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February 2016

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30% RENEWABLE ENERGY TAX CREDIT EXPIRES END OF 2016

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CooperaN

COOPERATIVE

News

Wisconsin

ENERGY Cooperative

contents February 2016

News

on the

COVER

The co-op business model proves strong and reliable.

4 6 15 28 30

BRIGHT NEW WORLD

Residential lighting goes high tech.

EDITORIAL

Make this magazine your own.

NEWS BRIEFS

IT’S NICE ON THE ICE

Fight cabin fever at Fun on the Frozen Flambeau.

RECIPES

February is Potato Lover’s Month.

Young

MEMBERS

Cute co-op kids get cozy with their critters.

WECA MANAGER

Your February 16 vote counts.

Keep up with the news of the industry.

MY CO-OP

Find out what’s happening at your local electric cooperative.

CLASSIFIEDS

Buy, sell, and trade with readers from across Wisconsin.

EVENTS

Take your pick from February fun!

February 2016

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LETTER FROM

THE EDITOR Our feature story “Rating: Reliable” looks at how both Wall Street financial analysts and rural co-op members agree America’s electric cooperatives get two thumbs up. Investment Dana Kelroy, Editor firms regularly give co-ops ratings of “A” or “AA,” and consumer sentiment measured through the American Customer Satisfaction Index rates co-ops ahead of the pack. On page 8 Steve Freese, Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association manager, highlights the importance of voting in the February 16 primary election. Because of historically low turnout, primary election votes carry more weight, as each vote is a larger percentage of the whole. Mary Erickson brings us yet another fun and quirky Wisconsin event in our Wisconsin Favorites section on pages 24–25. Add lawnmower and barstool races to the conventional winter festival fare of snow-sculpting competitions and snowshoe treks and you have the recipe for a fun February weekend.

Speaking of recipes, don’t miss the reader recipe exchange on page 22. Take your pick from four different meatball recipes submitted by readers like you. Each month we also feature a “requests from our readers” section. Can’t find a favorite sauce recipe? Want a new take on an apple dessert? Ask your fellow readers. This is your magazine. I encourage you to make it your own. Consider sending in a reader recipe or request for page 22, show us just how cute your co-op kid is by entering the Kids and Critters drawing on page 26, or place an ad to further your business or hobby in our classifieds section on page 28. Happy reading! Special thanks to Keith Wohlfert, communications coordinator at Adams– Columbia Electric Cooperative for our cover image. Thanks also to Josh Berger, journeyman line technician at ACEC; his wife, Kirsten; and daughters, Briley and Meghan, for helping us out.

February 2016 Vol. 76 No. 8 The Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News (Formerly Wisconsin R.E.C. News) has been published monthly and distributed since July 1940 to members of Wisconsin’s non-profit, consumer-owned rural electric cooperatives. It is available to non-members for $10 per year or $28 for three years. Published for the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association by Cooperative Network, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703. Tom Liebe, president & CEO. USPS number: 688-480. Postmaster: please send address changes to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703. Periodicals postage paid at Baraboo, Wis. Send correspondence to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703. Phone (608) 258-4400. Web site: www.wecnmagazine.com. Co-op Members: Please send address changes to your local electric co-op. Contact information can be found on page 18. Steve Freese Dana Kelroy Mary Erickson David Hoopman Ann Bailey Tina Walden Geri Miller

WECA manager editor associate editor contributing writer graphic designer editorial assistant advertising consultant

For advertising opportunities please email ads@cooperativenetwork.coop. The appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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NEWS BRIEFS SPENDING BILL PRESERVES WIND, SOLAR SUBSIDIES

Allowed to expire at the end of 2014, the Production Tax Credit for wind energy projects was resurrected in the federal spending bill enacted at the end of 2015. The bill provides for gradual reduction and phase-out of the 2.3-cent per kilowatt-hour credit in 2022. The 2014 expiration never really ended the credit, as any facility that qualifies retains eligibility to claim it for 10 years after it’s placed in service. The 30 percent Investment Tax Credit for solar energy facilities hadn’t expired but was set to do so at the end of this year. The federal budget action keeps the credit at 30 percent of project cost through 2019, with gradual reductions afterward and phase-out at the end of 2022 for residential systems. A 10 percent credit is retained after that date for residential systems with third-party owners. The comprehensive, trillion-dollar budget package, aimed at funding federal operations through the end of the fiscal year in September, also increased funding for nuclear energy research and development. All members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation except Madison Representative Mark Pocan voted for the package.

EPA’S “WATERS” RULE LOBBYING BROKE LAW

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded at the end of 2015 that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated federal lobbying law with a campaign to drum up support for its controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation. The GAO investigated after the New York Times reported last May that the EPA “orchestrated” public participation in the rulemaking through “a campaign that tests the limits of federal lobbying law.” The regulation is on hold in federal court. A majority of the 50 states have sued to block it. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and agricultural groups have joined in the litigation over concerns that the regulation would add expense to routine farm and utility 6

maintenance and construction by extending federal permitting to work done in and over ditches and intermittent streams. The GAO determined the EPA “violated publicity or propaganda and anti-lobbying provisions” in 2014 and 2015 by using social media to promote the rulemaking and generate public pressure on Congress without identifying the agency as the author of the promotions.

