“Reverend” Mason

gregation.

Chef Dez on cooking

Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls

(Recipe created by Chef Dez, chefdez.com)

“An oil thermometer or a deep fryer with a thermostat is a must for this recipe.”

398 ml can of pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained and juice reserved.

3 tablespoons cornstarch.

1.25 cups white sugar.

3/4 cup white vinegar.

1/2 cup ketchup.

1/3 cup dark brown sugar.

1 teaspoon salt.

1 tablespoon canola oil.

1 small red onion, cut into large pieces. Canola oil for frying

1/2 cup all-purpose flour.

1/2 cup cornstarch.

2 teaspoons baking powder.

2 teaspoons salt.

2 teaspoons white sugar.

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.

1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons cold water.

1 kg chicken breast filets, or chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces.

1.) Mix the reserved pineapple juice (should be approximately 2/3 cup of juice) with the three tablespoons of cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl. Then mix in the 1.25 cups white sugar, white vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, and the one teaspoon of salt and set aside. Reserve the pineapple pieces separately.

2.) Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the one tablespoon of canola oil and then the onion pieces. Sauté for one minute.

3.) Add the reserved sauce mixture from step one to the pan and bring to a full rolling boil to completely thicken the sauce, stirring consistently. Once thickened, remove from the heat, stir in the reserved pineapple, and set aside.

4.) In a large deep pot, add enough canola oil for about a four- to five-inch depth of oil. Heat the oil until you can maintain a consistent temperature of 350 to 375°F (or use a deep fryer set at 375°F). You must leave lots of room in the pot for expansion of the hot oil when cooking the chicken otherwise you risk it boiling over and causing a grease fire.

5.) In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, half cup cornstarch, baking powder, two teaspoons salt, two teaspoons white sugar, and garlic powder. Then whisk in the cold water to make a batter. Add the chicken pieces and mix completely by hand so that all the chicken pieces are coated.

6.) Working in batches, quickly and carefully add about 10 to 15 chicken pieces to the hot oil - it is important to add the chicken pieces individually so that they stay separate from each other. Fry until golden brown and crispy, approximately four minutes. Move the chicken pieces around a bit in the hot oil as they cook. Once done, transfer to a paper towel lined tray.

7.) Repeat step six until all the chicken is cooked.

8.) Combine the sauce and chicken together in a serving dish and enjoy!

Makes approximately 10 cups

Send your food/cooking questions to dez@chefdez. com or P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C., V2T 6R4. Chef Dez is a Food Columnist, Culinary Travel Host and Cookbook Author. Visit him at chefdez.com

Notable Notes

Bob Mason

Going through my old ledger the other day, a heading really caught my eye.

Under “R” it mentioned “Reverend Mason”. Of course I read on and on, and with apologies to any religious group who might be offended by the the title, here’s what it was all about!

Most people have heard of Reverend Bill Kiesman who used to be our minister in Perdue. Well, Bill, besides a lot of other things, was quite a sportsman and curled a lot.

Being a man of the cloth, of course, he was pretty well-read, and over the years had acquired some pretty profound information. Some of which he used when picking a curling team.

In a book somewhere, he had read “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”, and of course he had no choice and often got me as lead on his rink for the annual Legion Bonspiel!

So we got to know each other fairly well but it was a surprise when he asked me one day if I could speak to his con-

Being the strong silent type, Yours Truly (Y.T.) demurred quite a bit, but when Reverend Kiesman reminded him that there wasn’t a lot of old soldiers around anymore to report on the “Great Unpleasantness”, and that his next sermon was on November 11, Y.T. finally said that he would.

Although one of my grandfathers in his time had been a “lay minister” and is listed in one of the local histories as a “fine old man”, his activities and opinions in the past had in no way qualified me to speak from a pulpit. Although when we were kids, Mother and Dad had often insisted that we go to church, I had never considered that any of us were particularly religious.

Certainly, it had never occurred to me at that time that there would ever come a day when I would stand up there and talk to any congregation!

Nevertheless, Reverend Kiesman kindly invited me to say something on November 11, and I scribbled out a few lines. Here they are:

“Thank you Reverend Kiesman and hello folks!

“I hope you don’t mind me carrying this scrap of paper up here. My memory isn’t perfect anymore. As a matter of fact, a lot of my two thousand parts aren’t perfect anymore, either!

“I hope that none of you folks see me up here and go into shock! It’s almost unbelievable to me to be standing up here and talking to the same congregation as Reverend Kiesman has.

