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for Karen T.:

Chocolate Midnight Madness
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
6 oz (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Graham cracker crust

In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time; beat in chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Pour into graham cracker crust. Place pan on cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 30-35 minutes or until set.
Chill 4 hours.
grannym IL

This week I had to put together a dessert in a hurry for a last minute birthday pot luck at work. It turned out pretty good, so thought I would share it. For lack of a better name, I'll call it

Strawberry Quick Cake
1 - ready made Angel Food cake, the one I bought was round with a hole in the center
1 - pint fresh strawberries, more if you want
1 - 3oz pkg instant French Vanilla Pudding mix
1 to 1/14 cup half and half
ready made whipped cream

Whip half and half into pudding mix and set aside. Cut cake into 4 equal layers. Cut strawberries into thin slices, leaving enough whole to put on top of finished cake. Place your bottom layer on serving plate. Spread with 1/3 of the pudding (it will be very thick). Add a layer of sliced strawberries. Top with another layer of cake, pudding, strawberries until 4th layer of cake is on top. Cover top layer with whipped cream and arrange whole strawberries on top with points facing up. Chill until ready to serve.

This is quick, looks festive and tastes yummy.
Sylvia in Spokane

Judy Montana, Re: Marinated Shrimp. How much Shrimp?
Jane from NC

Hello Nancy,
The recipes for cooking turtle leave me feeling a bit queasy. Around here, the only turtles we see are pets. In fact, the pet shop has a couple of turtle pets in stock right now.

In the April 24th newsletter, the recipe for Maple Cocoa Shake lists 2 T pure vanilla extract. The decadent dessert made with Magic Bullet calls for 1 T vanilla. Is this correct? Should it be teaspoon?
Shirley in Sask.

I am having a difficult time with messages about catching and the killing of turtles for soup. To me -- cats are people, dogs are people, turtles are people, and frogs are people. Anything that I have had a personal relationship with are people to me. Even though I have not had a personal relationship with Dennis Weaver's daughter's chickens I probably consider them people too. (When I talk Dennis Weaver at the Prepared Pantry by phone I always ask about his family and his daughter's 3 chickens raised from tiny chicks..
Nancy Rogers

Hello Nancy,
In today's newsletter Oma in AL mentioned she freezes onions. I tried to do this years ago and it was a failure. I cannot remember why (I am getting old I guess). What is the secret to doing this? I am tired of resorting to dried onions when my produce goes bad. Thanks to all in this fine group.
Lynn in Las Vegas

Nancy, don't the tornados scare the heck out of you? Frightening weather.

This is for Karen in SD.
I went to the grocery store and bought a large horeseradish root. I have not yet ground up the plant, but will in the next couple of days. Please correct my idea of planting it. I am going to cut off the bottom of the root, and the top crown of the root and plant these, along with the peelings when I clean the root to about 3 inches deep. Then I will keep them moist and let them grow. Does this sound correct? Does it need fertilizer? Thanks for your help.
Roz in Indy

Comment
Any kind of severe weather does bother me. Watching TV and knowing what weather is out there makes me more aware of what is going on. Straight line winds can do a lot of damage as well. If there is a tornado threat I take precautions and go to the inner most closet and listen to a portable TV (battery) until it is no longer a threat. Siggy and Ditto think it is great fun to be huddled up in a closet. Several years ago when the tornado hit Happy, Texas and I lived in Canyon, I watched to rotation in the clouds go over. It was was rather scrary. I live in the Texas Panhandle where there is the probability of tornadoes and severe weather often. The good thing is the TV stations are on top of the weather and let their viewers know what is happening. The bad part is the weather is covered so well the programs can not be viewed because the TV stations are alerting their viewers of severe weather. Very few days go by where there isn't 1/4 of TV screen is covered with severe weather alerts. The TV viewing is a large area (part of New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma Panhandle, and part of Kansas.) No matter where they position the alert it cuts off something on the TV screen.
Nancy

Does anyone out there have any good recipes that can used on the Nutra System diet?
Thanks, Anderson

To Donna in NwGa
I live in NC and am going to try my luck with horseradish. I planted some Friday and hope that it will do well here.
Jane in NC

This is a question for Judy Montana regarding her Marinated Shrimp recipe. Is the shrimp already
cooked when you place it in the marinade? Gay in L.I.

