Noodle salad in memory of friend

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, January 19, 2006

As we mentioned in the Jan. 11 Forum column, in addition to one basic recipe with identical ingredients, but in widely varying amounts, readers also sent in favorite recipes for Chinese noodle salad that differ radically from the printed do-it-your-way salad.

Here’s one of those, and it comes to us by way of a letter from Everett cook Darrol Bemis, who tells us, “My friend, Linnea Mattox of Lake Roosevelt, passed away some time ago, but she and her husband Ray Mattox were from Everett and owned Ray’s Plumbing for some years past.

“I send this recipe in Linnea’s memory, as this was a favorite of hers, and I have to recall it as best I can.”

Linnea’s favorite Chinese noodle salad

1package (16 ounces) Rose brand Chinese noodles (found in Asian food section at most supermarkets)

1-2cans whole water chestnuts, drained and chopped

2cans broken shrimp pieces

1package (16 ounces) frozen peas, thawed

16ounces bottled ranch dressing

8ounces sour cream (optional)

1/2cup buttermilk (optional)

Dash garlic powder

Cook noodles in lightly salted water until tender; drain well and turn into large bowl. Add water chestnuts, shrimp pieces, peas, ranch dressing and, if desired, sour cream and buttermilk. Add garlic powder and combine ingredients until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

SOS: It’s “that” time again, time to ask for/donate soup labels, box tops and such, and used greeting cards. So here we go:

If you, your school, group, organization or whatever is collecting these items, and you’d like to cash in on readers’ donations, please write to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

Remember to be specific about what you want – soup labels, box tops, proofs-of-purchase and/or used greeting cards. Possibly also such things that might otherwise go into the garbage, such as yogurt or cottage cheese cartons, frosting containers, etc., which might be useful for arts and crafts or other projects.

You must also include a name, complete address with ZIP code and, if you feel comfortable about having it in print, your telephone number with area code. Please DO NOT use only an e-mail address – this infuriates Forum folks who do not have or have access to a computer, and it’s also maddening for those wishing to donate, but who prefer to mail or otherwise get these items to you.

And one more thing – sorry, but it’s simply not possible, in this particular case, to pass along your personal e-mail message or letter to someone else you may have or think you may have known in the past. So please don’t contact us, expecting a bypass to this rule.

The next Forum will appear in Monday’s Time Out section.