barbara needed triple bypass surgery and then suffered a stroke.

Their plan paid $100 a day for a nursing assistant, plus it continued paying when Barbara entered a memory facility and later when she was transferred to a nursing home. From the time of her surgery until her death in 2015, the policy paid about $460,000 for her care.

“I’d have been in the poorhouse without it,” Francis said.

Unexpected medical expenses can derail your retirement. Not everyone will need long-term care, but USAA professionals recommend that everyone develop a plan to pay for it.

“It’s easy to say, ‘I’m not going to pay for this now because I’m healthy and happy,’ but you just never know,” said Eileen Lieby, a USAA product management director.

Consider these tips on long-term care insurance: • Shop for a policy early. Understand your options. Some plans cap how much they pay. Others may increase payouts based on inflation.

• If you’re buying a policy later in life, talk to your financial advisor or call USAA at 800-531-5321 to understand how to make long-term care coverage fit with your financial plan.

• If you don’t qualify for a plan, talk to your financial advisor to make sure you’re saving enough to cover long-term care should the need arise.

Courtesy of USAA

| Homefront

[ IN The Field ]

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Star performer: enhancing professional development while deployed

By Sgt. Aura E. Conejos 32d AAMDC Public Affairs

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar — Killeen native Staff. Sgt. Ramon Charriez, air defense artillery operations noncommissioned officer, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (forward), received the U.S. Air Forces Central Command commander’s coin from Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, Sept.

13, at the 609th Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.

Charriez was selected as the AFCENT Star Performer due to his outstanding performance of duties from May through August.

Charriez has been in the Army since 2005 and is currently serving his first deployment. He has been a member of 32nd AAMDC since February 2015.

Charriez created the Integrated Air and Missile Defense academic program for Defense Row for the unit’s deployed team. The program encompasses basic NCO professional development and Sergeant’s Time training.

The basic tenet of NCO professional development and related training is to develop and strengthen the knowledge, skills and abilities to train, deploy and lead soldiers. It is a key to leader development while fostering an environment that encourages self-development as a lifelong learning process.

“When I was a young NCO, Sergeant’s Time training was the bread and butter for you to show off your skills as a leader,” said Charriez.

A leader’s ability to train soldiers will often fall by the wayside when

Courtesy photo

Staff. Sgt. Ramon Charriez, Air Defense Artillery operations noncommissioned officer, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (forward), receives the U.S. Air Forces Central Command commander’s coin from Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian on Sept. 13 at the 609th Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Charriez was selected as the AFCENT Star Performer due to his performance of duties from May through August.

desk duties take precedence, but it is stated in the NCO Creed that all soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership and NCOs will provide that leadership.

Charriez added a leader cannot be a effective if they are unable to train others.

The IAMD program is implemented through a group of NCOs who outnum-

ber the amount of soldiers deployed forward, which provides greater oneon-one level training.

Charriez was acting as the plans officers and NCO in-charge, 32nd AAMDC theater Army air and missile coordinator, U.S. Army Central liaison officer for a period of three weeks during this time, as well.

He was surprised to receive the selec-

tion as the AFCENT Star Performer from May to August, though.

Making the program for training is a weekly habit, so monthly planning is too easy, said Charriez.

“I really don’t go looking for things like that,” concluded Charriez, “To me, I was just doing my job. My boss told me something needs to be done, so that’s what I did.”

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

[ In the Classroom ]

Homefront |

CTC presented PLA Military Best Practice Institution in Texas award From left, Johnelle Welsh, CTC dean — Student Services; Tina Ady, CTC deputy chancellor — U.S. Campus Operations; receive the PLA Best in Practices award from Diane Tompkins, coordinator — Prior Learning Assessment PLA Portal Project.

Special to Homefront Magazine

Central Texas College was recently recognized as a leader among colleges offering students college credit for military training and experience. The Prior Learning Assessment Military Best Practice Institution in Texas award was recently presented to CTC by Diane Tompkins and Tricia Thomas-Anderson of Eastfield Community College The award is funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board through a Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement grant.