Judy in Montana (April 25th newsletter) gave us an interesting marinade for shrimp. Is the shrimp already cooked when you place it in the marinade? Do you grill or broil it after taking it out of the marinade? How much shrimp do you put in the marinade,1-2 pounds? I like the sound of this and would like to try it. Thanks. Margo/Boston

For Judy in Montana

How much shrimp did you use in your "Marinated Shrimp" recipe. Also, are the cooked, raw, tails on or off. This looks yummy.

Thanks, Dianne in East Tennessee

OOPS!!!
In the marinated shrimp recipe I left out the shrimp'
You need 2lbs cooked shrimp the rest of the recipe is there it came out of one of the country magazines
Judy Montana

Betty in MI - Doris in Oklahoma City told me to put dryer sheets wherever the mice were. Someone else very kindly added that she has used them and has not had to ever change them as apparently they do not loose their power with time. Hope this helps you as it helped me.

Nancy, thank you again for all your work and give those furbabies a hug from me.
Angel from Sherbrooke.

Nancy furbabies and all,
This is in response to Karen T., who requested chocolate recipes in the April 25th newsletter. These are GREAT! Everyone LOVES these. These are NOT low fat! I got the original recipe from a radio call in program that was out of the Boston area more than 20 years ago. I am sorry but I don't remember anymore who the person was who called the recipe into the radio show... My recipe card is pretty beaten up after so long. I make them in a 11 x 17 pan. Because they are so rich I cut them into smaller pieces. Needless to say I try not to make these too too often. They are sort of like what they say about potato chips - I bet you can't eat just one! LOL.

Susan in WV, 4-25, requesting a recipe for pea salad. I make a very simple one that my family enjoys. A SIL gave me the recipe fifty plus years ago.
Jean, NE OK

Basic Pea Salad
1 can green peas
6 green onions, chopped (tops included)
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1/4 cup salad dressing (Miracle Whip), or to your taste
Salt & pepper to taste

Drain green peas, add chopped onions, salt and pepper and salad dressing. Mix well. Fold in sliced hard-boiled eggs. Chill until ready to serve.

Karen T: This is a recipe for the most decadent flourless chocolate cake you will ever eat. I’m sure this will fit into you chocolate fest. It was posted on Finer Kitchens website by Cathy Z.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
PRINCEVILLE HOTEL

1 lb. good quality unsalted butter
1.25 lb. good quality semi-sweet baking chocolate
3/4 cup sugar
7 large eggs, at room temperature

Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler over simmering water.

Whip sugar and eggs together until ribbon stage. (7-8 minutes).
Drizzle chocolate into egg mixture slowly while beating to alleviate
eggs cooking. Prepare high-sided pan (use parchment paper on bottom). I used my 10” springform pan.

and pour in mixture. Bake in preheated 325º oven for 40 minutes in a bain marie. (I used a very large fry pan with hot water that went halfway up the cake pan.) Let cake cool in refrigerator before unmolding.

Cathy’s Notes: The secret to good success with this “cake” beside using good ingredients (use REALLY good quality butter and chocolate) is to beat the bejeebers out of the sugar and egg mixture. (I did the 7-8 minutes in my KA mixer) at top speed)

You must get to the “ribbon” stage in order to find the right consistency in the finished product. Another thing is to use the hot water bath during baking. (Cathy used her roasting pan.) You can make the cake and refrigerate it for several

days or freeze it and thaw later. It holds up well, either way.