“I do have a couple of qualifications, though, and the main one is that I read years ago about a person who said, ‘In as much as you have done these things unto the least of these, you have done them unto me!’ And everyone knows that I am one of the least.

“Another reason that I’m up here is that I happen to be a graduate of the University of World War Two!

“We studied in quite a few places in northwest Europe ... and what a learning experience! But I’m sorry to report that quite a few of the students didn’t get a diploma. Because these fellows can’t be here today, I imagine that Reverend Kiesman expects me to say a few words on their behalf.

“So here goes.

“Remembrance Day is just around the corner. For so many of us, it means a lot. A day to remember all those fellows who didn’t make it home.

“And it is only right that we should remember them, especially on this one day, for they were all good guys!

“Sure, many in the service had terrible reputations. There are many stories of awful things that people did, but basically, they were all good fellows. Mothers’ sons and fathers’ sons who belonged to families that they loved, we should remember them.

“As recently as 400 years ago, Mr. William Shakespeare - probably a far-off relation of Reverend William Kiesman - wrote about the Remembrance Day of his time. I quote from Henry V: ‘And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered...’

“I’m willing to wager that a person could ask a room full of school teachers when St. Crispin’s Day was, and, I’m fairly sure none of them would be able to tell. As a matter of fact, if someone asked them what century the Battle of Agincourt was fought, few would be able to tell.

“The whole deal, despite Mr. Shakespeare’s prediction, has been forgotten. And I wonder if a few hundred years down the road, anyone will know what November 11 was all about!

“Sure, on Remembrance Day we veterans will ‘remember with advantages, what deeds were done that day.’ But let no one who witnesses the pageantry of November 11 be even slightly envious of these fellows whose glory came from killing their fellow man!

Far, far from it. Rather, every day of the year we should remember the one person whose glory came, not from killing his enemies, but from forgiving them for what they did to him!

“I don’t think I should say anymore. Thank you!”

SRC continues to show strong value through its 2022-23 economic impact assessment

The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) celebrated 20 years of providing strong value and economic impacts to the Saskatchewan economy by releasing its 202223 economic impact numbers, July 31, which continue that tradition.

SRC’s economic impact assessment for 2022-23 boasts impacts of more than $930 million in direct economic benefits to the province, the second highest year on record. In addition, the work done at SRC contributed to the creation or maintenance of over 1,473 jobs in Saskatchewan, valued at an additional $89 million. These impressive impact numbers were also accompanied by an annual revenue of $232 million generated by SRC in 2022-23.

“SRC continues to work with key Saskatchewan industries providing them with the support and services they need to grow and strengthen the Saskatchewan economy,” Minister Responsible for SRC Jeremy Harrison said. “The continued positive economic impacts provided by SRC help to make Saskatchewan the best province to live, work and raise a family.”

“In the two decades that SRC has been assessing our economic impacts, we have demonstrated a strong and consistent history of leveraging pro- vincial investment to provide valuable services to industry and deliver positive economic impacts to the economy,” SRC President and CEO Mike Crabtree said. “This year was no different - in 2022-23, for every dollar invested in SRC by the provincial government, a 46 times return was achieved.”

Since SRC began assessing impacts in 2003, it has assessed over $14.6 billion in combined economic and job impacts in Saskatchewan.

SRC is Canada’s second largest research and technology organization. With nearly 350 employees, $232 million in annual revenue and more than 75 years of experience, SRC provides services and products to its 1,600 clients in 22 countries around the world.

Ask The Money Lady

Christine Ibbotson

Dear Money Lady,

I have recently separated from my partner and am finding it really hard to figure out my finances and make ends meet. I am only making the interest payments on my credit line that is now maxed and I have cancelled my gym membership and even Netflix. I don’t even want to indulge in buying grapes at the store because I can’t afford it. Please help.

Julie Dear Julie

Hang in there, it will get better!

Divorced, separated, and starting over can be very hard on you personally, let alone financially. Having to accept the stress of a divorce with or without children can be very traumatic and monetary decisions can seem overwhelming. We all deal with money every day and for something so common, it can sometimes make very little sense. How to balance your budget, how to save, how much to spend and what future decisions to make; these are the questions that most people grapple with.

So, let’s look at some options right now that you can do to fix your situation.

First - if you are low on income every month you need to earn more. Your ability to earn an income is your greatest asset. Could you take on a parttime job doing something you are good at? - sewing, gardening, computer skills, baby-sitting, senior companionship, anything that can make you a little more each month. Another option could be to slim down what you own and start selling it online for quick cash.

