When trying to think of a recipe to offer for March, I immediately knew it had to be associated with St. Patrick’s Day. But to be honest with you, even though I have celebrated it most of my life, I never really knew what the holiday was about. So I went to google to find out. The easiest explanation I could find was by Ree Drummond. Here is how she explains St. Patrick’s Day.
“Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, known for bringing Christianity to the country. He lived in the fifth century and was actually born in Roman Britain—not Ireland! When he was 16, he was captured by Irish raiders and was sent as a slave to present-day Northern Ireland where he became a shepherd. He grew close to his Christian faith during these difficult years and then went on and spread Christianity to the Irish through baptism and confirmation. As the feast day of Saint Patrick, it was and still is a holy day in Christianity. The day was first established in 1631 as a modest religious holiday, and honoring Ireland’s patron saint. Because it fell right in the middle of Lent, people began using it as a reason to celebrate and take a break from the restraints and abstinence of the period leading up to Easter. However, it didn’t actually become a public holiday in Ireland until 1904! Wearing green clothes became common in the U.S. at St. Patrick’s Day parades and celebrations in the 1800s. It was a symbol that Irish-Americans used to honor their heritage and seems to have stuck all these years later.”
So, let’s celebrate by making a shepherd’s pie! I’ve never shared my recipe for shepherd’s pie because no one has ever asked. My guess is because most people would much rather buy it than make it, but we know you love to cook, so here it is!
The Dinner Diva’s Shepherd’s Pie
2 pounds ground beef cooked and drained. (reserve ¼ cup of oil) 4-5 T flour 2 cups beef broth 1 32 oz. bag or 2 16 oz. bags of frozen vegetables. (corn, green beans, carrots & peas) Granulated garlic, onion, salt and pepper 5 large russet potatoes, cooked, seasoned & mashed. 1 cup heavy whipping cream ¾ cup sour cream 4 T. of salted butter. 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Start with cooked ground beef and reserved oil. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes while continuously stirring. Gradually add in Beef stock.
Season liberally with granulated garlic, onion, salt & pepper.
Add in frozen vegetables. Continue stirring until the gravy has thickened. Transfer to a 9×13 baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Add heavy whipping cream and sour cream and butter to mashed potatoes. Season with garlic, onion, salt & pepper.
Top beef mixture with mashed potatoes.
Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
Place the pan in the oven, uncovered.
Bake for 45-60 minutes or until hot in the center and the cheese is bubbly.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes to allow the gravy to thicken a little.
Your Enid Outlaws are set to do battle against the Little Rock Lightning today (Sunday) at 4:00 p.m. at the Stride Bank Center in downtown Enid.
The Outlaws (4-1) are on a four-game win streak, and find themselves in 3rd place in the Central Conference, only a half game behind the league leading Sugar Land Imperials and the Potawatomi Fire.
The Outlaws continue to be led by pass-first Point Guard Chuck Guy (#0), who is second in the league with 8.6 assists per game. Shooting Guard Kadavion Evans (#1) continues to fill up the bucket and leads the team at 22.4 PPG, followed by Forward Ricardo Artis II (#3) at 19.2 PPG to go with 8.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.
The Little Rock Lightning (0-4) have had a rough start of the season losing their first four games, including a 123-93 loss to Potawatomie last night in Shawnee. The Lightning are paced by Power Forward Percell Washington (#22) who averages 20.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, closely followed by Guard Deverell Biggs (#42) at 18.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
It should be a fun Sunday afternoon downtown, so get your tickets, which start at $10, at the gate or at stridebankcenter.com.
Looking forward to the upcoming track season there is a great deal of expectations and goals for the upcoming season among the athletes. This year they are entering the 2022 season with new coaches and athletes, so everyone should be anticipating positive outcomes for the new season. “We hope to return a great team of athletes with experience and leadership skills. They are hard workers, and it has led to their success,” said Coach Coleman. They are also looking at a very successful season for these young athletes, but with encouragement and cheering from the student body, they should be able to take home the grand prize. Based on what has already been taking place, new routes will be taken to acquire the aspirations for this upcoming season. Coach Coleman stated, “Again we have a lot of experience and leadership from the past years, which will help with a good group of younger athletes. This is always important to success.”