My Notes: I have had some in the freezer now for a couple of weeks and when I thawed a piece out it was just as good as the day I made it. You will also notice the center will have a slight jiggle in the middle of the cake, when removing from the oven. This is ok, as it will firm up in the fridge.
Harriet/AZ

Hi Everyone,
I have a question, not about cooking, but really important to me. My husband has had both knees replaced.
He has really good knees now but is very slow stepping up, like the step to come into the house which is very often because he loves to work outside. I have a big problem with flies coming in when he opens the door and is slow getting inside and closing the door. Would anyone know of a solution for me? I feel I'm chasing flies too much and I can't stand to not kill them. The only solution I can think of is, fly spray often around the door.
Help. Thank you for your response.
Grace from AL

From the April 25th newsletter request- Freezing Green Beans - wash in Cold water and cut into 1 inch or 2 inch pieces or slice lengthwise. Water blanch 3 minutes. Cool promptly, drain, package, seal and freeze.

Directions for Water Blanching: Use a blancher with a basket and cover, or fit a wire basket into a large kettle with a lid. Use one gallon of water per pound of prepared beans. Bring water to a rolling boil - Using these proportions the water should continue to boil when vegetables are lowered into the water. Put vegetables into a blanching basket and lower into the boiling water. Place a lid on the blancher. Start counting blanching time as soon as the water returns to a boil or immediately if it doesn't stop). Keep high heat so the water continues to boil throughout the blanching process. Have a sink or other large container ready with cold (ice is good) water in it to cool down the beans quickly after the 3 minutes blanching. Drain, seal and freeze. For the Lima beans blanch 2 minutes for small beans, 3 minutes for medium beans and large beans 4 minutes. Cool promptly, seal and freeze.
Teresa in Missouri

I did a search on Yahoo's search box, not Google's, and found a couple of links to Tona from Bama. If it is the same Tona, she has a yahoo groups also. I tried searching for her own recipe contributions and found some great pages.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/

Hey everybody, I've been looking for a copycat recipe for the Outback Steakhouse Marinade and seasoning forever. My wonderful aspiring chef-to-be son came home with this today. Thought I'd share it with you all. If you've never experienced the steaks from this restaurant, you are in for a tremendous treat. We compare all other steaks to theirs. :o)

Marinade:
1 cup Scottish Ale
2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon MSG (or Accent)

Place your favorite cut of steak in a shallow pan and pour ale on steak. Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Remove steak from ale and mix dry ingredients together. Rub on both sides of the steak. Let marinate in dry ingredients for 30 minutes. Preheat skillet or grill to medium high heat and add vegetable spray or oil. Braise to perfection.
Mariann in Michigan

Susan in WV, 4-25 newsletter requested pea salad. Here’s a bunch from Nancy’s Kitchen. They are probably all good.
Enjoy! Darlene in WV


On 7 Aug, Joyce in Ky. asked about the pea salad recipe. Sounds like you have the right idea. We've always used mayonnaise (NOT salad dressing) in ours.

COLD PEA SALAD
16 oz package frozen peas
1-3/4 c mild cheddar cheese, diced (about ½-¾" squares)
3 hard-boiled eggs (cut into lg pieces)
1/2 c celery, diced
1/8 c green pepper, diced
1 small jar pimiento, drained
1-1/2 T onion, minced
2-4 T mayonnaise (NOT salad dressing)

Rinse peas to defrost, then drain very well. In very lg bowl, gently toss all ingredients; cover and chill till ready to serve. May also be served as soon as it is made. (Hint: If you do not intend to serve this within a few hours, do not add cheese till just before serving. Incorporating the cheese too early will allow it time to become too mushy, and you will have an unappetizing texture to your salad.) I use about 1 c cheese, to cut down on calories a little. If desired, garnish with strips of red pepper in a pinwheel effect, and place one whole olive in the center. Serves approx. 8-16, depending on how much you love this salad.
Angela Manus, N. Ala.

A similar recipe was sent in by Kathi in Virginia, BevAnn and Athena in DE.

A similar recipe was sent by Bonnie from Washington state. She added the following to her comments.
I use the Petite peas.
Option – Can add 1 can shrimp which has been rinsed and drained. I do NOT…but you could.

