CLICK HERE to respond to newsletter replies, requests and tips. Please include date of newsletter, name of recipe and number of servings.  Remember to include your name within the message as well.

Hi Nancy,
I am glad you are safely home. Rest up, and play with your cats.
Brenda

Vanilla Syrup (For Lattes, Sodas, Teas, etc.)
Mix a pinch of Cream of Tartar in 1 cup sugar (this helps keep syrup for crystallizing). Boil the sugar and cream of tartar mixture with ˝ cup of water until most of the foam is gone.
Remove form heat and add 1 tsp. of your favorite Watkins extract: Vanilla, Vanilla Nut, Almond, Coconut, Orange, Chocolate, Butternut,etc. ( in Sept. Watkins will have Irish Cream and Hazelnut Extract.)

Add 1 tsp syrup to your espresso and enjoy! One teaspoon each of vanilla and chocolate syrup (such as Hershey's) to 1 shot of expresso and steamed milk is excellent. If you don't have an www.watkinsonline.com/hutto
sunnywatkinsgirl@aol.com

The August Online Newsletter pages have been moved into a different directory.  Please use the August Index Page to find online newsletter pages for August 2007.

Nancy,
As an uncle to Siggy and Ditto, and a brother to a sister, It was my family obligation to help family out. The hardest part was I could not pet the cats. I love them but I am also allergic to them so I can only admire from a distance. I arrived home on schedule to a see the results of a violent microburst. Here in Arizona we have “sheet flooding” for a lot of rain in a short time literally leaving 2 or 3 inches of water across a flat lot. Our church lot was completely covered in water, water was even covering the street. Thankfully some newly placed landscaping timbers directed the water away from the inside of the church. Very little water got into the church and just needed to dry. This morning it was OK. Thanks for seeing a good part of two states with part of the Panhandle of Texas. I always did like to travel. Give Ditto and Siggy a good hug and scratching their chins.
Joe

Comment
I keep telling Joe I am his favorite sister, LOL.  (He keeps telling me I am his only sister.)
Nancy Rogers

Rubie in Milwaukee asked about freezing Tomato sauce made with fresh tomatoes in the Aug 15th newsletter. I freeze mine and I add Tomato paste to thicken it. It can be added before or after freezing. I have also "flash frozen" tomatoes. First I washed them and then took out the stem part. Then I set them on a cookie sheet until frozen. Then put them in a plastic bag in the freezer until needed. They are easy to peel when needed. Just run under warm water for a few seconds and they will peel very easily. I used these in vegetable soup, and you can make Tomato soup. Any casseroles that call for tomatoes you can use these tomatoes in. You can substitute these in any recipe that calls for canned tomatoes.
Marion Atlanta, GA.

I have just started tonight the task of getting the recipes in August in Alphabetical order.  A few are now included in the August Alphabetical Index.  More will be posted later tonight. In the next couple of days all the of recipes for August 2007 and July 2007 will be placed in an alphabetical index.
Nancy

Hi all,
I'm looking for a recipe for "tamale casserole" that Mom used to make and can no longer remember the ingredients. She used the canned tamales and covered with corn meal mixture. The rest, she's forgotten! Does anyone have a recipe like this?

Nancy, so glad you and your babies made it home safe. We all appreciate you so much!
Sue in Fl

To the person who gave the gift basket suggestions. In my opinion, I would not put any kind of medicine even over the counter in a gift basket. I used to own a business that delivered gift baskets and was told by a nurse that any kind of medicine given to the wrong person could have serious consequences. I Could be sued. I thought it was cute when I delivered a coffin (to a 40 year old) and it had aspirin, Prep H etc. in it. From there on I just used the empty packages for effect.
Abby

To Mary in Oregon I found the following recipe that is similar to Rotel tomatoes

2 cans (14.5 ounces ea.) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Drain tomatoes, reserving only 1/4 cup of the juice. Combine tomatoes and reserved juice with remaining ingredients; cover and chill at least 4 hours. You can use this as Rotel in recipes or you can serve as a dip with tortilla chips.
Makes 2-1/2 cups.