In previous years, Chisholm High School Track has taken home several championships, such as in 2016 (boys and girls), 2017 and 2019 (girls). They were also runner up in 2015 (boys) and 2017 (boys and girls). Hoping to acquire another championship this year, the athletes have been training and preparing with the help of each other and the coaches. Coaches and players are putting forth their best effort to prepare for the approaching season. Everyone will also be seeing new forms of leadership and achievements in all areas. Based on previous years, the athletes have normally done very well in certain areas, but this year everyone should be seeing many new achievements from the Chisholm track athletes, whether it’s physically or mentally. With this group of students, this should be a great and successful season for everyone.
Fresh off a thrilling, back and forth 97-91 victory over the previously undefeated Potawatomi Fire on Friday, the 2-1 Enid Outlaws are back in action this afternoon at 4:00 at the Stride Bank Center, this time against Division Rival, Waco Royals.
In the game against the Fire, the Outlaw defense came up big, and held star, and previous league points leader, Deshawn Munson to 25 points, on 9 for 21 shooting. The Outlaws were paced by 23 points from PG Daylon “Chuck” Guy (#0) who also had 7 rebounds and 9 assists and 19 points from Kadavion Adams (#1).
This afternoon’s opponent is 0-3 so far on the year, and none of the games have been close. They have been blown out by Dallas, Shreveport and Sugar Land in early season action. The team appears to be fairly balanced with 4 players averaging in double figures, led by Forward Demetrius Smith (#6) who leads the team in points (20.7), rebounds (9.7) and assists (2.7) per game. James Evans has averaged 10.5 points and 9 rebounds per game as a solid #2, but did not play in their last game. Guard Marvin White took his place and scored 20 points and had 6 rebounds in his first game against Sugar Land last night.
Tickets start at $10 and are available at the door or at stridebankcenter.com.
The Enid Outlaws have returned from the road, sporting a 1-1 record as they take the court tonight (Friday) for their home opener at the Stride Bank Center at 7:00 p.m.
The Outlaws dropped a heartbreaker to the Sugar Land Imperials, 117-115m but followed it up with an excellent win against the Beaumont Panthers 126-112. The team is clearly getting to know each other, and their new Coach, Mark Danhoff, and looking to continue to play team basketball. The team is full of new faces, so Enid has lots of new players to get to know and cheer for.
For the first two games the team has been led in scoring by PG/SG Kadavion Adams (#1) who is averaging 26.5 PPG. Just behind him in scoring is Forward Ricardo Artis II (#3) at 26.0 PPG. Artis also averages 9.5 rebounds per game, which paces the team. PG Daylon “Chuck” Guy (#0) is a true point guard/distributor who is averaging 12 assists per game, along with 14 points.
As for tonight’s opponent, the Potawatomi Fire are 2-0, having beat the Little Rock Lightning and the Rockwall 76’ers. In their game against Little Rock, PG Deshawn Munson (#0) went off for 38 points, 10 rebounds and 6 steals, and F Mustapha Traore (#4) had 27 points and 14 rebounds. The Outlaws will have to contain these two to even have a chance tonight.
Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased at the door or at www.stridebankcenter.com. If you can’t make it tonight, the Outlaws play at home again on Sunday at 4:00 p.m.
As you may or may not know March is known for being Women’s History Month, so two of my best friends, Giselle, and Valeria, and I are going to tell you about a woman in history who has inspired us. Let’s go!