For Joyce, in Ky, regarding the sauce in pea salad. When I make this, I use equal parts sour cream and plain yogurt. Knitter in Illinois

In response to Joyce in Ky. Aug. 7th news letter about the sauce for the pea salad I have made this for several years and the only dressing I have ever put on it is Mayonnaise it is a very good salad.
Sherrie from WA State

for Joyce in Ky.
The white stuff in the pea salad is 99% of the time plain mayo.It is used as a binder.
Judy Montana

For Susan in WV in the April 26 newsletter:
This pea salad is made with uncooked frozen peas and is very good.
Adding crabmeat or imitation crab makes a nice meal.
Papa

CRUNCHY PEA SALAD
5 ounces frozen baby peas
2 Tbsp diced celery
3 ounces chopped cauliflower
chopped green onion
3 Tbsp sour cream
2 Tbsp cashews, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper
pinch cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients to blend. Garnish with French's fried onions if desired.

Nancy and friends and Nancylanders: Joyce in KY, in the 8/8/06 newsletter, requested a recipe for pea salad using frozen peas. While this is not exactly what she requested, it's a wonderful salad I've been making for many years. It's great to make ahead, cover and refrigerate for a hot weather salad. I have also had the pea salad with frozen peas, but I prefer this salad which uses canned peas. Mr. Myron Drinkwater - Lake Forest, CA

GREEN PEA SALAD2
(14.5 oz) cans peas, drained (I use Le Seuer)
1/3 medium onion, cut in small dice
3 or 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/8 lb cheddar cheese, cut in pea size dice
1 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
1 tsp seasoning salt (like Lawry's or Mortons)
2 Tbsp Miracle Whip (or salad dressing)
1 Tbsp sour cream

Place the peas, diced onion, chopped eggs, diced cheddar cheese and pickle relish in a mixing bowl and gently stir to incorporate all ingredients. In a separate bowl thoroughly combine the Miracle Whip, sour cream and seasoning salt, then spoon it onto the salad mixture. Stir the dressing into the salad ingredients until well blended. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or longer before serving. Leftover salad may be covered and refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.

Cook's Note: This salad can also be made using drained canned cut green beans or drained red kidney beans instead of the canned peas. And if you prefer, dill pickle relish can be substituted for the sweet pickle relish.

(To convert this salad to frozen peas, I would recommend, besides substituting a package of frozen peas for the canned peas, omitting the pickle relish.)

Hi Nancy, I look forward to your newsletter everyday. Thanks for all your hard work. Susan from WVa was asking for a Pea Salad and this one is very good. It is from Paula Deen.
Jane from NC

Garden Pea Salad
1 (15-ounce) can very young early peas (recommended: Lesueur)
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 boiled eggs, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Chopped pimento, optional

In a colander, drain peas very well. Place drained peas in a medium bowl. Add the onions, crumbled eggs, and mayonnaise, tossing to combine and coat peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pimento, if using. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
Source: Paula Deen

Hi Nancy, This is for the lady asking for the Chop Suey recipe It is in 3-27-07 newsletter. I'm sorry I can't give her name I'm having trouble pulling up this website at this time. Blame it on the weather.
Margaret, Tulsa

To Muriel in PA
When I was growing up...I had a friend whose mother made the best chop suey. I used to beg to stay for dinner when she fixed it. I know it wasn't very authentic, but it was wonderful. I'd love to have that recipe.
Ann in Texas

This is for Susan in WV looking for a recipe for pea salad. Susan, pea salad is probably one of the easiest and best salads you can make. All I do is chill a can or several cans (if I need to make a large amount) of peas, boil 2-3 eggs for each can of peas and peel and cool them. Then I chop up onion in the amount that my family likes, a bit of chopped celery (if you care for that), dice up the eggs, add a large spoonfull of sweet relish, drain and add the peas, add salt and pepper to taste and finish by adding mayonnaise (not salad dressing) in small amounts until it is enough to dress your salad to your liking. Chill overnight or at least for several hours...I like to add small pieces of diced cheese to my pea salad when we are ready to eat it. Sorry that I do not have a "recipe" for this but this is how I cook so tried to write it as I do it. Oh, also you can add some pimento for added color if you care to.
Hope you try this and enjoy it like we do.