SEARCH ON FOR NEW NUKE WASTE SITES

With one storage facility for high-level radioactive waste near completion but effectively abandoned in the Nevada desert, the Department of Energy (DOE) has announced it’s looking for at least three more. The department said it hopes to find states and municipalities willing to become resting places—two temporary and one permanent—for spent power plant fuel. The DOE wants one pilot interim storage facility, one larger interim facility, and long-term geologic repositories like its Yucca Mountain project in Nevada— defunded just short of completion in 2010 after expenditures of $13 billion. The DOE reportedly plans public meetings nationwide this year. Last spring, President Obama authorized a search for separate facilities to hold waste generated by nuclear weapons programs and spent power plant fuel. In 2006, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a license for Private Fuel Storage, a consortium of Dairyland Power Cooperative and several nuclear-owning utilities, to build and operate an interim storage facility in Utah, but agencies of the Department of the Interior blocked permits and consortium members dropped out of the project.

2015 TEMPS PLACE THIRD; TORNADOES BELOW AVERAGE

Challenging assertions that 2015 was the warmest year ever, satellite data collected since 1979 places it third warmest in that period. The warmest year in the 36-year records compiled by two different satellite systems is 1998, followed by 2010. Absent from reporting of individual year rankings is the range of temperature variation measured by the two sys-

tems—California-based Remote Sensing Systems and the University of Alabama at Huntsville—which track virtually identically. The entire temperature record, stated as annual global averages for the past 36 years, lies within a range of 0.6 degrees Celsius. The biggest single-year fluctuations were a rise of just over four-tenths of one degree for 1998 relative to 1997, followed by a near-identical decrease in 1999’s average temperature relative to 1998. No other year-to-year variation is as large, and every annual figure in the record falls within the 0.6 degree band. Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that 2015, like 2014, 2013, and 2012, was another below-average year for reported U.S. tornadoes. According to NOAA, local storm reports show a total of 1,257 U.S. tornadoes during 2015, placing the year seventh since 2005 and 225 storms below the 2005–15 average of 1,402. Last year’s storms also were less intense, with none reported in the strongest EF-5 (Enhanced Fujita Scale 5) category and only one confirmed and two tentative at EF-4.

NASA LINKS FOSSIL FUEL USE, LOCAL COOLING

Unreported by U.S. media, The Express, a British newspaper, in December noted research by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) finding that “the Earth has cooled in areas of heavy industrialization where more trees have been lost and more fossil fuel burning takes place.” NASA was investigating whether computer models projecting future temperatures were including all relevant factors, The Express reported. The surprise findings reportedly rest on two factors, albedo, meaning greater reflectivity of solar radiation by land with vegetation removed and thus shedding more heat back into space; and aerosols from combustion making the atmosphere itself more reflective. Sulfuric acid aerosols were believed to have been a key factor in global cooling after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines during 1991.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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VOTE

ON FEBRUARY 16

n just a few days we have the opportunity to participate in one of our most important functions as citizens of Wisconsin and the United States: voting for people to represent us locally and at the state and national levels. When the founders established our Constitution, they envisioned representative democracy as a republic that encourages every citizen who meets the eligibility requirements (age, citizenship) to cast a vote. February 16 is primary election day in Wisconsin for our Supreme Court and local government officials, including Steve Freese mayors and circuit judges. WECA Manager Unfortunately spring election voter participation in Wisconsin has fallen. In 2013 only 20.45 percent of all those eligible actually voted in our spring election. In 1998 I had the privilege to lead a group of young political leaders from the United States to observe elections in the Republic of China, Taiwan. We spent our time in the capital, Taipei, and excitement around the mayoral election was captivating. The rallies we observed with three competing political parties were downright inspirational. I couldn’t understand a single word in any of the speeches but you could feel the excitement in the air from the audience responses. We went to observe at three polling locations and I was just amazed how enthusiastic the voters were. By the end of the day 80.89 percent of all eligible voters cast their ballots. What a difference in voter turnout between Taiwan and Wisconsin’s very next local elections, in 2000, with only 20.92 percent voter turnout. Thirteen years later we have dropped to 20.45 percent. I think that’s a very sad affair for a mature democracy like Wisconsin. To show how serious they were in Taiwan about their elections, each polling station was guarded by a member of the military of the Republic of China to ensure a safe and fair election. We take that all for granted, and most of our citizens don’t even take time to vote. Ironically, that means each of us who does vote will play an especially significant role in electing our next Supreme Court justice, whether that is Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Joe Donald, or Appeals Court Judge Jo Anne Kloppenburg. The choice is yours. Don’t forget there are also primaries all across Wisconsin for other offices at the local level as well, and you can play a significant role. I am not going to tell you who

to vote for, but I want to encourage you to participate by going to your local polling station and casting your own informed vote. Because another small turnout is projected, each vote will make a greater difference. Your vote in the February 16 primary is the first step in determining who is on the ballot for the April 5 general spring election; candidates who don’t come through the primary won’t be on the ballot in the spring. In addition to filling the state and local government positions on April 5, you’ll get the opportunity to have your say in the Wisconsin Presidential Primary, which will very likely still be going hot and heavy with the nominee of one or both parties not yet selected.