A woman in history who has inspired me is Ruby Bridges. When I was little my dad and I read a book about her. I then sent her a letter about how she was super cool and inspiring. I chose Ruby Bridges because she was one of the few first African American children to attend an all-white school. She was very brave and I hope to be as brave as she was. -Sophia
Frida Kahlo has been one of my inspirations for this past year. She is a Mexican painter that put a lot of dedication into her work. She is inspirational to me because her work has meaning behind it. Like her “The Two Fridas” painting. It’s about how the way people see her vs. how she sees herself. I think this painting relates to me in a way where people see me as a very educated and great girl but I know that sometimes I’m not all of that. – Giselle
Guillermo Kahlo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Many women have changed the world in very good ways but one woman that stands out the most for me is Georgina Rodriguez. Georgina was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and is currently 28 years old. She is known for her kindness and her charity. In 2021, at the Starlight Gala, her acts were recognized and she was given a charity award. Her acts of kindness have changed people’s lives, including mine. Georgina inspires me to be a better person, help others, and most importantly always love my family. – Valeria
Thank you for reading this month’s article. We hope you enjoyed it! Be sure to emails us what woman in history that’s inspired you! Also email us if you have any questions, comments, concerns or ideas for upcoming articles @ tweensceneenid@gmail.com! Have a great March and don’t forget to wear green on St. Patrick’s day ;)! Byeeee!
In his more than 20 year tenure at Autry Technology Center, Dale Gates impacted Autry students, faculty, staff, and ultimately our community, in immeasurable ways.
As Director of Curriculum, Dale worked to ensure the best quality instruction at the school, and even developed new programs and revamped existing ones. Overseeing Trade & Industry programs, countless people obtained certificates under Dale’s leadership. These graduates launched into careers with unique skill sets, little to no debt, and improved quality of life.
“Dale Gates had a huge impact on student successes in leadership and professional development contests during his tenure at Autry Technology Center,” Janet Strate, Autry’s Director of Full-Time Programs, said. “He spent countless hours working with students to prepare for speeches, job skill demonstrations, and parliamentary procedure activities and contests.”
Gates retired from Autry Tech in 2019. During his Autry tenure, Gates prepared students for speech competitions within Career & Technical Student Organizations (CTSO). “Through his guidance and direction, many students were successful on the district, state and national levels as contest winners and officers for their student organizations,” Strate said.
Before working at Autry, Gates held multiple Agriculture Education positions from 1981 through 1995, in Kingfisher, Stillwater and Fairview, Oklahoma. Making his passionate career in education – from start to finish – an effort to enhance student’s lives and prepare them for the future.
Gates was known for his competitive edge, specifically in preparing students for speech competitions. He spent hours on end with students, and sometimes coworkers, preparing them for presentations by listening and taking notes. He knew how to instill confidence, and could take a presentation from average to attention-grabbing.
In 2017, Gates had one more large feat to accomplish for Autry Tech, and that was leading the way for a successful and smooth accreditation process. The school was first fully accredited in 1987, according to autrytech.edu. Maintaining accreditation involves interviews and a strict audit of the organization.
“Dale’s attention to detail was very evident in both his professional and personal life,” Strate said. “He was an instrumental leader in Autry Technology Center’s 2017 accreditation process. He gathered and compiled information and data from all departments as well as worked with all staff members in preparation for the evaluation. He was very thorough and left no stone unturned in this process.”
Gates’ legacy at Autry, and across Northwest Oklahoma, has continued long after his 2019 retirement.
“While he was employed at Autry Tech, Dale would get every employee’s birthday and write it down in his planner,” Strate said. “He would get up each morning and check his planner for the birthdays, then he would send a “Happy Birthday” text to those with a birthday on that day.”
Dale, who is enjoying retired life with his lovely wife Juanita, continues to send his old coworkers a happy birthday text each year.
“Those birthday texts/messages continue to bring smiles to Autry Tech employees and help us remember the fun times we had with Dale!” Strate said.
Gates’ note taking didn’t end at birthdays, according to his former coworkers.