Good cookin', Barbara in Corsicana, Texas

Thank you Margaret in Tulsa for that wonderful Banana Cake Recipe you sent into the April 18, 2007 Newsletter. My husband and company devoured it. Even ate it for breakfast. I topped it with a glaze.
Carol, Seminole, FL

Nancy, yesterday I made four berry cobblers, using fresh, uncooked dewberries. My husband and daughter were judges. Today, the cobblers will be frozen in meal size containers for future.

I have a question for Bobbie NC about her Lazy Cobbler. I used fresh dewberries and my fresh berries stayed mostly on top of dough. The taste is Very Good and we are going to eat it as Berry Bread, rather than Berry cobbler. Bobbie, do you use 3 cups canned fruit undrained? (Bobbie, I usually copy your recipes)

Lazy Cobbler bobbie NC
3 c. fruit
1 stick butter
1 c. self-rising flour
1 c. milk
1 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla flavoring
1 egg (optional)

Melt butter in oblong casserole dish. (9x13) Mix sugar, flour, milk and vanilla. Pour over butter. DO NOT STIR. Drop fruit in last. Do not stir. Bake 350 for about 25 to 30 min., or until crust comes to top and browns. You can add 1 egg to flour mixture if you like.
Bobbie in NC - from files of Peggy NELA


Below is a very good cobbler recipe from this Newsletter: (I added 1 tbsp vanilla to batter)

FARMER'S MARKET COBBLER (Zelda)
1 stick margarine or butter
Melt butter in 2 quart baking dish.

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

Combine dry ingredients. Stir into melted butter in baking dish.

2/3 cup milk
Add milk and stir again.

1 quart peaches (blueberries, pears, apricots, blackberries, or apples)
1/2 cup sugar

Bring fruit and 1/2 cup sugar to boil. As soon as it boils take off heat and pour over batter. DO NOT STIR. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. I add a little bit of cinnamon to mine.
Zelda from Grand Prairie, TX - from files of Peggy NELA

We haven’t gotten straightened up from moving and I was about to wonder if I had lost my recipe (from the 1950’s) for Essie’s Cobbler. I decided to check the Gold Medal Flour website; I did find it there. – Oh, happy day!

ESSIE'S COBBLER
1/4 c. soft butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk

Drained cherries, berries, or peaches (#2 can); reserve juice (#2 can = 2- 1/2 cups or 20 ounces)
1/4 to 1/2 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir dry ingredients in alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Pour into 8 x 8 inch pan. Spoon fruit over batter, then sprinkle with sugar. Pour fruit juice, reserved, over top. Bake 45-50 minutes. Serve warm with cream.

Note: Since I was using fresh berries, I placed berries in measuring cup and, for juice, I added water to top of berries. - Peggy

The fourth cobbler I made (for the taste test) used cake mix, butter and enough water to make a stiff dough. Spread stiff dough into PAM sprayed baking pan and cover with sweetened fruit and juice. Bake at 350 degrees until some of the dough rises to top and browns. No official recipe. If anyone has a tnt cobbler recipe using cake mix, I would like to have it.

As usual, the recipes from this newsletter are good. Thanks to all.
Peggy NELA

Hi Nancy and babies. My highlight of the day is reading and copying much of your newsletter. Thanks so much for all the hard work you put into it. This is a response to the request by Karen T. on April 25th, 2007 for a chocolate dessert for a fundraiser. As I am unsure about whether or not they will be eating there or not, this may or may not be appropriate. I recently made this for a fundraiser at a dinner where they could purchase the desserts.

It was a big hit, they sold it all for $1.00 a small bowl, to be eaten after their dinner. Their sales that evening far surpassed any they had done previously, due to my dessert (so they tell me anyway!) Everyone wanted the recipe and they were still talking about it the next week. So here it is, a very simple , easy dessert to put together. I had a very large glass trifle bowl, and made a large amount, but you can adjust this recipe to the size bowl, or the amount you want to make. You also can omit the Kahlua, if you prefer to leave it out. I omitted it this time and it usually depends on the type of event you are having. You might want to label it as containing Kahlua.

