The Sittin' Turkey™ Steamer is designed with a wide opening at the top along with 4 steam ports along the lip. This allows you to fill the hollow shaft with all your favorite fruits, vegetables, sauces, and even wine.
 

**Online Videos on how to use the Sittin' Turkey Steamer
Sittin' Steamers Video

Recent Newsletters
Sept 1      Sept 2    Sep 3     Sep 4   Sep 5   Sep 7

Shortbread Cookie Mix #05625
Gift Idea: Place a package of the Shortbread Cookie Mix , your favorite flavor of Watkins Extract, and a seasonal cookie cutter in a cookie tin. Perfect for that baker on your list!

Gift Idea; Package together a Watkins Shortbread Cookie Mix in a mixing bowl or Pyrex 2 quart mixing pitcher and a silicone spatula . The college student on your list will be delighted to have warm, fresh cookies just like home!
www.watkinsonline.com/hutto
sunnywatkinsgirl@aol.com
Order Toll Free: 888-965-7070 Eastern time

On my website you will see Watkins Dessert Mixes with recipes. Scroll down past the page middle. Dessert mixes are on sale for the month of September.

Comment
Their dessert mixes are so good.  I have used them for years.  I just ordered my favorite flavors in the past several days.
Nancy Rogers

Looking for Tona's Cabbage Noodle recipe
... and can't find it in previous newsletters. I really want to make it soon. Will you tell me which newsletter it's in? Thanks, Nancy! You're the Best!!
Jim

Hi Nancy and fellow "landers", I am wondering if anyone would have the date the hotdog bread pudding was posted. I seem to have missed it somehow and would love to try it.

Thanks for posting and thanks for all you do Nancy
marg in On (Canada)

Hello Nancy, I just received my Better Baker Gourmet Bowl Makers both sizes. Please tell me how to put the biscuits in them to make the biscuits and gravy
Thank you Leslie from Texas

Regarding city chicken. I purchase it every week at our local meat market. They make it up especially for anyone requesting it. It is cubes of pork tenderloin and sirloin cubes on skewers. I cook them on Foreman grill for 4 minutes turning once. They are scrumptious when rubbed with a dry rub about an hour before cooking. Genie in Northwest Ohio.

I've just gotten a computer and was wanting to put my favorite recipes, which I seem to have many on a "recipe" software. Does anyone have a favorite they could suggest?
Jo-Ann in Arkansas

I have used Meal-Master, a free downloadable program, for years. It is the ONLY one I have found that you can add your own recipes to, has a built in search engine so you can search for ingredient, method, title, or category.

http://episoft.home.comcast.net/mmdown.htm

I highly recommend it. I am not a paid employee, nor do I receive any payment for this recommendation.
Pat in Colorado

I have a question for Susie Indy about her recipe for Crock Pot Bean Soup. The first ingredient is "1 jar of beans". Could you be more specific about the brand, kind of beans and size of jar? I have never seen jars of beans at any of our local stores ..... would there be an equivalent brand/kind in a can? Thanks for your reply. Becky in Magnolia, Arkansas

Nancy, I may have sent this already, but I don't recall seeing it. I just want to express a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone that contributed a recipe using ramen noodles. I wasn't expecting to get such a nice variety of delicious-sounding ways to use such an humble ingredient! I plan on trying them all over the next several weeks. By the way, I recently discovered that the Great Value Walmart brand of ramen noodles at our local Walmart store is only $.10 a package every day! I'll have to be careful not to cook them so often that my husband gets "burned out" on ramen noodles. You're a wonderful bunch of ladies (and gentlemen,too). Becky in MagTown, Arkansas

Hi Nancy and family. Well, for me, it's time to start my Christmas shopping. I buy my son and his family ( 5 daughters ) a " family" gift each year and fill it with
fun stuff. This year, I got them a " slushie" machine. My grandaughters love slushies when they go to the mall or carnivals. I'm sure there will be some recipes
in the box, but if anyone has any favorites they would like to share, I'd love to jot them down and add it to the package. I'm sure the recipes in the box are for store
bought syrups, but I'm hoping for home-made syrups. For the adults, I'm looking forward to winding down the evening with some yummy slushie margaritas. MMMMM

