Gholstons working on library events, high school theater
by ANN CIPPERLY
OPINION —
Kate and Revel Gholston lived in various places across the country before settling in Opelika, as they found it a “warm, welcoming city.” Kate is the children’s director at Opelika Library, while Revel is the director of theater productions at Opelika High School. They are enjoying raising their family in Opelika, living near downtown where they can easily walk for dinner and enjoy activities.
When Kate and Revel moved to Opelika in 2005, they purchased a 1920-built house on Third Avenue and restored it. The house is charming with its high ceilings, beautiful wood floors, old brick and other details. The family especially enjoys the outdoor areas. Along with the front porch, they relax on a side screened porch and a back deck overlooking the spacious grounds with ancient trees.
The Gholstons have two children. Eve, who is named after Kate’s maiden name Everett, is an eighth grader, and Atticus is a fourth grader at Northside. Eve is active in dance, bowling and the tennis team for Opelika High School.
The Everett family lived in Dallas, Texas. Growing up, Kate’s father was in the Marines. When he was discharged, he accepted a position in marketing for the John Deere Tractor Company and was transferred often to different states. Kate was born in Iowa and lived there for two years before her father was transferred to Ohio for seven years. After that, they lived in Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia. In her senior year of high school, her father was promoted, and they returned to Iowa.
Kate’s mother is a good cook, and her Grandmother Betty, who lived on a ranch in Dallas, also had a love of cooking. When her Grandmother Betty visited Italy, she came home with a pasta maker and made fresh pasta dishes. Kate’s mother prepared a home cooked meal every night except on Friday nights when the family would go out for dinner.
Kate attended the University of Iowa where she met Revel, whose father is from Luverne, Alabama. Revel’s father was also transferred often, and he moved from Alabama to New Orleans, Louisiana; Chicago, Illinois; and Detroit, Michigan. Revel and Kate were married in Dallas in 2004.
One Christmas while they were visiting Revel’s aunt, Colleen Alsobrook, who lives in Opelika, he met Dr. Phil Raley, who was superintendent of Opelika City Schools at the time. Dr. Raley told Revel the high school wanted to start a theater program. He applied and received the job.
While at Opelika High School, Revel has had much success with the theater program’s plays and musicals, which have been popular. The theater group won the state one-act competition and will be performing “The Quilt” in Mobile, next month. They will be representing Alabama with one other high school.
In April, the Opelika High School theater group will present “West Side Story” at the Performing Arts Center.
Kate worked at the middle school in Opelika for 20 years and in June last year began working at the new library. She plans programs for children including story times, while Malissa Hanson works with teens. They plan activities and programs for children and youth aged kindergarten through 12th grade.
Currently, the library is featuring the exhibit “Aim High: Soaring with the Tuskegee Airmen” until April 27. It is free to the public and interactive for ages 4 to 14 years old. It provides a series of stations to promote interactive play.
About 30 programs are offered every month, such as making bird houses on national bird’s day. “We want the library to be a great place to come and gather,” said Kate. “We want to educate and inspire children to check out books while they are here. Teens have a separate space.”
Parents can sign up to receive the monthly newsletter that lists the programs. When children are out of school, different activities are offered.
Being a busy mother, Kate plans menus ahead. She and Revel prep meals on Sunday afternoon for the coming week. Kate will prepare a nice dinner on Sunday night that will make enough for at least one more meal.
She plans to have a salad every night. The family likes spaghetti, so they will have that a couple of nights. On Fridays, Kate is following her family’s tradition of dining out. They enjoy a meal together in downtown Opelika.
Kate and Revel enjoy different kinds of foods. He enjoys grilling, making breakfast foods and preparing his father’s recipe for Joe’s Jambalaya from when they lived in New Orleans for eight years. Revel is sharing that recipe while Kate is providing several family recipes.
While she doesn’t like to bake as much, Eve enjoys baking, especially cookies and cinnamon rolls. Eve made a birthday cake for her brother last year.
Kate has been thinking about making jams and jellies like her grandmother. She believes many people are starting to discover lost skills.
She will be using a new children’s book called “The Book of Forgotten Skills,” at the library during spring break. She is having a “screen break” with no iPads or phones. Every day the children will be learning a different skill from the book and making things using their hands.
“We love being here,” Kate said, “and we feel so fortunate with the school system and city. Sometimes life puts you where you should be. After Revel and I moved so much growing up, we are glad to be in one place, and our kids get to have a hometown.”
GUACAMOLE
½ onion, chopped
4-6 ripe avocados
1 tomato
Fresh juice from one lemon
Salt
Chop the onion, avocados and tomato and combine in a bowl. Then squeeze ½ to 1 whole lemon and add salt (I prefer coarse sea salt.)
Mash it all together and enjoy. I prefer a chunky guacamole, and you can add jalapenos, cilantro and anything else you might like. I always bring this to parties, and there is never any left over.
CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
My grandmother Betty lived in Dallas and would order this at the restaurant in Neiman Marcus. She later bought the cookbook and made her own version. It is delicious and filling without being heavy, and there is no dairy until the condiments.
6-8 corn tortillas, coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves
Chopped fresh cilantro (I add about a handful, but this is your preference.)
1 cup onion puree (I just throw it in the food processor.)
2 cups fresh tomato puree (I also just throw it in the food processor.)