Kahlua Chocolate Trifle
2 to 3 boxes of chocolate brownies, baked as directed and allowed to cool. You may want to prepare this the day before . If you want to add the Kahlua, using a
toothpick, put many holes in the brownies and pour 2/3cup or more if needed, over the brownies and let it soak in before you cut it.

Prepare two large packages of chocolate instant pudding. I usually lessen the milk requirement by just a little to make it thicker. I don't usually like instant pudding but it is perfectly fine in this recipe. You could you regular cooked pudding if you want to bother doing that. Make it thicker however.

Cut or tear up the brownies and place 1/2 of them into the bottom of the bowl, filling right to the edges of the glass bowl.

Pour 1/2 of the pudding over the top of the brownies, bringing everything right to the edges in the glass bowl again. If you see you need more pudding just quickly make another box up.

1 to 2 extra large containers of Cool Whip - Place 1/2 over the pudding to the edges.

1 pkg. Heath Bar bits (usually found where they keep the chocolate chip items at the supermarket). Sprinkle 1/2 pkg. over the cool whip.

Now, start this process all over again, with the balance of the items, and end with heath bar bits.

Cover with saran wrap. and refrigerate until you are ready to serve or take to your event.

The best bowl is a clear glass trifle bowl, with sides that go straight from the top of the bowl, right down to the bottom, and is not curved at all. This allows you to see all the different layers that you have placed right up the edge of the bowl and it makes for a beautiful presentation.

Use a large serving spoon and place in a small serving bowl to serve. It is easy, delicious, and oh so good!

You can vary the amounts depending on how large or small a recipe you need.

Laurine in NNY on the border.

I would like a TNT recipe for Hawaiian bread using a bread machine?
TS

Thank you so much to the 2 ladies for the Creamy Vegetable Soup recipes I can hardly wait to make it and today would be great as it is cloudy, damp & cool in Kansas.

Nancy a big thank you for all you do to make this wonderful newsletter I can hardly wait to get home from work to read it.
God Bless, Lin in Ks.

Nancy, want to thank Athena for Hawaiian Loaf recipe (copied below). I baked one-half of the recipe in a small angel food pan. This is very good recipe. I used real butter. For sweetener, I used 1/2 cup each sugar and Splenda (remember, I baked only half recipe). The only thing that I would do differently is cut coconut into smaller pieces via blender.
Peggy NELA

Hawaiian Loaf (Athena)
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 c. mashed ripe banana
4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 c. flaked coconut

Beat butter w/ electric mixer until light & fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until light. Add eggs, beat well. Stir in banana.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Add to butter mixture, mixing just until smooth. Fold in pineapple & coconut.

Spoon batter into 2 greased & floured 9 x 5 loaf pans. Bake preheated 350 oven until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 60-70 min.
Athena in DE

A big thank you to all who sent in the Split Pea Soup Recipes. Haven't tried any yet as I have had foot surgery and have to sit with my foot elevated but before long I'm hoping to be back to my old self.
Thanks again - Doris De.

Hello Everyone, What kind of cherries do you use to make cherry nut bread. I bought some sweet dried cherries, they taste like raisins, maraschino cherries are to wet. thank you .
Robert in Ohio

Sally, I haven't frozen veggies for a while but when I do I get my water boiling in a large kettle and drop in the prepared veggies for about 2 minutes and then lift them out into ice cold water to retain the green color and be sure to get all excess water off of them and freeze them. I just put them in quart or gallon plastic freezer bags. I have a food saver now that I would use if I do it again.
Bette~Indiana

BRANDY SLUSH
3 1/2 cup pineapple juice
Boil 1 cup water and put in 2 bags of green tea and cool
6 ounces frozen lemonade and DO NOT dilute
3 ounces frozen orange juice and DO NOT dilute
1 1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup whiskey

Mix all, put in freezer until partially frozen and slushy. Fill glass half with slush and half with 7-up and serve. The number of serving depend on the size of the glass.