“The PLA Portal Project sought to recognize a Texas institution of higher education for innovative model development and enhancement to evaluate and award veteran students credit for military training, experience and prior learning,” said Tompkins, coordinator of the Prior Learning Assessment Portal Project. “While other colleges and universities had impressive prior learning assessment military practices, Central Texas College rated the overall highest score of those we reviewed.”

CTC was cited for ease and accessibility of its programs awarding military credit — Fast Forward and College Credit for Heroes — and the effectiveness of both programs Initiated last summer, Fast Forward offers students a cursory credit review of military training. It not only provides an immediate idea of potential evaluated credit, but also allows prospective students to see how that credit would apply to any of CTC’s degrees and certificates and gives students a personalized tuitioncost calculator which can help them determine an estimated cost to complete

Courtesy | CTC

their degree plan Fast Forward also allows students to do a live job search for employment opportunities in their area based on their chosen degree plan and will allow students to build or submit their resume online.

The CTC College Credit for Heroes website was launched in 2012 as part of the Texas Workforce Commission’s College Credit for Heroes program.

Students can search the College Credit for Heroes databases for recommended college credits that may be awarded for military occupations, military courses, Community College of the Air Force courses and designated nationally recognized examinations (CLEP, DANTES

and Excelsior).

On the website, students can request an official evaluation of their military experience and training through the program and may request an unofficial evaluation before initiating the formal process if they have a copy of their military transcripts. They can also request a transcript of awarded credits be sent to a participating Texas college of their choice, check the status of an evaluation and/or transcript request and upload, view and download military evaluation results and related documents.

The PLA Portal Project for Prior Learning Assessment was designed

by an administrative team at Eastfield College in partnership with the North Texas Community College Consortium and Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Its goal is to increase the capacity of post-secondary institutions in Texas to provide innovative assessment options in awarding college credit toward programs of study for prior career or military training and experiential learning. To date, the project has provided training for personnel at more than 50 colleges and universities throughout the state of Texas in the areas of professional development for competency-based education and prior learning assessment.

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[ On the homefront ]

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Local group plans Vietnam War Memorial

A rendering of the proposed Vietnam War Memorial for the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen by Salado artist Troy Kelley.

By Val Valdez Homefront correspondent

H

Courtesy image

ARKER HEIGHTS — Bill Whittaker walked through the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery three years ago for the dedication of the Korean War memorial, but the Vietnam veteran felt something was missing.

There was no memorial for the Vietnam War. “I thought, ‘That’s not right, and we have to do something about it,’” said Whittaker, president of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 1000.

That started the ball Whittaker rolling for the fund-raising and design of a Vietnam memorial at the cemetery. In a chapter meeting at VFW Post 3892 in Harker Heights on Monday, board members discussed their fund-raising efforts and the memorial’s design.

“This memorial will be “dedicated to the men and women who died in Vietnam,” he said. “We have raised $43,000 for the memorial, and paid $12,000 down for the four black granite panels.”

The total for the panels is $23,400, with costs for the engraving estimated at about $20,000. The granite panels are coming from a quarry in India and will be engraved by Central Texas Memorial Company in Belton.

Emerson Construction Company in Temple is donating the foundation the memorial will stand on.

Donations for the memorial have come from local churches, businesses, private citizens and some other veteran and civic organizations.

Salado sculptor and Vietnam veteran Troy Kelley, who designed and built the Fort Hood Nov 5, 2009, Memorial, offered his design services for free.

“It’s basically a combination of all Vietnam veterans in the Central Texas area, but Chapter 1000 has taken the lead on the memorial with all the fundraising,” Kelley said.

“As I thought about the design, I realized ‘The Wall’ in Washington, D.C.,

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

[ On the homefront ]

Homefront | 11

Val Valdez | Homefront

Board members of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 1000, met on Sept. 19 for an update on the fundraising and design of the Vietnam memorial.

is the iconic symbol of the Vietnam War,” he said.

So his design resembles “The Wall.”

The memorial will stand 6 feet tall and slope to 4 feet, measuring 12 feet wide. Its 126-degree angle matches the angle of “The Wall” and each panel is 8 inches thick.

A 5-foot-wide, handicap-accessible sidewalk will surround the memorial, which will be located below the bell

tower with a bench in front. Additional funds may be needed to pay for the sidewalk.