1 Tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
2 bay leaves
4 Tbsp. tomato puree
2 qt. or boxed chicken stock
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 pkg. chicken tenders or 3 breasts, cooked and shredded
Toppings (all optional):
Cubed avocado
Shredded cheddar
Sour cream
Heat a few tablespoons. of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped corn tortilla pieces with garlic and cilantro until soft.
Add onion puree and fresh tomato puree and bring to a boil.
Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, the 4 tablespoons of canned tomato puree and chicken stock.
Bring to a low boil and reduce to simmer. Add salt and cayenne to taste and cook for 30 to 45 minutes (stir frequently).
Add in shredded chicken and simmer for a bit.
Then serve and garnish as you like. This soup tastes better the longer it sits, so it is great for leftovers. I add sliced avocado on mine.
KYLE’S CHICKEN
(the easiest dinner ever)
1 whole chicken
1 bag baby carrots
1 bag fresh small potatoes
Lawry’s seasoning salt
Lemon pepper
Garlic powder
In a Dutch oven, place chicken, carrots and potatoes. Liberally cover it all with a mixture of the above 3 spices. (Be careful with the seasoning salt.)
Add a cup of water to bottom of pan and cook at 375 degrees for an hour to an hour and a half until chicken is fully cooked.
This is so easy and makes a complete meal. Serve with a salad.
JOE’S JAMBALAYA
Revel’s family lived in New Orleans when he was in grade school and his dad still makes this recipe when there is a big gathering. It feeds a crowd.
2 pkg. chicken cutlets
1 stalk celery
1 onion, halved
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups uncooked rice
1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced (Conecuh or turkey kielbasa, if you prefer)
1-2 pats butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1-2 chopped green bell peppers
¼ cup fresh parsley
6 oz. tomato paste
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp. thyme
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. Tabasco
In a large pot, boil chicken with celery and halved onion. Remove chicken and shred. In the same boiling water, add in rice and cook (about 20 to 25 minutes).
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook sausage. Remove meat and add butter. Sautee chopped onion, bell pepper and parsley until tender. Then re-add chicken and sausage. Stir in chopped garlic cloves, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper and Tabasco.
Add this mixture to the pot of cooked rice. Mix thoroughly. Then enjoy.
GRANDMOTHER BETTY’S BROWNIES
1 stick unsalted butter
4 squares Bakers unsweetened/bittersweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. good vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
Melt the squares of chocolate and butter on low heat in a pan. Melt it slowly so that you don’t burn the butter.
In another bowl, mix all the other ingredients together and then add the melted chocolate mixture.
Pour into a greased dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. This is so easy and makes a delicious batch of brownies from scratch.
CHICKEN VERDE
This is an easy weeknight meal if you are in a rush. It is good served with rice and black beans.
2 pkg. chicken cutlets or chicken breasts
1 jar Herdez salsa Verde
1 small can chopped green chiles (mild or hot, depending on your taste)
¼ cup chicken broth
1-2 Tbsp. sour cream (optional)
Optional Toppings: avocado slices, cilantro, lime
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine salsa, chicken broth, chicken and chiles. Heat to a low boil until chicken is cooked. Then shred the chicken. Let it cool slightly and add 1 to 2 Tbsp. sour cream to the sauce and stir it in. Serve over rice and with black beans. You can add avocado, cilantro or lime to it as well.
LEMON PIE
1 cup sugar
¼ cup corn starch
1/8 tsp. salt
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
3 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. good vanilla extract
Mix sugar, salt and cornstarch together. In another bowl, mix egg yolk with milk.
Put those ingredients together in a double boiler and cook until it is a thick consistency.
Add remaining ingredients. (lemon, vanilla, etc.)
Pour into a baked pie shell of your choice and bake at 350 degrees.
GRANDMOTHER BETTY’S BANANA NUT CAKE WITH ORANGE ICING
This is a tough cake to make, but my grandmother would make it for our visits. If you love banana bread and citrus desserts, this is worth it.
1 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs, separated
5 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup crushed pecans
½ tsp. salt
Icing ingredients:
½ cup butter
Two 16 oz. boxes powdered sugar
Fresh orange juice
Cream the butter and sugar. Dissolve the soda in the buttermilk and add to the butter/sugar mixture in alternation with the flour. This takes a bit.
Add beaten egg yolks, bananas, vanilla, pecans and salt.
Lastly, add stiffly beaten egg whites.
Bake in four 9-inch cake pans at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
For the icing: Cream butter with ½ of powdered sugar. Add some orange juice (be cautious and add in a little at a time so that it is not too runny). Alternate adding in orange juice and remaining powdered sugar until you get the right consistency for icing. Then ice between the layers and the top/sides of the cake.
“CAESAR” SALAD DRESSING
Combine the following ingredients:
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar (or 1/8 a cup balsamic with 1/8 cup red wine vinegar of your choice)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. salt
Pepper
Toss in a fresh green salad. Great with feta and parmesan cheese.
EVERETT FAMILY MARINADE FOR GRILLING CHICKEN
My Dad would make this weekly when grilling season arrived. Great on chicken and so easy.
¼ stick butter
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
In a saucepan, melt butter and add lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Brush on chicken while grilling. Makes great grilled chicken to serve over salads or with fresh summer vegetables.
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
I have made this soup multiple times when someone is feeling under the weather. The lemon and dill add a little something extra.
2 Tbsp. butter
1 diced onion
2-3 carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 pkg. chicken cutlets
2 ½ cups wide egg noodles
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more, to taste
Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in chicken stock and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add chicken and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove chicken and let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces, discarding bones.
Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in parsley, dill and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Remove bay leaves before serving.