Also, Rotel has a great website with recipes. The website is www.texmex.net

Here in Texas Rotel comes in 3 different heat levels; mild, hot or extra hot. I normally use the mild. I tried the extra hot and could not eat it.

Hope this helps.
Sherrill in San Antonio

Top 100 Recipe Sites

Donna L. in OH -- I buy cream cheese at Costco or Sams in 3 # blocks and cut it up and wrap well and freeze. Only down side is sometimes it is a bit crumbly but can be stirred up to regular consistency and for cooking is fine.
Barb in Placervlle, CA

Mint
This is for Billie in Florida who was looking for some uses for mint besides iced tea and mojitoes. Mint is great in frozen margaritas. Just toss a handful of mint in your Magic Bullet or blender along with the margarita ingredients and ice. Or for a non-alcoholic beverage, try a frozen mint lemonade. I made mine using Crystal Lite lemonade -- both pink and regular. Mint is also good in a spinach and strawberry salad. Just mince a few leaves or throw in some whole leaves. Minced mint is great with blueberries and/or strawberries and vanilla yogurt, too. I think it is an English tradition to include minced mint with English peas. It might be good with cooked baby carrots and butter, too. I haven't tried that yet but I do know that baby carrots are good flavored with basil -- fresh or dried.

My 17-year-old cat, Gabby, recently ate the leaves off my spearmint plant while "we" were grilling on the balcony. I think she was so excited smelling meat cooking that she had to have an appetizer! I am now starting afresh with a peppermint plant -- the only mint plant I could find to buy this late in the year but I think that spearmint is really the most flavorful. I have always had difficulty growing mint in pots (I don't have a garden.) Does anyone have any suggestions? I have read some readers comments that their mint in running rampant and I remember my grandmother pulling out handfuls of mint saying that it was taking over the garden. There was always plenty of mint left after her weeding for those great big glasses of iced tea that she made for us. I don't remember her using mint any other way. I used to love to chew on those mint leaves.
Dianne, Gabby, Kiku & SakI in Houston

To Mary in Oregon. I have found stewed & diced tomatoes with green chilies in other brand names, Del Monte being among them. They are rather spicy - more so than, I think, just adding some diced green chilies along with stewed tomatoes - but my mother sure enjoyed the chili I made recently. I substituted one can of stewed tomatoes with green chilies for plain stewed tomatoes. It added heat throughout the pot, but didn't keep you from tasting how good it was before you felt it. So, take a look with the regular tomatoes - both stewed and diced - and see if you have any with green chilies in your local store. I'm betting you'll find some! Good luck.
Wendy in S. NJ

I baked the peach puzzle pie yesterday, and it was delicious! About the whole peaches. I found if I depitted them and put back together they stayed together good. I also used frozen peaches in halves and they worked fine. The first one I did, I turned over before it cooled down, and lost some of the juice. You learn by reading the directions Ha! Even at 80, you still learn! This week, I am making pear preserves. Our pears are smaller than usual but are delicious. The preserves are out of this world and so easy. Peel pears, slice in thin slices, place is pan and pour sugar over all the pears. On my first batch, I used about 3 lb. of sugar. It is according to the size of your pan. Let stand overnight in the sugar. In the morning, cook on low to med. heat until translucent, about 2 hours. Put in your jars. Some people water boil their preserves for 10 min. at a hard boil, but this time, I just turned the jars upside down and the heat sealed the jars.
Betty T. Ga.

Hi Nancy. Glad you made it back to Texas OK. Loved your stories of the dogs at your sister-in-law's. Your brother sounds like a gem to me!!

This is for Rubie in Milwaukee who has a bumper crop of tomatoes. I, too, have way to many tomatoes to use fresh. Here is what I do with the extras:

1. Freeze them whole. Cut off the stem end and freeze them in a freezer bag. When you want to use them in cooking recipes, hold them under warm water and the skins slide right off. The tomatoes will still be partially frozen, but will cook down in your recipes. Just allow more time for this. I think I got this tip for tomatoes in this newsletter years ago and I have passed this idea on to many others. Doesn't heat up the kitchen, and takes little time to do. You just need freezer space.