“Mr. Gates, or Dr. Dale, as I like to call him, became a hero of mine when I met him in 2014,” Elizabeth Cummins, Former Autry Technology Center Employee, said. “He taught me so much about work, presentation and organizational skills. It always made me laugh that he had a drawer full of notes from every staff meeting from 1995 to 2019.”
Dale’s son, Clint, said this quote best sums up his father’s career: “The best teacher is one who never forgets what it’s like to be a student. The best administrator is one who never forgets what it’s like to be a teacher.” – Neila A. Conners
Thank you, Dale, for positively impacting Enid, Oklahoma – one Autry graduate at a time.
LOCAL LEGENDS PROUDLY PRESENTED BY GUARANTEE ABSTRACT CO.!
As a college baseball player, I have been through many different pre-season training programs. Through the years, I have picked up a lot of information – some good, some bad. In the interest of time, I will only include the information that I found benefitted me most for preparation. These tools can be used for all age groups, from little league to college athletics, and can be done at home.
1) Band Work: This is probably the most important. The arm undergoes a lot of stress with starting a throwing program. Understanding this and being proactive in preparing for this will set you up for success. Band work is the best way to ensure that injury risk is kept to a minimum allowing you to perform at your full potential throughout the season.
Internal and External Rotation: open the door and close the door
During this movement, you will use an object that is around 2-5 Lbs (this could be any household object like a can of veggies or a full water bottle). For the first movement, you will lie on your side with your throwing arm down. Make sure your elbow is by your side and bent at 90 degrees. Holding your weight in your throwing arm, rotate your arm so that you lift the weight up and arm crossing your body. Then release back down. Repeat this movement 10 times as far as your range of motion will allow comfortably. Then, switch sides and repeat the same movement 10 times. Ideally, you will work up to 3 sets of 10 on each side.
2) Flexibility: Making sure that your body is flexible will help you perform at your best and also limit injury risk. All baseball athletes should be doing some sort of full-body stretch routine nightly. A very important stretch that cannot be skipped is the sleeper stretch. This is for the rotator cuff, a group of muscles that make up the shoulder joint. To perform this stretch, you will lie on your side with your throwing arm down and extend your arm perpendicular to the body. Then, you will raise your hand straight up, keeping your elbow on the ground. Use your non-throwing arm to push your hand toward the ground in the direction of your feet. Do not use a lot of force here, only push until you feel a good stretch in your shoulder. Try to work up to 3 sets of 10 seconds every night. This can be done on both shoulders but the throwing side is most important.
3) Leg Strength: Your legs and core are the driving force for power and velocity. For baseball players, these groups of muscles are the most important for throwing harder and hitting the ball further. A favorite of mine for leg strength is the Bulgarian split squat. To perform this movement, grab a chair and face away from it. Place the top of one of your feet on the seat of the chair so that you are in a lunge position on the front side. Then, drop your back knee to the ground until your front knee reaches 90 degrees. When the angle of the front knee hits 90 degrees, push through your front heel to drive yourself back to the starting position. Try to do this movement 2-3 times per week for 3 sets of 10 on each leg. If that is too easy, try adding some hops in that position at the end of the 10 reps.
4) Core Strength: Having a strong core will complement the strength of your legs. Almost every movement done on the diamond is done with some type of twisting motion, so my go-to for core strengthening is the Russian Twist. This movement is pretty simple but not easy. Sit on the ground and lean back until you feel your abs start to engage – your weight should be between your sit bones and your low back. Then, twist only your upper body from side to side. Balance can be aided by keeping your heels on the ground – for more of a challenge, lift your heels off the ground. Try to work up to 3 sets of 15 on each side.
5) Connecting Upper and Lower Half: It is great to have good leg and core strength, but we do not hit or throw a baseball with our feet. Therefore, the ability to take the energy created in the legs and translate it to the upper half is very important. If you are at a gym, power cleans are ideal, but a well-performed squat jump will do the trick and this can be done without equipment. For this movement, you will stand with your feet directly under your shoulders and pointed forward. Next, squat down until your hips are closer to the ground than your knees. Your bodyweight should be balanced between the balls of your feet and your heels at the bottom of this movement. Reach your arms down and back past the hips then throw them forward and up as you push through your feet and jump into the air. Land squarely on both feet and repeat the movement. Work up to 3 sets of 10-15 and try to do that 2-3 times per week.