Any other adult recipes would be great too. Thanks in advance, and Nancy, you are like a daily sunshine in so many of our lives. Thank you. Your time consuming
gift just keeps giving.
CindyO

Someone mentioned getting a recipe for Cream Cheese Banana Bread. Somehow I missed that but would love to have it. I do a lot baking and fixing different things for a Church breakfast that I do monthly. It's hard to think of a variety to serve. Tomorrow I'll send a recipe for our favorite chocolate cake. It's a one bowl yummy cake...
Jean of Chatham

This recipe is what Karen/Tx.requested in the Sept. 7th newsletter. Hope this is the one your son loves.

BILLIONAIRE PIE
1 c. condensed milk
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 (9 oz.) container whipped topping
1 c. pecans, chopped
1 c. crushed pineapple, drained or
1/2 c. maraschino cherries, chopped
1 graham cracker crust

Combine milk and chocolate in double boiler and cook, stirring until smooth. Cool. Fold in whipped topping, pecans, and fruit. Pour into crust and chill.

Thanks Nancy for all you do, you are the best!
Lois/Fl.

This recipe was also sent in by Linda in AL.
This is for Karen in Tx. and it is one of Tona n Bama recipes!

To Sandy in ND regarding your Chocolate Biscotti TNT recipe from 9-7-07...this particular recipe does not have any butter listed in the recipe-your others do include butter. Does this particular recipe not utilize butter or was this just an error? Thank you.
Diane in Grafton, WI

Nancy, you mentioned in the Sept. 7th newsletter that Margaret had made beds for your feline assistants and that they would drag them around to wherever they wanted to take a nap - CUTE!!! I would love to make some beds for my daughter's and DIL's furry "children" for Christmas. Could Margaret possibly give me (and any other readers who have "furry grand children") the detailed instructions on how to make one? I used to sew alot of clothes, but now I only sew quilts!
Becky in Magnolia, Arkansas

Dear Nancy,
I sent this information in once before and you did print it, but every time I see someone thanking me for the popular Grape Salad recipe, I am very embarrassed, because I was not the original sender of that recipe. Unfortunately, I saved the recipe when it first appeared in your newsletter without the sender's name. And when Gay in L.I. asked that it be repeated, I sent in my copy of it, so now everyone thinks it is my recipe. That taught me a lesson, now I include the name when I save a recipe . Do you think you could ask the original sender to come forward and let us all know who she is? Thanks.
Frances in Wesley Chapel, Fl

Hi Nancy and Friends - Here's my recipe for a very moist roast pork loin. The high temp and the mustards seal the meat and keep it from drying out. I make a roast beef the same way.

Roast Pork Loin - Boneless
Serves 6-8

5 lb boneless pork loin
½ cup Dijon mustard
½ cup any spicy brown mustard
¼ cup Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Garlic powder to taste
1 large sliced onion

Rinse pork and pat dry with paper towels. Mix both mustards together. Using back of spoon, spread mustards over entire roast, top, bottom and sides. Sprinkle with dry seasonings all over

Place sliced onion on bottom of roasting pan for roast to sit on. Place roast in roasting pan, uncovered - do not add any liquid. Roast at 400 degrees for 50 minutes - this creates a wonderful crispy crust and protects the meat from drying out. Lower temp to 350 and continue roasting for 2 hours. Turn off oven and let rest with door cracked for 30 min. Slice and serve - remember pork loin does not have to be over cooked any longer.
TeaHag in Upstate NY