2. Cook tomatoes with the stem end cut off. I then put them through my food mill which removes the seeds and skins. I then put the tomato juice into a roasting pan and put it in a 350 degree oven, uncovered. I cook it that way to remove the excess water from the juice to make a thicker tomato sauce. I only do this when I am home to watch it so I know when it is the right consistency. I put it in the oven rather than boiling on the stove since the tomato sauce doesn't burn as easily in the oven and doesn't need constant watching. I then freeze this sauce in freezer containers in pint and quart sizes to use in recipes during the winter.

Hope these will help you enjoy your tomatoes after the season ends.
Ginny Lee-upstate NY

Baked Steak
3 to 5 lb. thick sirloin
1 c. ketchup
1 lg. onion, sliced
Green olives stuffed with pimentos, sliced
Sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. water

Pour ketchup and water over steak. Add onion slices and olives. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce to 325 degrees and bake 45 minutes more. During last 15 minutes of baking, add mushrooms.
Tona in Bama

Dear Nancy,
This is for Loretta Va.

Sticky Drumsticks
Brush chicken legs with orange marmalade and season with a little chili powder. Bake at 350 degrees on a foil lined baking sheet for about 45 minutes or until chicken is 180 degrees. (this was in our newspaper and they said to call it messy and the kids will love it.)
Dee in W. Lafayette

Re: "I am another cook who puts meals in the oven first thing in the morning, no matter the weather, and lets it cook all day. I have an electric stove and when the temp is only at 200 degrees the house does not get warm yet I have a nice meal ready from me when I get home. I have been doing this for over 30 years with no problem. I think it is a wonderful way to slow cook a meal. But you are right, to each their own...
Linda, Ft. Collins, CO"

In my opinion, you are setting yourself, your family and all others up to a GIANT case of food poisoning. Your are looking at salmonella, listeriosis and e-coli. I hope you are lucky to survive. This temperature of 200 degrees is NOT hot enough to kill any bacteria in your foods. You may have been doing it for 30 years, but our food sources are NOT what we had 30 years ago.

Please reconsider your cooking methods and temperatures. For more information, contact your local county extension office or Colorado State University, food science department.

Pat in Colorado
Master Food Safety

Comment
I attempted to find information for yesterday's newsletter on this subject. I found that chicken and turkey cooked at this temperature was at danger. If anyone has links that state that beef and other foods are at danger cooking at 200 degrees please send them to me.
Nancy Rogers

In the August 15 newsletter, Carol wrote - Thanks so much for the ice cubes in the bucket idea! I'm in Louisiana and could use some relief when cutting the grass! I'm going try it this weekend:)
Have a blessed day!
Carol in Louisiana

Well, Carol, I hope it works for you as well as it does for us. Just remember, the bucket of ice water must also be combined with drinking lots of water, too, for any work out in that hot, humid weather.
Lots of luck and God bless
Muriel - Lakeland, FL

Good morning Nancy!
Thanks so much Judi in Vegas! I love to cook and share good recipes. In the Aug. 15th newsletter Judi asked about the Diane Mott Davidson’s books. Just click on www.dianemottdavidson.com to get to her web site and you can find out the order in which to read her books. The recipes are great, too! Also, I have read all of Joanne Fluke’s books. She writes similar ones, based in MN. Ms. Fluke puts quite a few recipes in each book she writes and I have her whole set. Her web site is: http://www.murdershebaked.com/

For Marge in OH in the same newsletter, I made a strawberries and cream bread. I believe someone else made the peaches one. Just go to the home page – link located at the top of this newsletter – and there is a search engine there to find recipes from past newsletters.

For Mary in Oregon asking about the chilies in Rotel tomatoes, Rotel has 2 versions of their product. One is mild to medium and one is hot. Check the label! Or, just use the petite diced tomatoes and add a can of the Hatch diced green chilies. They are milder. Yes, chilies are all different in heat. Some are very mild – like bell peppers, some are medium - like a lot of jalapenos, and some are firey – like habaneros. The locale doesn’t make the chilies hot, the type they are does that. Also for Kay in Indy any pepper can be frozen. When our stores have bell peppers on sale we buy quite a few and freeze for later use. Down here in Alamogordo, NM, the stores are roasting chilies now, smells so good!, and people buy a 20 lb. bag and freeze them.