Yes!

your vote counts If you doubt that it’s worthwhile to turn out and vote, consider how close the margins have been in very important elections through our nation’s history: • In 1960 John F. Kennedy won Hawaii by 115 votes, a winning margin of 0.0622614 percent. • In 1948, Lyndon Johnson won a Texas primary for the U.S. Senate by only 87 votes out of 988,295 cast, earning the nickname “Landslide Lyndon” but putting him on the path to win the presidency by an real landslide in 1964. • Rick Santorum won the Iowa Caucus in 2012 by 34 votes, a margin of only 0.02794 percent. • And we won’t soon forget the U.S. presidential race of 2000, decided by George W. Bush winning Florida by 537 votes out of 5,962,657 cast—a margin of 0.00901 percent. All of those elections featured big turnouts but a comparative few votes made the difference. In a low turnout election, each vote is a larger percentage of the whole, thus every voter has a greater impact in deciding the outcome.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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Rating: Reliable Financial analysts see strength in co-op business model

ne of the Great Recession’s lasting effects is a heightened scrutiny by government regulators, financial analysts, and the public at large of the fiscal soundness and governance practices of America’s business community. Management is subject to more stringent liability in reporting on the condition of the enterprises it oversees, and corporate directors are expected to have the knowledge necessary to ask the right questions in the boardroom. Some in the business community resent this, some find it burdensome, and some welcome it. Whether or not they’re excited about the additional i-dotting and t-crossing, the overwhelming majority of America’s electric cooperatives would be a good fit in the latter category: They’re strong businesses with a strong story to tell.

Analysts, Customers Agree

Anybody wondering like reliability and restoration of service after a power outage. whether electric co-ops are good businesses could be reassured The ACSI score of 80 for electric co-ops compares with 74 by asking an executive of the hard-nosed Wall Street credit for investor-owned utilities, which are governed by investors research group Fitch Ratings. In a company news release last wanting a financial return on their investment. There’s a third year, Dennis Pidherny, managing director and head of public type of utility business structure, municipal utilities, which power, said “The hallmark of the electric co-op sector has been are owned by a unit of government such as a city or village in its financial strength and stability.” Wisconsin and, in some states, a special “utility district.” Last Another independent measurement—this one tapping year, municipal utilities received an ACSI score of 73. directly into consumer sentiment—is the nationally recogThe Business Perspective Obviously customer satisnized rankings by the American Customer Satisfaction Index faction is an important measure of business success. Another, (ACSI). Last year’s ACSI gave electric co-ops a score of 80 — equally important measure is the perspective of people who other utilities scored 74. specialize in business finance and investment, people whose “It’s a business model that works,” says Mel Coleman, professional standing rests on a clear sense of whether a busiboard president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative ness is on a solid footing or dancing on quicksand. Association (NRECA). One such person is Midwest native Sheldon Petersen, a The business model Coleman refers to is a utility owned by former manager of Janesville-based Rock County the people who buy its electricity, and no one else. As Electric Cooperative (now Rock Energy Coopa not-for-profit business, all of a co-op’s reverative) a leading expert on co-op financenues—beyond a prudent margin to deal ing, and currently chief executive officer with contingencies—go to keep prices of a major financial entity known as low and quality of service high. CFC. “We have financial targets to meet CFC is short for the National to stay in business, but we’re not Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance driven by the need for excessive Corporation. A co-op itself, CFC profits or stock value,” Coleman is owned by electric co-ops across says. “The reason we’re in business the country that created it to raise is all about member satisfaction in 80 money on their behalf, so as to the price they pay and the quality of finance their capital projects. Buildthe product they get.” Electric ing electric lines and power plants The ACSI scores are compiled Co-ops Investor is enormously expensive, and CFC by a private company that bases its Municipal Owned 70 Utilities currently has more than $21 billion ratings on surveys of about 70,000 in loans to electric co-ops. Americans each year. For electric ACSIRating Rating 2015 ASCI 2015 Nobody can invest in an electric utilities, the questions cover things

7 3 7 4

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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co-op—as a not-for-profit utility owned by its members who use the product, it’s in business only to provide a service to those member-owners, not to benefit investors. But when a cooperative needs an expensive power plant or transmission line, it will look for outside financing. A lot of that financing comes from Wall Street firms looking for safe places to put money from pension funds, mutual funds, and other investors. And when those investors look at electric coops as places to get a safe return on their money, they like what they see. Petersen agrees that “the co-op model is a real strength” for raising money from investors. “Our business motivation is different,” Petersen says, comparing co-ops to investor-owned utilities. “Our objectives are not to maximize the rate of return— our objectives are to minimize costs to the members. That’s very positive for us and leads to competitiveness.” Petersen cites additional characteristics that make electric co-ops strong and reliable businesses that investors like. They provide an essential service everyone wants; they face limited competition, which avoids some of the disruptions and unpredictability found in other industries and even within the energy sector, for instance among merchant generators whose sole function is to sell electricity into wholesale power markets. Compared with other types of utilities, co-ops serve a much higher proportion of residences, which can provide a more consistent customer base than other businesses. Petersen says investors view co-ops “as a stable industry that can withstand a lot of the stress in business cycles.” And the Wall Street investment rating firms back that up by regularly giving co-ops strong ratings of “A” and “AA”.