I would like to thank Sharon in Texas for the recipe to make orange sherbet (Aug. 2007) and the preparation hints from Betty in GA, Dave in CO, and Alis in WA state. Forgive me if I forgot anyone. I do not own an ice cream maker because my kitchen storage is very limited. I made good sherbet following the recipe 3 cups of milk, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 package of Kool-Aid unsweetened. I didn't even warm the milk to dissolve the sugar. It distributed by stirring. I placed it in pint containers and stirred it a few times while the mixture froze. The next time I make it I will probably cut back a little on the sugar and add some fresh fruit. I learned something else from this great group of readers. I always thought whole milk did not freeze well. I stand corrected. Thank you Nancy for providing a forum where I can post a request for a kitchen dilemma.
Lynn in LV

Can you please tell me what where I can find the cream cheese banana bread. I am wanting to make it this weekend. Thank you so much!
Martha in Texas

Ditto has been in trouble most of today.  He has the misconception that the floor by my ice maker is a hockey ring.  Several times today I would hear him batting around ice cubes.  The only place they could come from is my ice maker on the outside of my refrigerator. After giving Ditto my "touch and die" lecture, it happened again.  Three different times today he was playing ice hockey and I hadn't given him any ice cubes. The fourth time I stood back and watched.  Sure enough up went a furry little kitty paw to press the lever for  more ice cubes but it wasn't Ditto!  It was Siggy's paw reaching up to get ice.  Siggy got my "touch and die" lecture and there has been no more ice hockey for the evening.  (Of course I would never hurt my kitties but by my teacher tone of voice they know when to stop.)
Nancy Rogers

Hi Nancy and friends in the Aug 26th newsletter there was a recipe for Health Bread made in the crock pot by Rose Marie in Freeborn, MN. I think she accidentally omitted the amount of scalded milk from the list of ingredients. I would love to make the bread but would appreciate the amount for the milk. Thanks so very much. Have a grand day!
Sue in MI

Regarding the convection oven and setting it 25 degrees lower, check your manual. My oven automatically sets it lower after I put the normal temperature in. I love the convection oven. After we moved from VA to FL I had to leave mine behind but put one in the house we bought since we had to redo the kitchen.
Arlinda, WPB, FL

I've just gotten a computer and was wanting to put my favorite recipes, which I seem to have many on a "recipe" software. Does anyone have a favorite they could suggest?

Jo-Ann the program I am using is called Master cook and you can import recipes in to cookbooks you create. I have been using this program for a very long time. I have updated it just recently when I installed visa. I am sure there are many programs like that. Best of luck in your search.
Sandy, in Ma

Thanks to Betty T. GA, Sandy H Blue Springs, MO, and Donna in NW GA, who responded so quickly in the 9/5 newsletter, regarding my inquiry regarding the brand of quick freeze ice cream maker that they have. Also for Donna, who in the 9/7 requested suggestions on what to send a soldier serving in Iraq, the following was submitted by Marie NH over a year ago. The information came from the Nestle web site. I used this information, while our youngest son was in both Iraq and Afghanistan. During the cooler months, I was able to safely send him items made with margarine, such as fudge, peanut butter balls, puppy chow, and tootsie rolls (clone recipe, rice krispie treats, and no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies. Our son also greatly enjoyed receiving magazines, newspapers, and commercially prepared cookies, candy and cupcakes. I typically wrapped each baked item in plastic wrap, and then wrapped larger quantities in foil. The plastic coffee cans were also great for protecting items during shipping.
Robbie Bowling Green, IN


To ensure that baked goods will withstand the high desert heat, please review the tips below:

No butter, margarine, peanut butter or nuts should be used. These fats will go rancid too fast in the high heat. Butter flavored vegetable shortening is a better alternative.

No brown sugar, corn sugar, honey, or molasses should be used. The baked goods will be too soft and possibly become moldy. Only white table sugar should be used.

Chocolate & butterscotch can be used in baked goods. Once chocolate has been baked into the product and has the chance to take up moisture from the batter,
the chocolate will stay rather firm.

Bar cookies and brownies are the best bets for safe packing and are quickest for baking large quantities.

Baked goods should be wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, which provides the best barrier against humidity.

Pack goodies in sturdy boxes and surround them with foam packaging material such as Styrofoam "peanuts."