For Linda in Ft. Collins, CO here it is: Piccalilli

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/canvegK

Piccalilli recipe
This is a delicious hot dog and hamburger relish!

4 cups finely chopped cabbage
4 cups finely chopped green tomatoes
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
Dash of hot pepper sauce

Chop vegetables using the coarse blade of a food grinder or in a food processor. Combine vegetables and salt; cover and let stand overnight.

Drain off as much liquid as possible, pressing through a clean, thin white cloth if necessary. Tie cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a cheesecloth bag. Place vegetables, spice bag and remaining ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Ladle into clean, hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace; seal. Process in boiling water bath 15 minutes. Yields 4 pints.

Nancy, I am so sorry this I so long, but I wanted to answer several questions in one email. Take care! I am so glad you are home safe and sound!
Chris in NM

Glad you got home safely, no place like home. I need to know how one can get a manual for a Magic Chef dehydrator? I recently got one (given to me) but no manual and online was no help. On the box all it says is sold through Walmart. I did try drying banana slices it has taken hours (they are still drying) so maybe I am doing something wrong. Does everything take hours? Not sure I will use this. Will it cause my electric bill to go sky high? It is already ,from a/c. This dehydrator has a vent when and how is that to be used? Sorry this is so long.
Mary Ann Upstate N.Y.

Hi all! Welcome back Nancy. you were missed. For the people who would like to read Diane Mott Davidson's series of books about a caterer who gets solves murders, which I have thoroughly enjoyed, the following is a list in order starting with the first book. You can go to www.Amazon.com and look up the books and either order them outright or put them on your wish list and order when the price is right. Look for the "New and Used" price. I prefer to buy used and to pass the books on to friends.

Catering to Nobody, Dying For Chocolate, The Cereal Murders, The Last Suppers, Killer Pancake, The Main Corpse, The Grilling Season, Prime Cut, Tough Cookie, Sticks and Scones, The Chopping Spree, Double Shot, Dark Tort, Sweet Revenge.

There might be another new one in the series but I don't have it on my list. I really looked forward to reading each and every one and the recipes included in the book were an nice extra. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
Cathy in Puerto Rico.

A similar message was sent by
Barb in WNY

Hi, from New Jersey, does any one in Nancyland have any ideas what to make for a local craft show. Also how do I know what to charge. I will pass on the gift basket idea to the organization. How nice of someone to share that info. A word to Toni from Bama, I have a separate folder with your recipes. I love them. Also as you do catering, my sister was a caterer and wrote a little book. I would love to send it to you. She has passed on, but her brides still remember her fondly. Nancy, thanks again for all the hard work you do.
Mary, Green Brook,NJ

RE: 2 questions from Wednesday 15 newsletter

1.I am wondering what a person can do with an over abundance of tomatoes. We do not eat hot or spicy food so salsa is out of the question but we did make and freeze a lot of spaghetti sauce. It is to hot to can. When you make tomato sauce and freeze it does it get to watery when you defrost it. How do you thicken it? Do you do this before you freeze it or after? Any recipes would be appreciated.
Rubie from Milwaukee.

Hi there Ruby,
You say Salsa is out of the question, you may like the one I make, more of a salad I suppose.
It's one of those without a true recipe.

I mix a drained can of corn kernels, chopped tomatoes, chopped celery, chopped cucumbers, and chopped green onions. Yum Yum. Use the amounts as you like them.
Nice as a salad/relish with cold meats, can mix with some mayo and chicken/tuna for a salad mix.

For those who like bell peppers or chile you could ad this as well.

2.Have a question for all about mint. Does any one use this wonderful plant for anything besides tea or mojitos? If so would love to know what you use it in or on. Billie in Fl

Mint is lovely in fruit salads, green salads, cold drinks, but my favorite ways is finely chopped with pineapple pieces as a salad. This is always a sign of summer to me.