Investing in Ourselves

Ideally, every cooperative’s operations are governed by seven principles, one of which is “Education, Training, and Information”; that is, education and training to equip co-op employees and directors to contribute to the success of the enterprise. In today’s environment, with corporate governance under the microscope,

it would be foolhardy not to take steps to ensure that co-op directors are equipped with the core competencies to oversee their organization’s performance—cooperatives are, after all, incorporated businesses. Fortunately, electric cooperatives have been attending to that need since long before the last Mel Coleman Sheldon Petersen decade’s implosion of overextended Wall Street financial companies. In Wisconsin, training and education programs are offered throughout the year on a rotating basis by the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association (WECA), in conjunction with NRECA. Intensive courses typically lasting one to two days cover essential subject matter on topics as fundamental as director duties and responsibilities, as specialized as financial decision-making, and as timely as strategic technologies and their impact on today’s cooperative. Not everyone need participate in every course, Bryan Singletary is a popular presenter at electric co-op but 28 events tailored to educational events nationwide. the educational needs of co-op directors, man“Over the years, these utilities have agement, and employees are on the withstood many challenges, including WECA calendar for this year. It’s widely costs of complying with emissions conagreed that the cost to individual co-ops trols, adapting to restructured wholesale investing in these programs is minimal markets and dealing with the economy’s by comparison with the potential coneffects on ratemaking flexibility.” sequences of trying to navigate today’s And a 2014 Fitch Ratings report that business environment without benefit of declared electric co-ops “fundamentally the insights offered by state- and nationsound,” said, “Almost a century after the al-level presenters. passage of the Rural Electrification Act, the sector remains largely true to its core Strong Over the Long Run A mission of providing low-cost, reliable 2015 report from Standard & Poor’s electric service to its member-owners.” Rating Services praised co-ops as an Paul Wesslund writes for NRECA, the serindustry that over the years has made vice arm of the nation’s 900-plus electric good business decisions on such major cooperatives. WECA’s Dave Hoopman issues as environmental regulation and contributed to this article. electricity deregulation. That report said, February 2016

WECN FebFeature1.indd 3

1/18/16 2:04 PM

Residential lighting

goes high-tech It’s a bright new world

ot so very long ago, interior illumination in nearly every American home relied on a single technology dating to Thomas Alva Edison and the century before last, called the incandescent lamp. This is the familiar light bulb that generations of Americans learned by, lived by, ate by except on grand occasions calling for candlelight, and in many cases stashed in large quantities when federal legislation during the past decade set efficiency standards incandescents couldn’t meet. If the days of the incandescent bulb are not yet long gone, they soon will be. Energy efficiency has been a popular concept and widely promoted at least since the energy crises of the 1970s and long before anyone dreamed of passing a law that would change the kind of light bulbs we would buy. In pursuit of efficiency and conservation, electric coopera-

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

WECN FebFeature2 2016.indd 1

tives over the past 20 years have promoted more energyefficient lighting by adding compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) to the mix. In 2012, about 30 percent of U.S. residential light sockets were filled with CFLs, with incandescent bulbs still making up the remaining 70 percent. Today, light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs and fixtures are increasingly preferred in many residential and commercial applications for their high efficiency, superior quality of light, and compatibility with automatic controls—the latter two representing especially notable improvement over CFLs.

The Impetus for Change

Changes to federal lighting standards for incandescent bulbs were set in motion in 2007, when Congress passed and President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). (Continued page 14)

1/18/16 2:34 PM

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on the cusp of becoming our everyday lighting, there are other technologies in development. Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are similar to LEDs in that they are solid-state devices that produce light when current passes through them. But unlike LEDs, they are made up of multiple, organic semi-conductive layers that produce diffused light. OLEDs are extremely thin and flexible, which has enabled them to be effectively used in displays, like mobile phone screens and TVs. Manufacturers are developing OLED lighting as well—primarily for decorative architectural panels at this point, although some OLED lamps are available today. It appears that the age of the LED has begun. They are shatter resistant and have a long life. And yes, some even come with their own app. The legislation mandated increasingly steep reduction of the energy used by everyday light bulbs. By the first quarter of 2015, traditional incandescents accounted for just 9 percent of the market share in household lighting—no surprise, since the legislated efficiency standards ruled out United States manufacture or importation of incandescent bulbs into the U.S. by 2014. The first step phased out 100-watt incandescents by January 1, 2012. Step two phased out U.S. manufacture and import of 75-watt incandescents a year later. Sixty- and 40-watt incandescents fell under the prohibition as of January 1, 2014. In fact, manufacturers knew the score and didn’t wait: The last major General Electric factory producing incandescent bulbs in the United States, a facility in Winchester, Virginia, closed its doors in September 2010. Meanwhile, through industry efforts and government financial backing, LEDs dramatically improved in performance and their initially high prices began to decline, making them more appealing options for many applications. By the time traditional incandescents had dropped to 9 percent market share, EISA-compliant halogen incandescent replacements made up more than 44 percent of the market, while CFLs were at 40 percent. Although the percentage 14

of LED sales has increased dramatically over the past year, they made up only a little more than 6 percent of the market share in the ﬁrst quarter of 2015. However, the attraction of LEDs extends to features that reach beyond energy efﬁciency, which, let’s face it, is a great thing but not something you can see. Some LEDs are part of a system that allows the user to turn off lamps— or even change their color—by means of a smartphone app. This elevates the LED lamp from the status of a simple light bulb to that of a consumer electronic device.