FRIENDSHIP SPICED TEA
2 cups tang
2 cups sugar
1 cup instant tea
3/4 teaspoon clove
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup of red hots
1 package Wylers Instant Lemonade

Mix all together an store in Plastic Container covered. Use 2 teaspoon in cup of hot water. This makes a large container of the recipe and should last a long time.
Bette~Indiana

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For Joan in FL.
I make the crab cheese ball too and we like SHRIMP SAUCE on top. I make my own using catsup, horseradish and lemon juice, I just guess the proportions starting with catsup and adding horseradish, maybe a tsp to start with ,then more as desired. It's GOOD!
Rosemary

Karen T is looking for chocolate recipes for a fundraiser (April 25th newsletter). How about dipping strawberries in chocolate, would that qualify ?
Margo/Boston

Nancy furbabies and all,
This is in response to Karen T., who requested chocolate recipes in the April 25th newsletter. These are GREAT! Everyone LOVES these. These are NOT low fat! I got the original recipe from a radio call in program that was out of the Boston area more than 20 years ago. I am sorry but I don't remember anymore who the person was who called the recipe into the radio show... My recipe card is pretty beaten up after so long. I make them in a 11 x 17 pan. Because they are so rich I cut them into smaller pieces. Needless to say I try not to make these too too often. They are sort of like what they say about potato chips - I bet you can't eat just one! LOL.
Everyone have a Blessed day, Mary in CT.

Andrews Fudgies
2/3 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup cooking oil (Add This also, it is not a mistake)
2 lg. eggs, unbeaten
2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (opt.)

Combine in order given (1 - 10) except chips and nuts. Beat together thoroughly. Pour into UNGREASED 9 x 13 or 11 x 17 pan. Batter will be very thin. Spread chocolate chips and nuts over top of batter. Bake at 350° 30 - 40 min. Cool in pan & cut into squares or bars.

Note** The amounts of oil are correct.
(I have used all dark or 1/2 dark and 1/2 milk chocolate chips, and even added extra chocolate chips and also even white chocolate ones also) You could use any combination you desire even mint or peanut butter chips.

Hi Nancy,
Was just wondering if anybody was up for a little canning this year. If so, this is really great to pull off the shelf, pop open and enjoy for months to come.

Piccalilli
1-1/2-cups chopped green bell peppers
1-1/2-cups chopped red bell peppers
1-1/2-cups chopped onions
1-1/2-cups chopped summer squash
1-1/2-cups chopped cabbage
1 1/2-cups chopped sweet purple onion
1-1/3-cup cider vinegar
4-tbspn prepared mustard
4-tspn salt
1-3/4-cup sugar
2-tbspn celery seed

Cover peppers, squash, cabbage and onions with water; add salt and boil 2 minutes; drain. Mix remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add drained vegetables; boil 2 more minutes. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes (Makes about 4 pints)
Susana in Louisiana

For Don in Michigan
So glad you liked the Olive dipping sauce. Hope you and your family enjoy it for years to come.
Susana in Louisiana

This goes out to Marilyn in Ohio -
2-1/2 cups of flour for the lemon bread
Sorry for the error - Susana in Louisiana

Nancy, This is the best ansd easy cookie recipe. They are so good!

Forgotten Cookies
2 eggs whites (room temp, beat until foamy)
1 cup pecans
6oz. chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar
1tsp.vanilla
dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350°.Gradually add sugar to egg whites. Add salt and vanilla. Finish beating until stiff. Fold in pecans and chips. Line a large cookie sheet with foil. Drop by teaspoons. Put into oven and Immediately turn over off! Leave in oven overnight. Do not open oven until next morning. Peel cookies off of foil. Cookies are fragile so be careful when peeling off foil .
Enjoy! Helen in Mississippi

Hi Friends, I 'd like to know where I can purchase a gizmo to cut a cake layer into two full layers. I want to make my two layer cake into four layers. Thanks, Boots in Va.

