by David Maciel
Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place, Furber Plaza 
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s the gathering of family and friends to enjoy a wonderful meal. If you’re like me, I’m really a stickler about mashed potatoes. It’s a relatively easy recipe but there are a few key ingredients and processes that can make the potatoes go from good to wow!!

Mashed Potatoes
I like to use Yukon gold potatoes, but Russet potatoes work just fine. Warming the dairy products is a key component. It prevents starch seizing – cold milk or butter hitting hot potatoes causes the starch molecules to tighten and turn gluey or sticky. Adding sour cream will give the potatoes a creamy texture. That’s the wow part!

Ingredients
• 3 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for serving
• ½ to 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half (warm)
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt (plus extra for the boiling water
• 3 cloves garlic (optional, peeled)
• Freshly ground black pepper or white pepper (to taste)
• ¼ to ½ cup sour cream (optional, for extra richness)

Instructions

1. Place the potato chunks and garlic cloves into a large pot and cover them with cold water by about 1 inch. Add a generous tablespoon of salt to the water.
2. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Gently boil for 15 to 20 minutes until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.
3. Drain the potatoes well in a colander, shake off excess water, and return them to the hot pot for 1 to 2 minutes to let extra moisture evaporate.
4. While the potatoes cook, gently heat the butter and milk (or half-and-half) together in a small saucepan until the butter melts.
5. Mash the hot potatoes by hand using a potato masher or potato ricer. Gradually pour in the warm milk and butter mixture while gently mashing until smooth and creamy. Avoid overmixing to keep the texture light instead of gummy.
6. Stir in the sour cream, salt, and black pepper to taste. Top with extra butter or fresh chives or parsley before serving.

Jack was born on January 26, 1933, and passed away peacefully on September 24, 2026 at the age of 93. He grew up in Cloverdale leaving his senior year to join the U.S. Marines where he earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star while serving in the Korean Conflict. Jack returned to Cloverdale where he worked for many years in the lumber industry while raising his family. He was married to his wife, Rose, for 72 years and they had four children, Judy Lyle Miller, John Lyle, Angela (Jon) Hetrick and Karen (Steve) Stewart. Jack loved to hunt, fish, golf, and was an avid gardener. He is survived by his wife, his children and his eight grandchildren.

Kevin Moore, a warm and bright light to all those who have met him, has gone gently into the good night. Kevin was and will always be remembered as a kind and caring soul who was a dedicated public servant and a loving family man. Despite acquiring a non-cancerous lung disease common to firefighters, he maintained a positive outlook, humor, kindness and above all gratitude.

Kevin came to Cloverdale at the age of 20 to join the Fire Department. His long career in public service included serving as the Deputy State Fire Marshal for a large part of Northern California.

Kevin mixed his uncanny powers of observation with a drive for problem solving to help friends and strangers alike.

Kevin was known all over the world for his passion in preserving American farm windmills. His internet videos and websites brought a great opportunity for him to enjoy a feeling of gratefulness that only helping others could bring. He often told his family that it’s about the people, not the windmills, that he relished the most.

Kevin’s greatest joy came from being with Robin, his wife of 45 years, his daughter Kathy, son-in-law Bryan and his son Loren and daughter-in-law Allye. When speaking of his two granddaughters, Kevin said, “Just when you think you have life all figured out and it can’t get much better, grandkids come along filling you up with more happiness than you think you can hold.”

Quick with a smile and a corny story or an old adage, he often said, “If we measured our wealth in smiles from strangers and the friends we have acquired, I would be the richest man alive.

Kevin respectively requested that you donate a wave to a stranger or an extra kind word to a child in his memory at your earliest convenience.

He wanted to remind his friends and family that gratefulness is not just a switch to turn on when things go well; it is also a light that shines in the darkness.

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.