Nutrition Tip: You will be on the road a lot this season, so you need to load your travel bag with nutrients that will benefit your game. I recommend a fat source and a carbohydrate source before games. My favorite pre-game snack is mixed nuts and crackers. This will give you some quick energy and also long-sustaining energy to make it through the game without spiking insulin which can cause a ‘sugar crash”. After the game, you will need protein to aid recovery, and sometimes that $10 spending limit just doesn’t cut it at your local fast food joint. I always packed some beef jerky to get the necessary protein for post-game recovery.
March 1-7 11 am Northwest District Junior Livestock Show Chisholm Trail Expo Center (111 W. Purdue) Steers, Heifers, Ewes, Breeding Does, Breeding Gilts & Barrows; Premium Sale March 7
March 1-31 Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm All Aboard: Examining the Orphan Trains Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (507 S. 4th)
March 1 5:30 pm Baseball: Enid High v. Piedmont David Allen Memorial Ballpark (301 S. Grand)
March 2 7 pm Live Music: Night of Hip Hop w/KO, Trip G and Same Ol’ Jo CW Scooters (3630 N. Van Buren)
7:30 pm Trivia! Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
9 pm Karaoke Boondocks Tavern (302 E. Maple)
March 3-5 OSSAA Class 4A Area 1 Basketball Tournament Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand)
OSSAA Class 3A Area 1 Basketball Tournament Enid High School (611 W. Wabash)
March 3 7 pm Trivia! Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
8 pm Karaoke CW Scooters (3630 N. Van Buren)
9 pm Karaoke (No Cover) The Lounge @ Ramada (21+) (3005 W. Garriott)
9 pm Open Mic Night (Singers, Poetry, Spoken Word) Boondocks Tavern (302 E. Maple)
March 4 7 pm Lantern Tours of Humphrey Heritage Village Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (507 S. 4th)
7:30 pm Live Music: Carly Nash Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
9 pm Live Music: Gus Burnes The Alibi (224 W. Broadway)
March 5 10 am-5 pm The Market: Spring Craft Show Stride Bank Center Grand Ballroom (301 S. Independence)
11 am-3 pm History Alive! Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (507 S. 4th St.) Re-enactment characters portray life at the time of the Cherokee Strip Land Run of 1893
7 pm Live Music: Stacey Sanders Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
9 pm Live Music Evan & Garrott P&T’s Bar (408 N. Independence)
9 pm Karaoke (No Cover) The Lounge @ Ramada (21+) (3005 W. Garriott)
9 pm Live Music: Austin Duplantis The Pressure Cooker (710 N. Walker)
March 6 11 am Mulligans over Meadowlake Meadowlake Disc Golf Course (1200 W. Rupe) Charity disc golf doubles tournament
March 8 5 pm Baseball: Enid High v. Tahlequah David Allen Memorial Ballpark (301 S. Grand)
6 pm-7:30 pm Festival of Flavor Prairie View Elementary (4700 W. Willow) Sample favorites from several Enid restaurants
7 pm Dancing with the Stars Live Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand)
March 9 7:30 pm Trivia! Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
9 pm Karaoke Boondocks Tavern (302 E. Maple)
March 10 7 pm Trivia! Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
8 pm Karaoke CW Scooters (3630 N. Van Buren)
9 pm Open Mic Night (Singers, Poetry, Spoken Word) Boondocks Tavern (302 E. Maple)
9 pm Karaoke (No Cover) The Lounge @ Ramada (21+) (3005 W. Garriott)
March 11-13 Enid Coin Club’s 45th annual Coin, Token & Paper Money Show 12 pm-6 pm Friday, 9 am-5 pm Saturday, 9 am-3 pm Sunday Hoover Building (316 E. Oxford)
March 11 7 pm Basketball: Enid Outlaws vs. Potawatomi Fire Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand)