Recipes that follow the Middle East guidelines and tips from the Toll House Kitchen

Try a "desert-safe" recipe to send to your loved one overseas. These recipes has been tested in the Nestle kitchen and does meet Middle East guidelines, as well as U.S. Postal Service mailing regulations.

Creative Pan Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 cups TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2-1/4 cups quick oats, uncooked
1 cup chopped dried apple slices, or raisins

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees C).

COMBINE flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small mixer bowl. Beat sugar and shortening in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture and water. Stir in morsels, oats and apples. Spread batter into ungreased 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

BAKE for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
Makes 48 bars.

Butterscotch Scotchies
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel, (1 medium orange)
2 tablespoons water
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
1-2/3 cups (11-ounce package) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Butterscotch Flavored Morsels

PREHEAT oven to 375 º F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small mixer bowl. Beat shortening, sugar, eggs and orange peel in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually

beat in flour mixture and water. Stir in oats and morsels. Spread batter into prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on

wire rack. Cut into bars.
Makes 48 bars.

Double Chocolate Brownies
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups (a 12-ounce package) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels,
divided use

2 large eggs

PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

HEAT shortening, sugar and water in medium saucepan to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup morsels; stir until smooth.

ADD eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add in flour mixture. Stir in remaining morsels. Spread into prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into squares.
Makes 16 brownies

Irresistible Brownies
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Baking Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups (12-ounce package) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Premier White Morsels

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan. COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat shortening, sugar and eggs in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Pour into prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.
Makes 30 brownies.

Dear Nancy,
I want to buy a Vita-Mix very, very much. My husband wants to know EVERY little detail about how it works.

I was wondering there must be a lot of people on Nancy's Kitchen Site who have or have had a Vita-Mix. Do they like them? Are there problems with them? Are they worth the money? What experiences have they had with them? I guess I'm asking for testimonials. Would you add my question [s] to your site...phrasing it any way you want???
I do very much enjoy your Site,& appreciate all your hard work.... & it is work. Please keep up the hard work.
Sincerely, Candice

I was looking back for some recipes and saw that Linda of WV, in the 8/25/07 newsletter was looking for a non-weeping meringue. Try the following:

Meringue
In a saucepan, mix 2 Tbls. sugar with 1 Tbls cornstarch and add l/2 cup of water. Stir. Cook over medium heat until clear, then cool.
Next....
Beat 3 egg whites with l/8 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla until thick. Gradually add 6 Tbls. sugar and beat well. Add cooled cornstarch mixture and again, beat well. Place over pie filling, making sure your meringue is all the way to edge of crust. Bake at 350 until golden brown.

Hope this works for you.
Mary Jean, San Marcos, CA

Very recently you had a recipe for an Apricot Nectar cake made with yellow cake mix, apricot nectar, oil, eggs, lemon flavoring and a small box of lemon Jell-O. Is this lemon Jell-O the pudding and pie filling or real lemon Jell-O????

Many thanks for all these wonderful recipes. Being a "foodie," I love collecting them.
Sheila

For Jo-Ann in Arkansas.
I have been doing the same thing for quite a while. I will never use all the recipes I have collected over the years. At least when I'm looking for and working with recipes, I am not out there buying designer clothes. I like recipes better. The enclosed recipe is one I have been making for years and trust me it is tried and true. It is also always a request when we have family get togethers. Hope you and your family like it as well as we do.

Cherry Yum Yum
1 1/2 sticks margarine, melted
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
2 packages Dream Whip
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
2 cans cherry pie filling

Mix sugar and melted margarine with crumbs. Cover bottom of 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with 2/3 of crumb mixture. Whip Dream Whip and milk until peaks form. Add sugar and cream cheese. Whip till smooth. Pour half of Dream Whip mixture over crumbs. Level. Spoon both cans of cherry pie filling and spread over the Dream Whip mixture. Add remaining half of Dream Whip mixture, and sprinkle remaining graham cracker crumbs on top. I also put cherries on top for a better presentation.

Add remaining crumbs. Chill thoroughly.