Second, look for ways to save on banking, mortgages, and lines of credit. It might be necessary to get a consolidation loan or perhaps refinance your mortgage to amalgamate your debt.

Why not ponder looking at a local credit union instead of one of the Big-5 banks? They tend to be a lot better on personalized advice and finan- cial counselling. Credit unions also have much lower loan rates, no-fee banking, and lower cost options on a variety of banking products. Unlike the “big banks,” credit unions focus on providing members with financial services at an affordable fee and give back to their members and community. The Big-5 banks serve their investors with their ultimate goal being to maximize returns for their shareholders.

If you are really struggling, don’t be shy to find your way to a local food bank or pantry service and ask for grocery assistance. Lean on a friend or family member to help you out and seek guidance on how to improve your situation. Community outlets that offer free food bring people together and I’ve met many lovely, caring volunteers who give up their time to help out.

Lastly, keep a journal either on your phone or on paper. It is imperative that you plan your way out of your troubles and into financial freedom. Brain-dump all your thoughts out, write them down, read them, and start strategizing ways to get better. Track all your spending and educate yourself about moneyhow to make it, how to spend it, and most of all how to keep it.

Good Luck and Best Wishes!

Written by Christine Ibbotson, author, finance writer, national radio host, and now on CTV Morning Live, and CTV News @6. Send your money questions (answered free) through her website at askthemoneylady.ca

Customer Appreciation

Career Opportunity

Rural Municipal Administrator Position

e RM of Reford #379 is currently accepting application for the position of Rural Municipal Administrator. is position comes with a full bene ts including:

• Pension Bene ts

• Health and Dental Coverage

• Short Term Disability Coverage

• Long Term Disability Coverage

• Life Insurance e person selected for this position will require at minimum a Rural “C” certi cate issued by the Rural Municipal Administrators Association of Saskatchewan with 3 to 5 years’ experience in Local Government Administration. A de nite asset to this position would be experience with the Muniso Computer System. e o ce is located in the Town of Wilkie approximately 35 km southwest of the Battlefords. For more information, you could contact the RM directly at:

• Glasses Coverage, Etc.

Phone: 306 843-2342

E-mail rm379@sasktel.net

Fax: 306 843-2455

Anyone interested in this position could send your resume stating Certi cate held, Years of experience and salary expected to:

RM of Reford #379 Box 100 Wilkie, Sk.

S0K 4W0

Or by fax or e-mail.

Don McCallum Interim Administrator

Rollin’ down the road in the future

human drivers don’t themselves do a particularly good job behind the wheel, which accounts for so many deaths on our highways, and countless accidents which keep fleets of tow trucks busy.

Agriculture

Calvin Daniels

by Calvin Daniels

What will the vehicles we drive look like in say a decade from now?

Ten years is not too great a length of time, but one should expect some rather dramatic changes in vehicles given a number of factors.

To start with there is the idea of autonomous driving vehicles.

Some of course see the idea as absurd, at least on a large scale, given the ever changing conditions we face as we drive. Can sensors recognize every danger, and will a computer make the correct decision to deal with the massive pothole, a child running into the street, or a patch of black ice?

Of course the response to that concern is that

In some situations autonomous - once finetuned - will be better. The computer won’t get behind the wheel intoxicated, and won’t fall asleep after a long day.

Conversely there will be times a human driver would likely do better.

The bottom line in my mind though is autonomous vehicles are a thing, and a decade from now are going to be in broader use.

Of more interest to farmers and to Western Canada is what fuel will be powering our vehicles.

In Saskatchewan and Alberta, many are still going to rally to the cause of oil, and given the wealth of big oil companies to lobby, gasoline and diesel are going to be around for far longer than a decade.

But, there is a government push, fuelled at least in part by a broader consumer demand than you find from people on the Prairies, to move away from fossil fuels.

Farmers aren’t totally opposed to that idea, since blending renewable fuel into gasoline and diesel can be one way to achieve a reduction.

Ethanol from grain and canola based bio-diesel can be a huge boon as an alternate market for farmers, although it does come with a caveat of worry whether grain for cars is a good thing when too many still starve in this world.

There are also those who see electric as the way to leave fossil fuels to the history books.

Like much of the likely changes to what we drive, electric vehicles have holes to patch, from sources of resources such as lithium, the environmental impact of disposing of old cars/batteries, how far a battery charge takes you, and can the power grid deal with hundreds of thousands of electric cars charging?

But think back 10 years and electric cars were pretty much the stuff of science fiction, and today most dealership have them in their lots.

Imagine where 10 more years could take the technology, and might farming have a role to play in what will be a decidedly different vehicular future.