Brian Sloboda is a program manager specializing in energy efficiency for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Laura Moorefield consults for utilities, state and federal governments, and non-profits on energy efficiency, renewables, and program design. WECA’s Dave Hoopman also contributed to this article.

Chips = Challenges

LEDs are essentially computer chips, so they are more difficult to produce than incandescent bulbs. This is one product where the useful life span and color of cheaper versions doesn’t yet measure up to consumer expectations. Higher quality LEDs from reputable brands—such as GE, Philips, Cree, and Sylvania to name a few—have tested well. Still, some fixtures inside the home do not work well with LEDs. Consumers with older dimmer switches often find that they must purchase newer switches to work with the LEDs. Consumers should pick LED lamps that come with a solid warranty in case there is a problem with quality. What’s next? While LEDs are still

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Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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1/18/16 2:35 PM

“To you, it’s the perfect lift chair. To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.” — J. Fitzgerald, VA

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Potato Nachos with Beer Cheese Sauce

Tasty

Taters February is Potato Lover’s Month

Photos and recipes courtesy of Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association.”

Potato Chips 2 lb potatoes, sliced into 1/4–inch slices 1 Tbsp olive oil Salt, pepper, cayenne, to taste Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread your potato slices onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; drizzle with olive oil and season them with the salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bake the potato slices for about 10 minutes; flip them and then place back into the oven for an additional 10–15 minutes until they are golden brown and slightly crispy Sausage 1 lb chorizo sausage, casings removed 1 onion, diced 2 tsp chopped garlic While the potatoes are crisping in the oven, cook the chorizo sausage and onion in a pan over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until the sausage is browned and the onions are tender. Add the garlic, continue to cook for another minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Beer Cheese Sauce 1 Tbsp butter 1-1/2 Tbsp flour 1 cup Sprecher Black Bavarian beer (or any dark beer you prefer) 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 cups shredded cheddar Melt butter in a pan over medium heat for three minutes until it is bubbling and turns a light golden brown. Add the flour and continue to cook for another 2–3 minutes. Add the beer, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir continuously until it thickens. Toss the cheese into the sauce and stir until melted. Keep the pan on low heat to ensure the cheese sauce remains warm while you prep the toppings. Nacho Toppings 1 cup tomato, diced 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 3 green onions, chopped 1 jalapeno, sliced 1 large avocado, mashed 1 tablespoon lime juice Dash of salt Cilantro Mash the avocado with a dash of salt and sprinkle on a good squeeze of lime juice. Dice the green onions, tomatoes, and jalapeno. Assemble the nachos by placing the potato slices on the serving dish, top with the chorizo, tomatoes, green onion, jalapeno, avocado, beer cheese sauce, and cilantro.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

WECN FebRecipes2016.indd 2

1/18/16 2:50 PM

Hasselback Potato Bake 8 medium potatoes 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp butter 3 tsp fresh oregano 3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly Salt and pepper, to taste

Wash and dry potatoes. Leave the peel on the potatoes and slice them thinly. Arrange potatoes in a lightly greased casserole dish. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes, being sure to brush in between slices. Sprinkle with oregano and garlic. Add small pats of butter on top of the potatoes. Season potatoes generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 60 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and tender.

Creamed Lettuce Over Mashed Potatoes 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. white vinegar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup half & half 1–2 lbs. side pork, diced 1 onion, diced 5 potatoes, diced 4 Tbsp. butter Salt & pepper, to taste

In a mixing bowl, mix the 2 cups sugar with the white vinegar and water. Once the sugar has dissolved completely, add the half & half to the vinegar/sugar mixture. Set aside. In a separate bowl, tear the leaf lettuce into pieces and sprinkle a pinch of salt over the leaves. Set aside. In a frying pan, fry diced side pork and diced onion. While pork and onions are frying, peel potatoes and dice. Boil the potatoes until tender. Once boiled, drain the potatoes. Add butter to the potatoes and mash. If potatoes are not creamy enough for your liking add 2-3 Tbsp. of milk or half & half. Mix the pork and onions into the mashed potatoes in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix together the cream sauce and lettuce previously prepared. To serve simply ladle the creamed lettuce over the mashed potatoes in individual serving dishes, season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

your oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9x12-inch springform pan with butter and line the bottom and sides with wax paper. Once the wax paper is placed Goat Cheese Quiche Preheat inside of the pan, brush the paper with butter to ensure that your finished quiche stick to the pan. Don’t forget this step! with Hash Brown Crust willIn not a large bowl, mix your hash browns, one egg, and one ounce of the Montam3 Tbsp. softened butter 1 pd package of frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed 12 eggs 1-1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream 5 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled 2 oz Montamore cheese, shredded 3 scallions, sliced thinly Salt and pepper to taste

ore cheese. Once you have your hash browns mixed with the egg and cheese add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Press this hash brown mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Press firmly. You may need to moisten your hands lightly with water to assist with this. Place your pan onto a rimmed baking sheet to avoid any messes and bake in the oven for about 15–20 minutes until the crust is set. While the crust is in the oven, mix together the remaining 11 eggs, sour cream, crumbled goat cheese, remaining Montamore cheese, ¾ of the sliced scallions, salt and pepper to taste. Pour this mixture into the crust and then sprinkle with the last of the scallions. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes until the eggs have set.