I use a little more than half the crumb mixture on the bottom so there won't be so much on the top. Sometimes I use it all for the crust and use chopped pecans on top instead of graham cracker crumbs.
Have a great day, Scooch

Nancy, I am sure the talking ecard you recommended is completely safe; however, please let your readers know that there is a bad scam going on right now. The subject line is usually something like, "a friend has sent you an ecard" or something equally as generic. If the link is clicked in these emails, it allows a virus on the computer that causes untold damage. I teach computer classes to senior citizens and I give them my own rule of thumb: never click on any link unless it is something you have asked for or subscribed to, and never, ever give out any personal information because an email has had you click on a link and "renew" your information. Stay safe...

For Lisa (East Texas): Try using the silver metallic baking cups; they do not shrink up or get greasy like the paper ones, and they would look much more festive for a wedding.
Doris in Oklahoma City

Comment
I thought I would post information about that today. Yes, there is a virus going around. A real virus would have the following heading.

Subject: You've received a postcard from a family member!
or other variations.
You've received a greeting card from a school-mate!
You've received a greeting ecard from a class mate!
You've received a greeting ecard from a neighbour!
You've received a greeting postcard from a partner!
You've received a greeting postcard from a worshipper!
You've received a postcard from a family member!
You've received a postcard from a neighbour!
You've received a postcard from a worshipper!
You've received an ecard from a colleague!
A wave of malicious messages (like the one reproduced above) sent out in June 2007 employed that very technique, arriving in inboxes bearing subject lines such as "You've received a postcard from a family member!"

The messages contain URLs that recipients are supposed to visit to retrieve their e-cards, but those URLs actually point to servers hosting a variety of malware (including a variant of the Storm Trojan, "an aggressive piece of malware that has been hijacking computers to serve as attacker bots" since early 2007) that is furtively installed onto victims' PCs. (Generally, only unpatched Windows-based systems are vulnerable.)

*To report ecard that contais malware  forward the message to
Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov

For more information
http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp

==
I sent a free ecard to Siggy using the Cardfountain card site..

In my opinion the Cardfountain is safe even though has a similar subject line When you open it up the message it states the specific person and their email address. It also shows cardfountain within the link but if you don't know the person or the email address don't open the link.

This is what an actual ecard from Cardfountain looks like

Subject: You've been sent an E-card

Dear Siggy,
--------------------------------------------------------------
A ECard has been sent to you from: Nancy Rogers (nrogers@amaonline.com )
--------------------------------------------------------------

To pick up this personalized E-Card, please go to:
http://www.cardfountain.com/do_pickup_ecard.php?pid=1171219-0

<a href="http://www.cardfountain.com/do_pickup_ecard.php?pid=1171219-0">link to e-card </a>

CardFountain Greetings was used to send this E-Card:
http://join.cardfountain.com

CardFountain Greetings ( new talking cards! ) The latest in e-card technology! CardFountain has created and designed a flash powered talking e-card system. Using text-to-speech technology, you can type what you want the card to say, and our entertaining characters do the rest.

Hey Nancy, I was so afraid someone would challenge me on the raw egg thing in my ice cream. Thank God no one did. I think that is a personal preference. I don't recommend it for everyone.

Here's another TNT that I love, and it is so Southern: Grits and Fried Green Tomatoes. And it is so simple.

Cook your grits however you like them, and if you are really Southern you will put in lots of butter (maybe cheese too, if you like it). As for the tomatoes, use green tomatoes, slice into 1/4 - 1/2 slices; use salt and pepper to your heart's content; dredge in flour; fry in an iron skillet that has maybe 1/4 - 1/2 inches hot (shimmering) oil. Put the tomatoes in once the oil is hot enough and leave them until they are brown on the bottom and don't give any resistance when you try to turn them. Turn them and leave them until they are golden, crispy brown on the bottom. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Serve with grits. Savor good, Southern food.
Donna from NW GA