The headline is WELCOME HOME. Also on the panels are the five seals of the services and the seals of the Vietnam Commemoration. Located on the far right panel will be the POW /MIA seal. Below the seals will be personal sayings and quotes of Vietnam veterans.

Don Kennedy, a Vietnam veteran and Chapter 1000 treasurer, wrote a poem about the war before he recently died that Kelley wants to include as the first engraved quote.

Along the bottom of the panels will be engraved images depicting the equipment used by each service branch during the war, like the F-4 aircraft, a Swiftboat and a Huey helicopter.

One of the quotes is from authors Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway, who wrote, “The country that sent us off to war was not there to welcome us home.” That statement sums up what occurred to many Vietnam veterans, Kelley edited.

To donate to the project, checks can be mailed to Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1000, P.O. Box 2123, Harker Heights, TX 76548.

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[ On the homefront ]

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Flu coming soon near you: Is your family ready to stop illness?

By Ronald W. Wolf Army Medicine

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — National Immunization Awareness Month — August — has passed. Are you preparing your family to be safe from influenza?

The flu is coming. The most important step in preventing flu is for the entire family to get a flu vaccination each year.

All active duty service members, Reserve component personnel and Department of Defense civilian health care personnel are required to be immunized against the influenza every year.

But the entire Army family — spouses, children, retirees and other Department of the Army civilians — should plan to get vaccinated as well. In general, children need to be 6 months or older to be vaccinated, but ask your physician.

The old adage — an ounce of prevention — never applied more than it does here. No one wants to catch the flu if it can be avoided. Everyone who has had it knows about the muscle aches and pains,

runny noses, sore throats, coughs, fever and headaches. It is highly contagious and dangerous.

The Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention tracked data on the flu for more than 30 years from 1976 to 2007.

In those years, the number of deaths from flu in the United States ranged about 3,000 to a high of nearly 50,000 people. Most deaths associated with the flu, between 80 and 90 percent, occur in people 65 years and older. That’s why older retirees need the flu vaccination.

Children must also be guarded from the flu and that’s what you do when you get yourself vaccinated. Reducing your risk for flu reduces their risk as well.

Although anyone can get the flu — even healthy people — some people are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications. In addition to people 65 years or older, this higher risk category includes people of any age with chronic medical conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women and young children.

Bacterial pneumonia, ear infections and sinus infections are also possible consequences of the flu.

Vaccination is associated with lower rates of some cardiac events among people with heart disease and reduced hospitalizations for people with diabetes and chronic lung disease.

The CDC does not recommend this year’s FluMist product. Concern exists as to whether it protects against the expected flu for the winter of 2016-2017.

DoD will only offer — and Tricare will only cover — the injectable influenza vaccine for the 2016-17 influenza season.

The DoD anticipates no shortage of influenza vaccine at military medical activities. Civilian Tricare beneficiaries, including family members and retirees, can get the influenza vaccine from military installations, but checking in advance to make sure the vaccine is available could save time.

This brings us right back to the most important point: the greater the number of people who get vaccinated against

the flu, the lower the likelihood flu can spread through the community — including to your family.

Flu vaccination also reduces the risk that someone in your family might need hospitalization and reduces the risk for hospital admission for adults of all ages, especially adults 50 or older and for children.

Flu vaccination also may make your illness milder if you do get sick.

Vaccination helps protect women during pregnancy and their babies for up to 6 months after they are born.

Preventive actions (staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and frequent hand washing) help slow the spread of flu viruses and other illnesses. Hand sanitizers can help, too.

Flu season runs from October until May. If you or a family member gets the flu, stay home, stay hydrated and stay safe. And when flu shots are available, encourage your family members to get vaccinated right away.

[ Dining In ]

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Homefront | 13

This crazy-good mac and cheese is surprisingly easy to make

By Leslie Brenner The Dallas Morning News

Did you think only chefs could make great mac and cheese? It’s actually much easier to do at home than you might think. You don’t even need fancy Italian bronze-die pasta — supermarket elbow mac is just fine. Try it. It’s so good you may never order it in a restaurant again.

CLASSIC MAC AND CHEESE

This can be made ahead and baked just before eating.

