Name: Ann Howard

City: Ventura

Specialty: Italian

Secret: Making it simple and good

Hard times: Ann Howard knows all too well how to rally from hard times. A divorcee with five small children, Howard became an expert on preparing budget meals in order to "eat, cook and survive." She enhanced Hamburger Helpers with the addition of carrots and onions, and would prepare macaroni, ham and cheese.

Tuna casserole often played a significant role in her children's diet, which featured noodles, cream of mushroom soup, tuna and salt — and if cheddar cheese was available, it would surely make its way into the equation. One of her family favorites is her cousin's rice casserole, which she has been preparing for 30 years. Howard has served this dish at potlucks, and when people are in need, this is the first dish that she provides.

Perfect arrangement: Howard eventually remarried and recently celebrated 33 years of marriage to Ross, whom she considers "the most perfect man I have ever met." When she and Ross first married, the odds were against them. "I had five children," she said matter-of-factly. "Then when I saw him with my children and saw how wonderful he was, I decided to have Jonathan when I was 40 and it was just a joy." Her children — Sue, Mary, Brandee, Michael, Jeffery and Jonathan — are now grown, and Howard has written two cookbooks of their favorite recipes.

Now her grandchildren — Ben, Melissa, Jason, Erica, Kurt, Jeremy, Anna, Alan, Brendan, and Jonathan — will be privy to the family culinary secrets.

Giving back: Howard is retired from the U.S. Navy, Port Hueneme Division of the Naval Surface Weapons Center, which gives her more time to volunteer for her favorite cause — the American Cancer Society — by driving patients to their chemotherapy, radiation or medical appointments. Howard also volunteers at the front desk of Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura.

"I've had two bouts of cancer and I was lucky," she said. "You have to give back and I really love the people I work with. The cancer patients are amazing. They give me more courage and strength than I could ever give them."

In the future, Howard plans to write a tome about her mother entitled "Nana," who led an illustrious life as a hand embroider for celebrities and presidents. Although Howard didn't cook much as a child, she did learn an important lesson. "My mother taught me a family secret — if you put the tip of a table knife in a box of baking soda and get that much baking soda out of the box and put in the spaghetti sauce while it's cooking, it will take the acid out and the sweetness of the tomatoes comes out."

California Rice Casserole

2 pounds lean ground beef

1/4 cup green onions with tops, washed and chopped finely

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder or 1 teaspoon fresh garlic

2 teaspoons chili powder (if you don't like heat, omit this)

3 medium zucchini, washed and thinly sliced

2 small cans Ortega chopped green chilies

3 cups rice, cooked (or 1 1/2 cups raw)

1 cup sour cream

1 1 /2 cups Monterey jack shredded

1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese shredded

In a large frying, pan, sauté the beef with onions, salt, pepper, garlic and chili powder until meat is cooked. Drain the meat into a strainer to get rid of any grease. Pour the meat back into the pan, add the zucchini and cook until the zucchini is crisp tender. (This is going to be baked, so you don't want the zucchini to get soggy.) Pour the meat/zucchini mixture into a large bowl. Add the green chilies, cooked rice, sour cream, and 2 cups of cheeses, salt and pepper, and mix very well. Turn into a greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheeses over the casserole and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

— To nominate an amateur cook from Ventura County to be Cook du Jour, send an e-mail to jprice@VenturaCountyStar.com.