Hello all! This is in response to Donna in Colorado. I too have made a pumpkin pie gaffe! A few days before Thanksgiving (15 yrs ago), I found out I was pregnant. I made a great effort that year to make a nice dinner, from snacks, to the dinner and for the dessert. I had lovingly taken the "premade" pie from the fridge and proceeded to slide it from it's box ...... where it promptly poured all over my foot and the floor! I hadn't realized it was a pie you should BAKE first!! Anyway...I did have to laugh! Guess I was a little preoccupied with my good news!
Looking forward to more "happy" mistakes stories!
Jeri K. from Glen Cove NY

I would like to know how to cook this fish that I have seen a lot lately called "tilipia" I believe it is called. Thanks!
JM

Hi Nancy and kitties! Hope all is well in Nancyland.

Someone asked about a "spider" in a recent newsletter. The "spider" refers to the thing that the frying pans, etc sat on when people used to cook in a fireplace. It is iron like a skillet but is a 3-5 legged holder for the pots... sorta spider shaped.. hence the name. You could put coals under it, sit your pan on top and cook. I am not sure how they ever managed to cook anything like that but they sure did manage. I bought one at an antique shop years ago but never have been brave enough to try it. You can use them outside with charcoal also. But, hey, it looks cool sitting by the fireplace. :)
Bev in Michigan

Hi Nancy and Neighbors,
If any of you come home weary from work to kids with lots of homework AND a hungry husband like I do, this is made in 10 minutes and baked in 30 more. With supper on the table just 45 minutes later, there is time for the family and even a quick glance at the daily paper - if you're lucky. ( s m i l i n g)

Cowboy Cornbread
1-lg ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/2-cup water
1-tbspn chili powder
1 (8-oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg, beaten
2/3-cup milk
1-cup freshly shredded mild cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook beef and onion in 10-in. skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring frequently. Drain. Stir in soup, water, chili powder, and corn. Heat to a boil. Spoon beef mixture into an 11X8-inch shallow baking dish. Stir corn muffin mix, egg and milk in a bowl until just combined. (It will be lumpy.) Spoon over beef mixture and bake 30 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese. (Makes five servings)

I serve this with tossed salad and stuffed potatoes.
Susana in Louisiana

Nancy and Neighbors,
This is a good recipe to serve to a large group (10-12). Make rice and a nice marinated asparagus, tomato and cucumber salad and bake a pan of jalapeno cornbread and your meal is complete. We've been making this in our family for years and it is still a favorite today.


White Beans and Shrimp
2-lbs White Northern beans
4 onions, chopped
2-stalks celery, chopped (include the leafy tops- excellent flavor there)
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1/2-cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2-cup chopped garlic
2-tbspn dried thyme
1-tbspn dried garlic
1-tbspn dried onion
1-tspn black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
Dash of white pepper
Salt to taste
Water to cover beans 3-inches
1/4-cup chopped garlic
2-tbspn olive oil
2-lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

Soak beans in water overnight in refrigerator. Drain beans. Using a large stock pot, combine beans, and fresh and dried vegetables and seasonings through the salt. Simmer, covered, for 2-3 hours until beans are tender. Saute the remaining 1/4-cup garlic in the olive oil until browning slightly. Add shrimp and cook until they are done. (They will turn pink and curl up. Only takes several minutes. Do not overcook). Add shrimp to beans and bring up to a simmer. Serve over rice.
Susana in Louisiana

RE :(Hamburgers) The one with the hamburger and Jimmy Dean hot sausage is excellent - Doris- De.