Welcome home Nancy and boys.
Elizabeth, Bendigo, Australia

Nancy I am so glad that you had a safe trip back home. I know that cats and dogs don't like to travel much but sometimes they just have to. To Barb/DE and Wendy, SNJ our older granddaughter is on the reduced lunch program and they have Chef Salads at her school and she has to pay extra for that. The reason she wants the salad sometimes is that she has lost 25 to 30 lbs. this summer and doesn't want to gain it back. Everything else is on the reduced lunch program that is either deep fried, greasy, on white bread which she can not have, French fries which she can not have either and I could name some more foods that she can not have but will not. I have told her to eat her hamburger after she has take out of the bun and put it between a couple of napkins to get the grease out of it. She can put the mustard and catsup on her plate and eat it that way or use the bottom part of the bun. To also do the same for another fried food. She likes vegetables, salads, milk and fruit. She has learned a lot about what she can eat and not eat.

Everyone have a great day. Nancy and 4 legged associates take care and stay safe.
Susie Indy

I've been given an abundance of fresh tomatoes. Years ago I had a recipe for canning tomatoes by putting them in the jars and putting them in the oven for a length of time, then turning the oven off and letting them stand in oven overnight. Having moved into smaller quarters my life is packed away in a storeage shed with this recipe included. Does anyone have the instructions for doing this???
Thanks, Barb H, Illinois

Sue Rr in Aug 15th letter asked about "substitute for the Kahlua and Bourbon that is listed in the Choc. Kahlua Chocolate cake".. I went to the liquor store and bought the individual size bottles of these two liquors because I did not have either of them at home.. one bottle equals about 1/4 cup. Costs about $5 so a bit spendy but SOOOOO worth it!!!!
Carla /OR

Welcome home Nancy,
Another very good culinary mystery writer is Katherine Hall Page. Her books are called Faith Fairchild Mysteries. She includes recipes also.

Does anyone have a good potato soup recipe ?
Thanks, Sybil in FL.

Could anyone refresh my memory on how to make the text bigger on the Nancy's Newsletter. Someone had sent it in last year I think. But at the time I did not need it as the letters were larger for me. Well my grandson has given my gave my comp a D & C ( dusting and cleaning) with a new inner structure in a way to make it run smoother. Well that part worked but there are just a few things that are different and I don't know just how to correct them. One of the things is that the lettering in Nancy's newsletters are smaller and harder for these old eyes to see. LOL So if anyone could send that info I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.
Donna in Pa

Tona, here in the NW, the Rotel tomatoes are so HOT and spicy! I don't think they use the kind of green chilies that we buy in the store, because those are not hot. I love hot, as in spicy food, but I can't eat these! Any ideas as to whether the chilies are different in other parts of the country? I
have used one can in a huge pot of soup, and it was almost too hot to eat.

Thanks for any help you can give me. I would love to try some of these recipes that use Rotel Tomatoes, but they are just too hot!
Mary in Oregon

Mary, all you need to do is take 2 medium tomatoes that are red ripe and sice them small. Take one serrano chilli and dice fine, mix the two well and toy have Roptal diced tomatoes and chilli.

Jackie, Kiki, Missy, no Sagwa

Hello Nancy
So glad you got home safely, I would like to know which newsletter that white Mexican dip was in?
Thank you Robert's wife in Ohio

I would like to thank Mr. Myron Drinkwater very much for the Pickled Green Bean recipe I am going to the farmers market this weekend,, to get some green beans so I can try it out,,
Debbie in NC

Mary in Oregon, August 15 newsletter: Rotel tomatoes come in different "heats." Read the front of the label and it will say hot or mild.
MaggieB

For Sarah, MN This is very good and a favorite of our family.
Enjoy, Penny from Wisconsin


Greek Shish Kebab's

Marinade
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup soy sauce
4 Tbls Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbls Dry Mustard
2 Tbls fresh parsley
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 can condensed tomato soup

Kebabs
2 pounds thick cut sirloin steak or round steak cubed
1/2 LB whole fresh mushrooms
2 medium green peppers cut into 1 inch squares
2 medium onions, cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes

For Marinade:
Combine all ingredients.