Potato Spice Cake 1-1/2 cups sugar 3/4 cup vegetable shortening or butter 1 cup mashed potatoes 3 eggs, beaten 2 cups flour 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup milk 3/4 cup raisins or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl until fluffy.

Add potatoes and eggs; blend well. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and baking powder in a small bowl; mix lightly. Alternately beat dry ingredients mixture and milk into the creamed mixture until well blended. Stir in raisins or pecans. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 45–55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. Caramel Frosting 1/4 cup butter 3-1/2 Tbsp milk 1 cup light brown sugar 2 cups confectioners’ sugar Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan on low heat. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk; bring to full boil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Beat in sugar with an electric mixer until consistency is easily spreadable. The frosting sets up quite quickly as it cools, so do not wait too long to frost your cake. February 2016

WECN FebRecipes2016.indd 3

1/19/16 11:56 AM

RECIPE EXCHANGE Swedish Meatballs

Meat Balls (Kottbullar)

Kings & Svenska Kottbollar

3 slices of dry bread, crumbled 1/3 cup milk 1 lb ground beef 1 small onion, grated 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Dash ground nutmeg 2 Tbsp oil 1 packet brown gravy mix 1 cup mayonnaise 1-1/4 cup water

2 cups soft bread crumbs 2/3 cup milk 1/2 cup minced onion 4 Tbsp butter 1-1/2 lbs ground beef 3 eggs, slightly beaten 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp paprika 1 Tbsp concentrated meat extract 3 Tbsp ﬂour 1 cup water 1 cup sour cream 2 Tbsp minced parsley

2 lbs ground round steak 1 lb ground pork steak 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup mashed potatoes 1 cup dry bread crust 1 tsp brown sugar 1-1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp allspice 1 cup milk 1 pint sour cream

Darlene Guski, Ashland

Add bread to milk; mix in beef, onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and oil. Shape into balls and chill. Brown meatballs with oil in a large skillet. Prepare gravy according to package directions, using 1-1/4 cup water and blend in mayonnaise. Add meatballs to gravy and heat.

Swedish Meatballs Sandra Fritz, Owen

1 egg 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 Tbsp ketchup 1-1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 lbs ground beef 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs 2 Tbsp + 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch 1 cup sour cream 1 cup orange marmalade 3–4 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, minced In a large bowl combine egg, onion, ketchup, salt, seasoning salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Combine ground beef and bread crumbs to the mixture. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place in a greased 13x9-inch baking pan or dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Drain off any juice and grease. Combine the cornstarch, sour cream, marmalade, soy sauce, lemon juice, and garlic in a pot. Bring to a boil, stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Pour sauce over meatballs and bake in oven for another 20 minutes. 22

Nancy Heidbreder, Hayward

Soak bread crumbs in milk until softened. Add onion to 1 Tbsp butter in small saucepan and cook slowly for 3 minutes. Mix softened bread, cooked onion, and meat. Add eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and paprika. Mix thoroughly until very smooth and light. Shape meat into small balls, dusting the hands with ﬂour while shaping the balls. Melt remaining butter in large frying pan. Add meat balls and fry until golden brown all over; remove from the pan. In the pan add meat extract and 3 Tbsp of ﬂour; stirring until well blended. Add water and a few grains of pepper. Cook in skillet, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce heat very low and cook 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream, a rounded tablespoon at a time, stirring until thoroughly blended after each addition of sour cream. Return meat balls to gravy, cover pan, and simmer very gently 10 minutes.

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Karen Perington, Hatfield

Mix together all ingredients, except sour cream, to make soft dough that can barely be handled. Form mixture into small balls and roll them in ﬂour. Fry balls in oil until brown on all sides. Pour pint of sour cream over meatballs and simmer for 30 minutes.

REQUESTS from our

READERS

Pat Thompson, Summit, Ill, is looking for a recipe for coleslaw and dressing. Originally was sold at Al’s Market in Oxford, Wis. The cabbage was chopped and the dressing was on the sweeter side. If you can help, have a request of your own, or would like to submit a recipe for publication, please write to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, What’s Cooking? 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703-2869 or contact us via our website, www.wecnmagazine.com. Thanks!

THROWBACK RECIPE

from our first year (1940-1941) Each month through June, we’ll highlight a retro recipe.

Baked Honey Custard From the April 15, 1942 Edition of Wisconsin REA News

2 eggs 2 cups milk 1/4 cup honey 1/8 tsp salt

Beat eggs slightly. Add milk, honey, and salt. Pour into individual molds and set in pan of water. Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

WECN FebReaderRecipes.indd 1

1/13/16 10:00 AM

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It’s nice on the ice

ne of the best ways to fight cabin fever is to get out of the cabin altogether and embrace the snowy, chilly outdoors. It’s easy to do in Wisconsin, where abundant lakes and woodlands make for quality ice fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing.