Doris I'm so glad you liked those burgers- we are eating on a huge batch my DH made for Labor day. The grocery had great meat deals so I went wild !!! We will need to make more to freeze for winter- these are going too fast LOL.By the way we call these "Smith-burgers" for my grandparents last name.
Cheryl, Charlotte

When I was a young child I enjoyed cooking and baking. After making a cake and letting it cool, I was anxious to finish and make the frosting so I could "dig in". I proceeded to the cupboard where my mom had things safely stored in coffee cans as to keep them safe from ants and other bugs. One of the things she stored in these cans was powdered sugar. I proceeded to put the powdered sugar in the pan along with milk, butter and some vanilla. I beat the ingredients together and added more milk than I first used as the mixture was a bit too thick to spread. I proceeded to add more milk, beat and could not get the mixture into a consistency I thought would spread well on the cake. I finally called an aunt to see what I was doing wrong as my mom wasn't home so that I could ask her. Everything she had suggested I had already tried. Finally she said, "are you sure you have powdered sugar"? I said I was. She wanted to know if there was any more in the can....which there was. She asked me to taste it and make sure it was sweet. When I did that I knew something was wrong, as it was not sweet. I left the mixture until my mom came home and asked what it was I used to make the frosting. It was cornstarch! Needless to say, we ate that cake without the frosting.
Linda in Moline

Hi Nancy and Neighbors,
I copied this recipe out of the Baton Rouge, LA Morning Advocate newspaper a couple of months ago and have already made it twice. It's a great little recipe and perfect for this final days of summer.

Peach Upside Down Cake
(Peach Mixture)
4 large or 6 small peaches
6-tbsp melted butter
1/4-cup light brown sugar
1-tspn. cinnamon

(Batter)
1 egg, beaten
1/2-cup white sugar
1/2-cup milk (low fat works fine)
1-tspn vanilla extract
1-cup all purpose flour
2-tspn baking powder
1/2-tspn salt
1/2-tspn cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and butter a standard 9-in. pie plate with 2-tbspn melted butter. Peel and slice the peaches, and place them in a mixing bowl. Toss peaches with 2 more tbspn melted butter. Add in the brown sugar and 1-tspn cinnamon and pour the peaches into the buttered pie plate. Whisk the remaining 2-tbspn of melter butter, egg, white sugar, milk and vanilla. (You can use the same mixing bowl.) In a second mixing bowl, sift together the four, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones until all is incorporated and a batter forms. Pour the batter over the peaches and spread it out evenly so all of the peaches are covered. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean when inserted into the center. Remove the cake from the oven and run a knife around the edge to loosen it. Allow cake to cool 3-5 minutes before inverting it on to a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Susana in Louisiana

Hi Nancy and all Nancylanders,
The note from Donna in Colorado really made me chuckle. I can remember being a new bride also. Although I had cooked a lot at home (there were 12 of us) I guess I still had a few things to learn lol. I was going to treat my new hubby to Scalloped Potatoes and Ham for supper one night. Well, when I put
the baking dish on the table hubby tried and tried to get potatoes out of dish. They were in there so solid you would have needed a chainsaw to get them out lol . Maybe I used a "little" too much flour in the milk. I just love to hear from others some of the goofs they have made. Thank you to Susie in Indy for crockpot recipes. Will try them all.
Dianne in Wisconsin

TZATSZIKI
(Daily Sentinel 8-29-07)

"Make this Mediterranean dip ahead of time to chill. It can be used on sandwiches or with vegetable strips or toasted pita points for a party dip.
Tip: Sprinkle pita bread, cut into two layers, with cumin and garlic powder. Bake to a toasted crisp in a toaster oven for great flavor."

What you need:
1 cucumber, peeled, sliced very thin
Salt
1 c Greek-style plain yogurt (or plain regular yogurt)
2 crushed garlic cloves, or 1/2 t garlic powder

How to do it:
Put the cucumber slices in a bowl or a pan and sprinkle salt over all. Let stand for about 1 hour; drain and rinse. Pat dry with paper towels.
Mix the yogurt and garlic in a medium bowl. Chop the cucumbers finely and add to yogurt; stir well. Refrigerate.
Serve with pita points, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips or celery.