For Kebabs:
Marinate beef cubes overnight. Blanch mushrooms in boiling water for 2 minutes. Skewer meat and vegetables alternately. Broil over hot fire for 7 minutes each side, or until done to taste, brushing frequently with marinade.

Hi Everyone. I have a huge grape crop this year. I'd love to know if any of you have some great tried and true recipes using grapes? I have both green and red grapes. Thank you.
Andee In L.A.

This is for Judi in Vegas per the 8-15 newsletter. I don't know the order the Diane Mott Davidson books are in either, but I looked on www.half.com and they have lots of the books from her and they are pretty inexpensive. Of course they are used, but I saw prices like 75 cents or $1.50 and so on. We have always had great experiences with www.half.com with books.

Nancy,
I'm so glad to hear that you got back safe and sound and that your brother helped you out. I know Ginger will miss you and Siggy and Ditto an awful lot. Thanks for all that you do for us.
Jackie in Pensacola

Hi Nancy and all,
I have a request. I used to work as a cook in the elementary school. The food was basically- get it done and out as soon as possible (a lot of frozen entrees). I recently got a job as the day cook at a very exclusive health center (top of the line nursing home), where the food is quality restaurant type. I have to make gravy for every meal for the residents that need their meat ground up or pureed, and also when we have mashed potatoes and gravy. Mine seems to clump up. I mix the flour in cold water and shake then add it to my meat base and melted butter, then slowly add my gallon of hot water but it still seems to clump. Does anyone have any ideas how to make my gravy smooth? I serve approximately 100 people at both the breakfast and lunch. Any gravy recipes would be appreciated too.

Thank you very much!
Becky

For Donna L. in OH in the Aug. 15th newsletter. The Kraft site says that the brick type cream cheese can be frozen for two months if it is going to be used in recipes. One of the food forums says that when you thaw it it comes out grainy, but that if you beat it with a mixer for about 10 minutes it comes out creamier. Another person tried a different brand than the Philly brand and it wasn't grainy after freezing.
DP

This is for Sarah, MN in newsletter of Aug. 15th requesting a good marinate for beef. I have used this for years and it is delicious.

1 lb lean tender beef (your choice)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic mashed
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Place beef cubes in mixture of olive oil, garlic, dry sherry, and soy sauce for at least 1 hour. When finished marinating place beef on skewers alternating with veggies. I use onion, cherry tomatoes, fresh mushrooms. When I do the chicken I marinate it is Italian Dressing and then I use chicken and pineapple on skewers. Cook on grill.

Darlene West Lafayette, IN

I appreciate the info about Zoobar. In my opinion it would be much better to check out the Amazon used books section. No commitment, and I've had some real bargains.
jeanlock in McLean VA.

With all the talk about the new crockpots, I've been wondering: Does anyone have any idea of how to change the cooking time for the newer higher temp pots? I was thinking that maybe, when the recipe specifies a cooking time of 8 to 10 hours, maybe the shorter time would work. I'll try it, at least. And my new cooker has a digital timer to set the cooking time, and it will automatically stay on warm for 30 minutes after it stops cooking. But because a lot of us have recipes geared to the older cookers, we may find the times cause overcooking. Anyway, let's us Nancylanders contribute experiences they've had, and perhaps we could come with some rule of thumb things that would help. jeanlock in McLean VA.

This is for Rubie from Milwaukee in Aug 15 newsletter with her overabundance of tomatoes. I just wash mine, remove stem and cut off the stem part then put them whole into a freezer bag. I lay them flat to freeze. When I need tomatoes for a recipe I just take out however many I need and put them into the recipe. The skins float to the top once they are cooked. Very easy way to freeze tomatoes and it won't heat up your kitchen.
Jan from Can(ada)

I made the Peach Puzzle dessert/cobbler this morning. It is fun to do and really delicious. Thanks to the person who sent it in. I used whole peaches with the peach seed still inside. I would suppose that is what keeps the peach looking so round and "shapely". It worked just like the recipe said, except my peaches were larger, so I used a larger metal casserole dish. The sauce rose up in the custard cup and it was a wonderful aroma baking and a melody of flavor in the eating. Yummy!
Jean from Illinois

Nancy, several members were asking about the order in which to read the Diane Mott Davidson books. My favorite website to see the order of books by favorite authors is
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/rankings.htm. I use this site to keep track of my authors and their offerings. The site lists the dates the books were written.
Karen in KY.