For something a little different, however, head to Ladysmith February 20–21 for some Fun on the Frozen Flambeau. This is not your typical winter festival, although it does boast some traditional activities. The ice-ﬁshing contest at the Dairyland Reservoir of the Flambeau River, around which the entire celebration was ﬁrst built, is still the weekend’s marquee event. Activities like the snowshoe trek, dog-sled rides, snow-sculpting competition, and vintage snowmobile show and swap meet are also popular. However, Fun on the Frozen Flambeau also offers decidedly non-conventional winter activities, like the crowd-pleasing lawnmower and bar stool races across the ice. New this year is a toilet-seat toss tournament, described by event coordinator Dick Moore as “something like horseshoes, only you throw toilet seats instead.” Not exactly Olympic events, but they’re what many people come to see. “I guess it’s something you only see in northern 24

Wisconsin,” Moore added with a chuckle. Sponsored by the Ladysmith Lions Club, Fun on the Frozen Flambeau was launched five years ago as a single-day ice-fishing tournament. At the time, the Ladysmith area had no such tournament of its own despite the area’s ideal resources, explained Moore, a past Lions Club president and a member of Jump River Electric Cooperative. The Flambeau River that flows through Ladysmith has several dams that impound reservoirs, which make for great fishing at any time of year. One of these reservoirs is created by Dairyland Power Cooperative’s Flambeau Hydroelectric Station, and it’s where Lions Club members chose to hold their ice-fishing tournament. They rounded up some generous sponsors, including Dairyland Power Cooperative, and put on a one-day contest for ice-fishing enthusiasts of all ages, with cash prizes, door prizes, and food served all day. “The first year it turned out tremendous, so we turned it into a two-day event,” Moore said. The ice-fishing tournament itself drew a huge crowd, but it soon became apparent that people were coming for the fun as much as the fishing, so the Lions Club kept expanding the festivities. A large, heated tent was added to house various activities including live music and dancing on Saturday night. The tent, Moore said, was and remains a big hit, filling wall to

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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WISCONSIN FAVORITES

Typical scenes at Fun on the Frozen Flambeau include happy children enjoying dog-sled pulls, unique frosty sculptures made with snow and bright paint, a lively crowd enjoying music in the heated tent, and every type of fur hat imaginable.

wall with up to 500 people by evening. It also provides a comfortable spot to watch the spectacular Saturday night ﬁreworks show, which Moore said is a special experience in the frosty setting. “In the wintertime with the snow on the ground and the lake frozen, the ﬁreworks are really something to see,” he noted. Other activities were added to Fun on the Frozen Flambeau each year, some standard winter fare and others a bit more creative. “We try to come up with something new each year,” Moore said, adding that organizers are always on the lookout for something unique, gathering ideas from other festivals and sometimes from the participants themselves.

Fun on the Frozen Flambeau also offers some decidedly

unconventional winter activities,

like lawnmower and bar stool races across the ice.

For example, Moore said organizers noticed that many people were showing up at Fun on the Frozen Flambeau wearing some unique fur hats and other wrappings to ward off the winter chill, so a Show Your Fur Contest was added, with a trophy awarded to the participant adjudged to be wearing the best fur. That contest is being brought back this year by popular demand. Also new to this year’s line-up is a chainsaw-carving demonstration, where participants can watch artist Ted East carve a bear that will be auctioned off Saturday evening. Other activities focus on the younger participants. Sunday’s ice-fishing tournament includes a youth fishing area; all youngsters ages 16 and under who are present on the ice with a fishing ticket in their name will receive a free gift from the Wildlife Restoration Association and Flambeau Bassmasters and a chance to win prizes. Off the ice, youngsters can head to a teepee for some face painting. Fun on the Frozen Flambeau is run solely by volunteers, and all proceeds are invested back into the community. Moore said a third of the proceeds are divided among seven area food pan-

tries, another third goes to area wildlife restoration projects, and the ﬁnal third is divided among the various organizations supported by the Lions Club, including Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. “Every nickel we make goes right back out,” he said. The Ladysmith Lions Club is also sharing its fundraising with neighboring communities, as the Bruce Lions Club and Bruce Ambulance were invited to participate this year. The extra help will be appreciated, as all signs point to an even bigger crowd as word of the frozen fun spreads beyond the northwoods. “Last year we estimated about 1,000 people on the ice for the ice ﬁshing, and that doesn’t include all the people who show up for the other stuff,” Moore said. “It’s something a lot of people from even Milwaukee and La Crosse have become accustomed to coming for.”— Mary Erickson Fun on the Frozen Flambeau will be held February 20–21 on the Dairyland Reservoir between Ladysmith and Tony, north of Hwy. 8. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. To learn more, call 715-403-0316. February 2016

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YOUNG MEMBERS

Kids and Critters February 2016

Picickkss S Sttaaffff P f

Best o

2015

1. Weston and Goaty Goat investigate an old milk can. Photo sent in by grandparents Rick and Becky Bonitz, members of Bayfield Electric. 2. Princess Kayden loves her silkie chickens. Photo sent in by grandparents Dennis and Jane Thorson, members of Dunn Energy.

SEPTEMBER

APRIL 4

4. Griffin and Brody sandwich their buddy Tinkerbell. Photo submitted by Griffin and Brodyâ€™s grandparents, Jerry and Jane Dorow, members of Oakdale Electric. Send photos of kids with animals, along with a brief description, to WECN Magazine, 1 S. Pinckney Street, Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703. Please include the name of your electric co-op. Photos will be returned. If in good-resolution, electronic format, photos may also be submitted via email to tina.walden@cooperativenetwork.coop.

SEPTEMBER

MAY

3. Finnley and Bean monitor squirrel activity. Photo sent in by Finnleyâ€™s mom, Lisa Lukes, a member of Price Electric.

By submitting, sender implies that he/she has rights to and owns the image, and grants WECN permission to use the image. By submitting, the parent or legal guardian also authorizes us the right to publish the image.