Hope this helps someone--
Twinklenose

Re: Magic erasers Joie, in TN: You said that the eraser took the shine right out of your Solid surface (forever). It was a new counter. What is the counter made of?
Thanks, Marie VA

Hi Nancy, it's been so hot this summer and fall, so far that I've been using my Crock Pot for dinners, could you send more recipes please, I'm running out of recipes to try.
Thank you, Beverly from Bay City, Michigan

Hey Nancy,
I found a spider being a type of skillet. Here is the definition given: The skillet or spider of the Civil War was akin to today's Dutch oven. Made from heavy cast iron, it had legs, a handle, and a cast iron lid on which coals could be piled for even baking.
Hope this helps. Make it a great day
Lisa (East Texas)

Donna in Colorado sent in a story about her pumpkin pie disaster, reminded me of when I made two pumpkin pies for thanksgiving dinner and I had invited some people for dinner that I worked with, after dinner I served the slices of pie, and no one said anything (1 lady did say the crust was nice and flaky); after everyone had left one of my daughters came home, and asked for a slice of pie. She took one bite and spit it out, I had forgotten to put any sugar in the pumpkin, and it was awful! Talk about embarrassing. One other time I invited people over, and I was setting up the table on the patio, I brought out the salad, hot vegetables, buns, mashed potatoes, gravy and a lovely prime rib roast. As the doorbell rang in the front of the house the neighbours dog helped himself to the roast! He ran away with it in his mouth. I kept telling everyone that really, there really was a prime rib roast. We had weiners instead.
Catherine from B.C., Canada

My granddaughter and her friend chose as their project for their sophomore year Germany. Among the list of things that is needed is the history of Apfelkuchen since that is what they are making to serve those who will be at the exhibit. Theirs is just one of the countries that will be exhibited. Also what could she serve to drink. I think apple cider would be appropriate.

The exhibit will be in December but in the meantime, they have pages of things they will need before the exhibit. The first is the recipe for Apfelkuchen which is what they chose and also the history. I and she has looked in the internet and we can't find exactly what we need.

Any suggestions for costumes? I am of German descent and have many items other than clothing available they will need.

Nancy, thank you so much if you post this, if not and it is too long, I will understand. These kids have so much homework - she is an honor student and takes all AP courses, that I offered to help her a bit with some of her research. I would be listed as one of her researchers.
Rita in NC

To Marilyn in PA...Here is a recipe for Apple Bread that I got out of a cookbook called AMISH COUNTRY COOKBOOK-VOLUME III (Recipes gathered by Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Indiana, I believe)

Apple Bread
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of apples, chopped (about 4 medium apples) [I would guess they
are also peeled, but recipe doesn't say]
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 x 5 x 3 inch pan. Mix 1 cup sugar, shortening, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients until smooth. Add apples and nuts. Mix well. Spread into pan. Mix 1 T. sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool before slicing.

(Recipe by Esther Nisley-Bakery)
Submitted by: Diane in Grafton, WI

To Linda Boyles, 9/7/07 Newsletter regarding Hot and Sour soup for sinuses. Linda, that is exactly what I want when I come down with a cold. I, too, learned how good it is through our local Chinese restaurant. What I want to share with you is - I have found a small (makes 3 cups) package of dry soup mix that I now stock up on to have when I get sick. Here is the information on it:

It is put out by Sun-Bird - Hot & Sour Soup Mix (Authentic Asian Taste), Quick & Easy. You just combine the mix with water, bring to a boil, and add egg gradually (you could also add tofu). I can even do it when I FEEL sick! I get it in the Asian Section of my supermarket. If by chance you don't have access to it, (it says it is distributed out of Kansas), here is the information on the company that makes it: http://AsianFoodGrocer.com/
Their phone number is: 1-888-482-2742.
I hope you can find it and give it
a try. Good Luck.
Barbara in AL

Hi Nancy. This is for Dee in W Lafayette, newsletter Fri. Sept. 7th. Will say an extra prayer for you for your upcoming lung surgery. A dear friend of ours just went through that, the same thing, and he came through just fine. He went to the VA Hospital in Reno, Nevada. He is doing great. He still gets a little tired but otherwise feels great. Best of luck to you as I am sure all of the Nancylanders will wish you the same.
Linda in Grass Valley

*This may be a repeat recipe.  I could not remember if it had been posted before.

** Paid adverstisement.