7:30 pm Live Music: ReVolT Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
9 pm Live Music: Knight Ryder The Alibi (224 W. Broadway)
March 12 7 pm Live Music: Krislyn Arthurs & The Trainwrecks CW Scooters (3630 N. Van Buren)
7 pm Live Music: Brock Acoustic Duo Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
9 pm Karaoke (No Cover) The Lounge @ Ramada (21+) (3005 W. Garriott)
March 13 4 pm Basketball: Enid Outlaws v. Waco Royals Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand)
March 16 7:30 pm Trivia! Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
9 pm Karaoke Boondocks Tavern (302 E. Maple)
March 17 5 pm Enid Young Professionals Network @ Nite Birck Oven Pizzeria (2701 Rock Island Blvd)
7 pm Trivia! Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
8 pm Karaoke CW Scooters (3630 N. Van Buren)
9 pm Open Mic Night (Singers, Poetry, Spoken Word) Boondocks Tavern (302 E. Maple)
9 pm Karaoke (No Cover) The Lounge @ Ramada (21+) (3005 W. Garriott)
March 18 7:30 pm Live Music: Stacy Sanders Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
9 pm 21 & Up Micro Wrestling CW Scooters (3630 N. Van Buren)
9 pm Live Music: The Peachtrees The Alibi (224 W. Broadway)
March 19 11 am-3 pm History Alive! Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (507 S. 4th St.) Re-enactment characters portray life at the time of the Cherokee Strip Land Run of 1893
7 pm Live Music: Lane Haas Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
7:30 pm Auto Racing: Late Models Enid Speedway (302 E. Oxford)
7:30 pm Enid Ultimate Challenge: Xtreme Bulls Chisholm Trail Expo Center (111 W. Purdue)
9 pm Party: Xtreme Bulls After Party & Dance CW Scooters (3630 N. Van Buren) Show your ticket stub to Xtreme Bulls and get in Free!
9 pm Live Music: Lane Hass Band The Spot (417 N. Grand)
9 pm Karaoke (No Cover) The Lounge @ Ramada (21+) (3005 W. Garriott)
March 20 4 pm Basketball: Enid Outlaws vs. Little Rock Lightning Stride Bank Center (302 S Grand)
March 22 6:30 pm Baseball: Enid High v. Union David Allen Memorial Ballpark (301 S. Grand)
March 23 7:30 pm Trivia! Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
8 pm Live Comedy Show Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
9 pm Karaoke Boondocks Tavern (302 E. Maple)
March 24 7 pm Trivia! Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
8 pm Karaoke CW Scooters (3630 N. Van Buren)
9 pm Open Mic Night (Singers, Poetry, Spoken Word) Boondocks Tavern (302 E. Maple)
9 pm Karaoke (No Cover) The Lounge @ Ramada (21+) (3005 W. Garriott)
March 25 5:30 pm Baseball: Enid High v. Woodward David Allen Memorial Ballpark (301 S. Grand)
9 pm Live Music: Van Damage The Alibi (224 W. Broadway)
March 26-27 11 am-7 pm Red Brick Road Food Truck & Art Festival 200 block of E. Maple $3 daily admission, $5 for both days
I don’t know about you, but March is one of my least favorite months. It’s the end of what is usually a pretty cold and crappy winter around these parts, it can rain, sleet, ice, snow, rain, or be 75 degrees. Spring break is in March, which was always a nice respite from school for some, but I actually liked school, so that was a drag for me. But this March is a little different for us here at the Enid Monthly as we are in the middle of taking nominations for “Best of Enid 2022!” Each time I see a nomination form turned in, I smile a little knowing that there are businesses around town that people enjoy enough to submit a nomination. We are accepting nominations until March 31, so go to enidmonthly.com/wp/nomination-2022 and nominate your favorite business! Can’t be a part of the vote without a nomination so get yours in today!