1 pound elbow macaroni ½ stick butter, plus another tablespoon or so for buttering the baking dish and dotting on top of the bread crumbs 2/3 cup finely chopped onion (about half a smallish onion) 3 tablespoons flour 2 cups whole milk 9 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (a tad less than 3 cups)

Leslie Brenner | Dallas Morning News

6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan (divided) Freshly ground white pepper 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco or pepper sauce Salt to taste ½ cup plain bread crumbs Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook till al dente, about 4-5 minutes. Drain in a colander. While it’s cooking, butter a large baking dish.

In the same pot, melt the half-stick of butter over medium-low heat, add the chopped onion and saute until the it’s soft

and translucent, 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle on the flour, stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the milk, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, till it’s a smooth, velvety white sauce — about 6 minutes. Stir in the cheddar cheese, 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan, about 10 grindings of white pepper and the Tabasco and stir until the cheese is completely melted. Add the drained macaroni and stir it carefully and completely to coat all the pasta with the sauce. Taste, and add salt to taste if necessary (some cheese is saltier than others, so you may not need any).

Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining Parmesan. Turn the macaroni mixture into the baking dish, smooth it on top with the back of a spoon, and top with the bread crumb mixture. Dot here and there with butter (total of about half a tablespoon).

Bake about 20 minutes, till the top is golden brown. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving — or not, if you can’t wait!

Serves 6.

SOURCE: Leslie Brenner

14 | Homefront

[ Dining In ]

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Raising the bar for terrific treats

By Noelle Carter Los Angeles Times

Cookie bars, sliced pie squares, granola bars and crisped rice treats.

Whether topped with a drizzle of chocolate or crumbly streusel, bars are the go-to treats for bake sales and school lunches, perfect for potlucks and office parties, or simply a snack when you’re on the run.

Unpretentious and unapolo-getically old-school, bars are the stuff of Betty Crocker and “The Joy of Cooking,” tapping into our childhood nostalgia for food enjoyed on school buses and at soccer practice. And it seems almost anything counts as a bar, so long as it’s baked or assembled in a casserole dish or baking pan — with plenty of sweetness to spare.

Cookies baked as bars have an almost cakelike quality, as oatmeal, peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies are transformed into thick wedges, crisp on top and gooey-soft in the center. Shortbread works well on its own or as a crust supporting a variety of toppings.

Cover shortbread with lemon curd and powdered sugar, or glaze it with a thick coating of caramel and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt. Adding a touch of baking powder to the shortbread will lighten the crumb, making the cookie base easier to cut into bars.

Or take your favorite granola recipe and convert it into bars. Keep in mind that, as opposed to traditional granola, which is spread out on a sheet pan and slowly toasted, homemade granola bars will require additional baking time to give them a chance to set up, and they will probably be more delicate than the packaged bars you find at the store.

Vary the flavorings and sweeteners to suit your tastes and use up ingredients you have on hand.

Depending on the recipe, coconut oil often makes a great vegan substitution for cookies such as shortbread or sables. For a crumbly berry bar, top a sable-inspired cookie base with jam and fresh berries or fruit, then crumble more of the cookie mixture on top. The sweet-tart notes of the fruit complement the richness of the cookie, and

your guests might never guess the treat is vegan.

Sometimes the best bars are the ones that require little, if any, effort at all.

“No-bake” bars are simple to make, generally calling for just a handful of ingredients. Bind cereal, crumbled graham crackers or cookies with melted marshmallow or peanut butter, pressing the mixture into a baking dish or pan. Top the bars with a layer of chocolate and a scattering of nuts or sprinkles, and refrigerate to set.

While most cookies, pies and even some cake recipes can be converted to bars, keep in mind that as the recipe changes, so too will the baking time and final temperature. Ingredient ratios may also need to be tweaked so the bars bake completely with the proper texture. It’s best to look for established recipes before converting one yourself.

Perhaps best of all, bars are a great kitchen project for kids of all ages, keeping us occupied and providing the perfect school or cubicle snack all at the same time.

NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER BARS

30 minutes, plus chilling times. Makes 16 to 20 bars 1 (12-ounce) jar plus 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter, divided ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2 cups powdered sugar 1 (12-ounce) box crisped rice cereal 2½ cups chocolate chips, divided ½ to 1 cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 12 ounces peanut butter and the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

2. Crush the crisped rice cereal to a coarse meal: Pulse the cereal in batches using a food processor, or place the cereal in a large sealable plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin.

3. Add the cereal to the peanut butter mixture and beat to combine. Press the mixture into a greased 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Chill until firm.

4. Place 2 cups chocolate chips in a glass measuring cup or dish and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until

Glenn \ | Los Angeles Times

Follow a few simple steps for your own no-bake peanut butter bars.

melted and smooth. Stir in the remaining 1/3 cup peanut butter until fully combined and smooth. Spread the melted chocolate mixture over the peanut butter bars. Sprinkle over the peanuts. Melt the remaining ½ cup chocolate chips, then drizzle the melted chocolate over the peanuts. Chill until the chocolate is firm, then cut into bars.

Note: From Noelle Carter.

SALTED CARAMEL SHORTBREAD BARS

45 minutes, plus cooling times. Makes 16 to 24 bars SHORTBREAD 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 3 cups (12.75 ounces) flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix the flour and baking powder together and beat into the butter mixture.

3. Press the dough into the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

CARAMEL AND ASSEMBLY 1 1/3 cups sugar ½ cup water 1 teaspoon corn syrup 1 cup heavy cream ¼ cup (½ stick) butter 1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract Prepared cooled shortbread 1 teaspoon very coarse sea salt 1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup, stirring until the sugar has the consistency of wet sand.

Place the saucepan over high heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and begins to boil. Do not stir the sugar, as this may cause it to seize.

2. While the sugar is cooking, combine the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the sugar while you’re heating the cream to keep it from scorching. Cook until the butter melts, stirring it into the cream. When the mixture has come to a simmer, remove from heat.

3. Continue to cook the sugar until it darkens to a rich caramel color, 7 to 10 minutes — the sugar will darken quickly and noticeably and will smell faintly nutty.

Swirl the pan as the sugar darkens to judge the true color of the caramel (the sugar may darken in patches if there are hot spots on the stove). Watch carefully, as the sugar can easily overcook at this point and burn.

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4. As soon as the color is darkened to a rich caramel, remove the pan from the heat and quickly add the cream mixture in a slow, steady stream. The sugar will bubble and steam as the cream is added; be careful as both the mixture and steam are very hot. Carefully stir in the vanilla, then continue to stir until the mixture stops bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside until cool to just warm.

5. Pour the cooled caramel over the shortbread, using a spatula to push it to the edges of the dish for an even layer.

Sprinkle over the coarse salt. Refrigerate until cold, then cut into bars.

Note: From Noelle Carter.

BERRY BARS (VEGAN)

1 hour, plus cooling time.

Makes 12 to 16 bars

COOKIE BASE 1 ¼ cups refined coconut oil 1 cup vegan sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 ¼ teaspoons almond extract ¾ teaspoon salt 2 cups almond meal 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 3 cups (12.75 ounces) flour 1 cup berry jam or preserves 1 pint fresh berries 1 cup sliced almonds 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13- by 9-inch baking dish.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the coconut oil, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. By hand, stir in the almond meal, then the baking powder and flour until thoroughly incorporated. The dough will be somewhat crumbly; this is OK. 4. Place three-fourths of the dough mixture into the greased baking dish, pressing to form an even layer across the bottom of the dish.

5. Spoon the jam over the dough, spreading to form an even layer that reaches almost to the edges of the dough.

Sprinkle over the berries.

6. Add the sliced almonds to the remaining dough, pressing until the mixture will clump in your hands. Crumble the mixture over the berries and jam.

7. Bake the bars until the topping is firm and lightly browned, about 45 minutes.

Remove and cool on a rack before cutting into bars.

Note: From Noelle Carter. Sugar is often processed using animal bone char, which is unacceptable to many vegans. This recipe calls for vegan sugar (animal-free processing), which is generally available at health food markets, as well as online.

It only takes eight simple steps to make your own no-bake peanut butter bars.

Photos by Glenn Koenig | Los Angeles Times

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Wednesday, September 28, 2016