KIDS & CRITTERS

DRAWING Send in your favorite photo of kids with animals, along with a brief description, for a chance to win a $25 VISA gift card. One entry will be randomly chosen on March 15, 2016. Photos will be published throughout 2016.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

WECN FebKidsCrits.indd 1

1/14/16 11:15 AM

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LOOKING FOR A GIFT IDEA? Consider giving a gift subscription to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News! The price is just $10 per year for 12 issues or $28 for three years (36 issues). Include subscriber’s name, address, city, state, Zip Code, and check payable to WECN. Mail to: WECN, 1 S. Pinckney Street, Ste. 810, Madison WI 53703.

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WISCONSIN EVENTS 5–7, 12–14, 19–21 “Rex’s Exes”— Tomah. Area Community Theater, Fri. & Sat., 7 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. 6 Johnson Memorial Vintage Snowmobile Ride—Hayward. Trails End, 9 a.m.–8 p.m. $15 pre-registration, $20 day of event. 715-462-4566. 6 Fisheree—Camp Douglas. Eagle’s Nest Resort, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Raffles, food & beverage, ice fishing contest. 6 Wild Game Banquet & Seminar–– Oconto Falls. Oconto Falls High School, 4–7 p.m. Speakers, dinner, and whitetail mounts. 920-855-2962. 6 Ice Fishing Rumble––Phillips. Roll-In Point on Solberg Lake, breakfast special 6 a.m.; fishing 7 a.m.–5 p.m. 6 Chili Golf Open––Phillips. Harbor View Pub & Eatery, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 6 Tired Iron Vintage Riders Snowmobile Show and Ride––Medford. Chelsea Conservation Club, 8:30 a.m. with awards at 2:30 p.m. 715-427-5441. 6–7 Fisheree––Prairie du Chien. Outing for the entire family, fishing prizes, evening entertainment. Fisheree will be held with or without ice. 800-732-1673. 7 Winter Garden Seminar ––Eau Claire. Chippewa Technical College, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. 715-878-4585. 11–13 Book & Bake Sale––Westfield. Library, Thurs. &Fri. 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; and Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. 608-296-3895.

February 2016 13 Hinder Binder Cross-Country Ski Race––Westboro. Forest Springs, multiple races starting between 10 & 10:30 a.m. 715-767-5105. 13 Ice Fishing Contest––Menomonie. Lake Menomin, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Gun rafﬂes, cash drawings, bingo, euchre, food, and beverages. 715-505-7135. 14 Ice Fishing Contest––Cadott. Pike Lake, 12:30–3:30 p.m. 715-962-4386. 20 Snowmobile Trails of Monroe Co. Scholarship Fundraiser—Wilton. Community Building, 8 p.m.– midnight. Rafﬂes, drawings, and door prizes. $5 tickets at the door. 20 Deer Show–– Prairie du Chien. National Guard Armory, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. 608-326-2718. 20–21 Indoor Rendezvous Trade Fair–– Danbury. The Forts Folle Avoine Historic Park, Sat., 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.–3 p.m. 715-866-8890. 21 Kids Ice Fishing Contest––Willard. Rock Dam Lake, 12–3 p.m. 715-773-0311 or 715-512-0272. 26 A Night of Astronomy–– Marquette, Iowa. Driftless Area Wetland Centre, 6–8 p.m. 563-873-3537. 26–27 Eagle Appreciation Weekend–– Prairie du Chien. Villa Louis, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 608-326-2721. 27 Shine On–– Prairie du Chien. Downtown, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Select pieces for purchase. 608-326-8733. 27 Special Bald Eagle Museum Exhibit–– Prairie du Chien. Fort Crawford Museum, 9 a.m.–4p.m.

27 Ice Fishing Contest—Willard. Rock Dam Lake, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Fish, Door, & Raffle prizes, food, and beverage. 715-773-0311 or 715-512-0272. 27 Polar Bear Plunge for Cancer— Cazenovia. Lee Lake, live auction at 11:30 a.m.; plunge at 2 p.m. Food, refreshments, raffles. Proceeds benefit G.R.A.C.E. (Greater Richland Area Cancer Elimination) and the American Cancer Society. 608-415-1044 or 608-983-2397. 28 Ice Fishing Contest––Medford. Chelsea Conservation Club, 11 a.m. 715-748-4613 or 715-748-3393. 28 Winter Cross-Country Ski Event–– Danbury. Visitor’s Center, 12–3 p.m. Classic skiing and skate-skiing on groomed trails. Snowshoers are welcome. Bonfire after skiing. 28 Farm and Craft Show–– Colfax. High School, 9 a.m.–3 p. m. 715962-4447.

Send us your March events by February 5 Wisconsin Events is a public service for our readers. Submissions should be received by the first of the month prior to the month in which the event will occur. Due to space limits, we may need to eliminate details, so be sure to include a phone number (with area code) where callers may obtain more info. If we receive more listings than space allows us to print, we reserve the right to select those we believe will be of interest to the greatest number of readers. Send listings to: Events, WECN, 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 810, Madison, WI 53703 or to

tina.walden@cooperativenetwork.coop

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

Events Feb 2016.indd 1

1/12/16 2:51 PM

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