The order of the books was also sent in by
Sue in Ky and Lesleigh in Pa

Hi Nancy, I have a request. I lost my sister in law's recipe for a Rice Vermicelli Casserole. It was like pilaf casserole and had rice and broken vermicelli and a little barley and chicken broth in it. You put butter in a pan and browned the rice and vermicelli and possibly some spices and after it was browned and mixed with the broth and ready to put in a casserole dish to bake you mixed in parsley and slivered almonds. You baked it in the oven. Does anyone have a recipe like that. I have sent along my favorite brownie casserole.
Enjoy, thanks Chris in California

Mary in Oregon RE: Rotel too hot
You could just buy the crushed tomatoes and a small can of chilies and only add what is right for you.

Cat in Oklahoma RE: Old feather pillows.
I searched for care instructions and mainly you can have them dry cleaned by a cleaner that does such, or wash at home. I'm sure home is cheaper, but a few things to remember.

Make sure the seams are intact - no machine will do well if a feather pillow comes open in the wash cycle. Better yet, put the pillow in a zipped pillow case or something so in the event anything does escape it will be contained.
Use cool or warm water, a mild detergent to remove oils and a gentle or delicate cycle for about 8 minutes.
Gently press out as much water as possible before putting into dryer on warm or gentle cycle. Put 2 or three tennis balls in with pillows to "fluff" them. May take 6 to 8 hrs.
Store in well ventilated closet to avoid mildew.

I think I would go a little further and wait for a very low humidity day to wash and put the pillows either on the line or laid out on a (covered) table or chairs and fluff and blot every hour or so and at the end of the day put them in the dryer. And I would not put them in any closet or drawer for a couple days till I was certain they were dry.
I ruined a couple great pillows by putting them in a garbage bag coming home from the beach. I only meant to keep them clean, didn't realize how much moisture they had absorbed. Ruined before I realized it.
Cheryl, Charlotte

To Ruby in Milwaukee. I make an abundance of spaghetti sauce at one time for freeze it for individual meals for us. The sauce does not get watery and you will not have to thicken it. Very handy to have in the freezer.
Phyllis WA-AZ

For Linda, Ft. Collins, CO
Here are two websites where you can purchase Chow Chows and Piccalilli.

http://shop.kitchenkettle.com/
http://onlinestore.smucker.com/
Hope these help.
Barbara East TN

In the August 12 newsletter Billie in Florida was looking for ways to use mint. The recipe I have uses mint and wine in a fresh fruit dish. It's a recipe by Giada DeLaurentis. I've made it several times to rave reviews.

Summer Fruit with Wine and Mint
1-1/4 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cantaloupe, halved, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
8 ounces of strawberries, quartered
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved lengthwise
1 Tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped

Bring the wine and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. While it cools, chop and combine the cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes and mint in a large bowl. Pour the warm wine mixture over the fruit; sprinkle with the mint leaves; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until cold, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours. Transfer the fruit mixture to a wide jar with a tight-fitting lid. Keep chilled.
JoAnn H

For Donna and her friend. I only buy cream cheese when it is on sale and freeze it. I have never had a problem with the full-fat variety. When I use the lower fat kind, I must blend it together again but that is not really a problem. It melts without a problem and blends into dips and spreads.
AnneE from Pa.

