by David Maciel
Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place, Furber Plaza 
October is the start of the holiday season with Halloween. If you have little trick or treaters, it can be a challenge to get them to eat dinner. This chicken pie casserole is an excellent dish that kids of all ages will love. It’s very belly warming on those cold fall nights.

Ingredients
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 3 medium carrots, diced (about 1½ cups)
• 3 stalks celery, diced (about 1½ cups)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 4 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 (16.3-ounce tube) biscuit dough

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375º with rack in the center. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour and stir to coat vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes more, then add milk, broth, mustard, garlic powder, and remaining ½ tsp salt, whisking to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in chicken and peas. Taste and add more salt as needed.
2. Transfer mixture to a 13”-x-9” baking dish. Arrange biscuits on top of filling. Sprinkle all over with salt
   and pepper.
3. Bake until filling is bubbling and biscuits are golden and have risen, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes
   before serving.

James (Jim) Fredrick Caldwell died on Sept. 4th of a recent illness. He was 90 years old. Born in N. Carolina on Aug. 16, 1936, the eldest son of Fredrick and Pearl Caldwell. He is survived by his partner of 30 years Enid Bramy, his sister Gwen Keiley of Virginia and his brother Anthony (Beverly) Caldwell of N. Carolina.

Jim moved to San Francisco in the early 60‘s where he worked as an insurance adjuster until he and Enid retired in Cloverdale in 1999 when he worked for Simi winery in the tasting room for 15 years.

He loved to travel and his hobbies were hiking, music and genealogy.

His ashes will be scattered on Mt. Tamalpais, his favorite mountain. He and Enid met there when he was leading a hike for The Mt Tamalpais Interpretive Association in 1992.

Elbert Winkler leaves a wife, Wanda, of 66 years and two sons – Michael Winkler (wife, Diana) from Lodi, CA and Brian Winkler of Cloverdale, CA. He leaves a grandson Gerrod Winkler from Stockton, CA; granddaughter Amanda Winkler Lim (James). He also leaves a great-granddaughter Khailynn Lim, Stockton, CA. He leaves a sister Ruch Clarke in Jamestown, Ca.
Elbert Winkler moved to Cloverdale in 1955. He loved going camping and going to the ocean. He loved his family. He loved working on small engines. He worked for Paul B. Kelly Logging for several years, then worked for Lou Parde in Geyserville, CA. He worked for Field & Rued, also in Geyserville. He did welding, making grape gondolas for the grape growers, and worked on heavy equipment.
He requested no services.

It is with sadness that the family of Jonie Sciaini announces her passing on August 11, 2026, at Hidden Valley Lake. Jonie was born to Robert and Janice Sciaini of Cloverdale on April 10, 1958. She was welcomed to the family by her sisters, Cathy, Barbara and Mary Ann.
Jonie lived in Cloverdale all her life and made many lifelong friends. She attended Cloverdale schools and spent much of her childhood riding horses. Her love of horses led her, in later life, to create a business she called Jonie’s Ponies, where she offered birthday parties for children and gave them horseback rides around her ranch.
Jonie raised two daughters, Christie and Kaysha, on her River Road property outside of Cloverdale.
During her life, Jonie owned and operated Jonie’s Upholstery in Cloverdale for over 25 years. She also managed the Grapevine Bar and bartended at the Dante for many years. For several years after she retired from the upholstery business, she worked at River Rock Casino where she made many lasting friends.
Later in her life she owned, managed and worked a vineyard on River Road. She taught herself how to care for the vines, hire employees and negotiate contracts
with wineries.
A hard worker, Jonie was a strong woman, physically and mentally, and made the best of any situation. Loyal and straightforward, she was always there to help and support her friends and family. She was multi-talented, inventive and faced her challenges head on. When she found out that she had cancer, she fought it for nearly two years with the strength she had shown throughout her life. In the end she lost that final battle.
Jonie is survived by her two loving daughters, Christie and husband James Derenia, and Kaysha and partner Jared Zucker. She also is survived by four grandchildren, Wyatt and Logan Derenia and Pierce and Kya Zucker and her sisters Cathy Sciaini, Barbara Holmes and Mary Ann Hoffman, stepsister Denaire and husband Mike Nixon and her stepmother Sydney Sciaini.
Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Jonie’s life at the Cloverdale City Park on September 26 from 11 am to 3 pm.
Donations in her memory can be made to Courtney’s Pumpkin Patch.

by David Maciel
Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place, Furber Plaza 
September is the start of autumn. Shorter days and cooler nights. It’s also the start of belly warming comfort foods for me. This veggie and rice-based soup is perfect for an evening meal. ​

Ingredients
• 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ½ tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed
• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Instructions
Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.

Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning. Stir to combine.

Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.

by David Maciel
Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place, Furber Plaza 
In August the fruits & vegetables are at the peak of the season. And if you are like me, I get tired of preparing them the same way. Here’s a wonderful recipe using zucchini that I have made countless times. It’s always a hit at our
dinner table.

Ingredients
• 3 large zucchini
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning divided
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 lb. deveined raw shrimp with the shell, tail removed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• ½ cup grated parmesan.

Instructions
Slice 3 zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the center to create a well and form the boats. Roughly chop and reserve all of the scooped zucchini for later.

Brush the zucchini boats with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon of 1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning.

Heat the grill to medium-high heat and place the zucchini boats cut side down. Grill them for about 5 minutes without turning them. Alternatively, you can bake them in the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 8 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the heat and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium-skilet over medium-high heat.

Add 1 pound deveined raw shrimp with the shell and tail removed to the skillet.

Add the remaining 2 ½ teaspoons of garlic herb seasonings and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and stir until combined. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the bottom sides start to turn golden brown. Flip the shrimp over and cook for another minute or two before transferring them to a bowl. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add the reserved scooped zucchini and ¼ cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini softens. Add 3 teaspoons minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Place grilled zucchini boats cut-side up on a parchment or aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Fill the wells of the zucchinis with the cooked zucchini and artichokes.

Chop each shrimp into small pieces and top the zucchini with them. Top with ½ cup grated parmesan cheese.
Heat the zucchinis under the broiler on high until cheese turns golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Serve warm.