Hi Nancy,
Marie in Washington State requested the recipe for Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Bake in the April 24th newsletter. I don't know when it was posted originally but I had saved it to my recipes. Here it is.

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Bake
12 white bread slices
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
12 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter

1. Trim crusts from bread slices; cut bread slices into 1-inch pieces.
Place half of bread pieces in a buttered 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Layer cream cheese and 1 cup blueberries over bread; top with remaining bread pieces.

2. Combine eggs, milk, and syrup; pour over bread mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours.

3. Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 35 more minutes or until puffed and golden.

4. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan; gradually add water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in remaining 1 cup blueberries; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add butter; stir until melted. Cut French toast into squares, and serve with blueberry sauce.

Yield: 10 servings
Tona in Bama*

Everyone have a wonderful day
Betty in Canada

Does anyone remember a recent recipe for sweet potatoes? It used two cans of sweet potatoes. You brought the sweet potatoes to a boil and mashed. Then you added some other ingredients like butter and brown sugar. I wanted to try it, because it seemed so simple and did not have pecans or marshmallows in it. I know I copied it, but can’t find it. I have also searched back through some recent newsletters. Can anyone help?
Sandy in Iowa

I prepared Tona's orange soak cake yesterday and my 82 year old dad loved it. Wish we could all go to her house for supper!
Freida in TX

For Gretch in WI , I think the tea concentrate you are looking for is SunShine Tea from SunShine Wholesalers (formerly Mingo Bay Tea concentrate that was sold in Sam’s Club). It is now available by mail at this address:
735 NE 19th Place, Unit 15, Cape Coral FL 33909

Orders can be made by phone also at: (877)573-9324 Or by e-mail: FAGibson@earthlink.net

Or on the web: www.sunshine-wholesalers.com. The owner’s name is Faith Gibson, and she’s very nice lady.

The bottles are $15 plus shipping. They each make 32 gallons (you add your own sweetener) and the concentrate and tea do not need refrigeration, doesn’t cloud, isn’t bitter, easy to mix (no boiling water), and it’s caffeine free, oh and it’s the Best tasting tea you will ever drink. Our family loves it. Hope that’s what you were looking for!
FL Jill

Be Organized...Shop Organize.com

In April 24 newsletter, Melody in Nebraska needs "star anise"
Try- http://stores.ebay.com/
Savory-Thymes-Herbs-and-Spices

Great prices and good choices.
Can also call for list brochure at 423-623-6520-L&M Spices

Melody, Star Anise a Chinese spice used for baking and pickling. You can purchase it in whole, broken, or powdered form through Penzey's. www.penzeys.com Penzey's gives a great description of the spices and herbs they carry and how to use them. Another really good source of unending information is www.preparedpantry.com You can download free baking guides galore. Many, many thanks to Bill Penzey and Dennis at The Prepared Pantry for keeping us all in the know.
Tracey in OK

I buy green bell peppers when they are on sale and deseed them and freeze them until later use. When we butchered our own beef, I would take some of the hamburger and mix it up with onion soup mix and rice (I used the long grain white rice), take the peppers from the freezer, stuff them and put back into the freezer in zip lock bags. Then when I wanted to make stuff peppers, I would take what I needed from the freezer and place in crock pot with tomato juice to cover and let cook on high until boiling and then turn down to medium. Oh, so good.
Emma from Montana

For Sally in PA April 21, 2007 Newsletter
Try WD-40, it is a Miracle Worker. It is a degreaser, oil spills, scuff remover, lipstick from walls, absolutely everything. I purchase this more than Mr Clean, etc.
Doris From Michigan

Today's Newsletter
April 27 - Page 1     April 27 - Page 2

Ditto and Siggy's Corner
Walter Drake - In the Kitchen
Oriental Trading Offers $2.95 Shipping on $60
Crock-pot Slow Cookers
The FoodSaver - As Seen on TV
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Gourmet Kitchen Gadgets
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eToys: Top Travel Toys
Travel Toys
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Save on Staples brand products

Siggy and Ditto's Favorite Online Stores
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