I just want to say Hi All and thanks for the info about the 3 authors Myers, Fluke and Carl. I will definitely be enjoying them. I can understand your concern Wendy SNJ, about children being treated differently but my children are adults so you must have gotten me confused with someone else.
Barbarba

Regarding leaving ovens on all day brought a vivid memory back to me. Years ago, my daughter was 14 and I worked full time. I had asked her to turn the oven on "warm" in the afternoon and put some food from the fridge in so that it would be warm for supper. She did. As I was leaving my office at 5:00 the phone rang and she said: "Mom, don't get panicky now, but the house is on FIRE!" We arrived home to indeed find the fire trucks, and a royal mess of water all over the house. The 250-volt electric cord that plugs into the wall had been attached to the wall with some STAPLES. Since it was on the side of the dishwasher, the staples finally cut the cord causing the fire. So - I am ever conscious of leaving an oven on, though it was of course, just one of those rare incidences. Barbara in AL

Cream cheese can be frozen, but only for a short time, and must be wrapped well. I have often used my gas oven as a crock pot with no problem at all.
grannym IL

To Alice in Leavittsburg Ohio re Onion Pie recipe in newsletter of Aug. 5, 2007. Please send the recipe in if you haven't already and I've missed it. Thanks very much.
M.A./Arizona

Mary in Oregon, you can sometimes find the Rotel tomatoes that are milder. Look in your different stores, and ask for them.
Dorothy from WA

Macaroni and Ham Casserole
2 c. cooked ham
1 can mushroom soup
1 tbsp. minced onion
1 c. American cheese
2 c. elbow macaroni
2/3 c. water

Cook macaroni in water, add 1 tsp. salt. Drain, rinse in cold water, and drain again. Mix together all ingredients except cheese. Place mixture in a greased casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 to 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Tona in Bama

Maraschino Cherry Cake
1 (16 oz.) bottle of maraschino cherries
6 c. sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. soft butter
2 c. granulated sugar
4 lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 c. milk

Drain cherries and dry thoroughly. Coat with a little of the flour. Combine flour, salt and baking powder together. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flavorings. Stir in remaining flour alternately with milk and mix until smooth. Fold in the cherries. Bake in greased tube pan or two loaf pans, in a preheated 325 degree
oven for approximately 2 hours or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool before removing from pan.
Tona in Bama

Stuffed Peppers (to Freeze)
1 lb. hamburger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
2 cans tomato soup
8 green peppers
1 c. chopped onions
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 lb. sharp cheese, cut up
1-1/2 c. cooked rice

Cook beef, onion, garlic until meat is brown. Add seasonings and soup, simmer covered 10 minutes. Add cheese, cooking until cheese melts. Stir in rice. Cool.
Cut peppers in half lengthwise and take out seeds. Cook in boiling salted water about 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Place peppers on baking sheet. Stuff with meat-rice mixture. Place in freezer until frozen. Remove, wrap, seal and return to freezer.

To serve: Remove wrapping and partially thaw at room temperature. Place in shallow pan, cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 30-45 minutes.
Tona in Bama

Baked Chicken Breast
3-4 chicken breasts (no bone or skin)
1 sm. pkg. mozzarella cheese slices
1 box Stove Top stuffing for chicken
1 can creamy chicken mushroom soup
1 egg

Lightly grease a medium size casserole. Lay chicken in bottom. Cover chicken with slices of cheese. Prepare stuffing according to package directions and add 1 egg. Spread stuffing over chicken breast with cheese slices. Top with chicken soup. Bake until tender. Bake covered for 45 minutes uncovered 15 minutes more. Serves 6.

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Favorite recipes/links of our members

Mom's Macaroni & Cheese
Inside Out Cake
Corn Dog Casserole
Blasted Chicken
The Best Spaghetti Sauce You'll Ever Eat
Indescribably Delicious Banana Bread
Hummingbird Cake
Orange Soak Cake by Tona in Bama
Snickerdoodle Recipe by Prepared Pantry
Lemonade Dessert by Annette
Cake Mix Cookies
Angel Food Variations
Honey or Cinnabon Cake
Dreamsicle Cake sent in by Terry
Baked Beans with Pineapple (Crockpot)
Orange Sunshine Cake
Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Grape Salad

Life and Times of Sigmund Freud Kitty (Told in his own words)

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