Maggie's World...
Hello to one and all. We have some great recipes ahead for holiday entertaining. There??™s even a great recipe for preparing elephant. Well, there is! It is cute, too. And a joke, so don??™t go looking at the zoo for dinner, ok?
Please remember to get your two most favorite diet recipes in to me soon as the deadline for our January theme is next Friday. I don??™t know about you but I am hell-bent on getting some pounds off come the new year. Consider it a personal favor for me, will ya?
I worked last night so this is getting to you quickly so I can get some shut-eye. This sleeping during the day is for the birds. But...I am tired enough to fly straight to sleep. Have a wonderful day, won??™t you?
Enjoy!
Ramblings...
Worth Reading
Shared by Larry Holmes, Ontario, Canada
This is as insightful, as it is scary. A Columbine student wrote it.
"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the neighbor.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We have higher incomes, but lower morals; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are the times of tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are the days of two incomes, and more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes."
It is a time when there is too much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or just hit delete.
Please send this page to everyone you know.
Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
Did You Know?...
Fad Diets and the New American Plate
You've probably noticed a new wave of fad diets flooding the American marketplace. Behind these quick-fix plans lies the notion that certain kinds of foods - such as sugar, bread and carbohydrates in general - are "bad" or "fattening" and must be avoided.
But it's not an effective or healthy idea to start changing your meals according to the theory of some bestselling diet book. Sudden, drastic changes to your diet are often difficult to maintain in the long run. Instead, making gradual adjustments will encourage permanent improvements in the way you eat.
Most of these plans overlook the disease-fighting benefits of a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. That could raise your risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Furthermore, plates that feature healthy portions of plant-based foods tend to be lower in calories and fat than plates recommended by many fad diets. And when it comes to weight management, it is total caloric intake that counts, not any kind of magic "protein vs. carbohydrate" formula.
Source: The American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR)
Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
Discussion Forum
Our discussion forum at QuickTopic for our topic "Eating and Cooking Healthier" is well under way. To join in (or just to read) use your web browser to go to:
A to Z Recipes Discussion Forum
You don't have to register or sign in, and you can choose to receive email for newly posted messages -- just click the
Subscribe button when you get there.
NOTE:
Maybe once you get to the site using the above link, you could add it to favorites. Links that are easy to find are more likely to be used again.
Next Monthly Theme...
Favorite Diet Recipes
I thought this was appropriate as we will all be looking for ways to shed some of the pounds gained by all the "holiday cheer". Now, here is the NEW set of rules:
A to Z Recipes continues with its popular Theme Issues. We will share theme recipes and post them on the first Sunday of each month. Send your recipes no later than the last Friday of each month to have them posted in the next monthly theme issue. You may send in TWO of your favorite theme recipes in ONE email. If the number of recipes exceeds those needed in the issue, the publisher will post as many from every submitter as possible and save the remaining recipes for the following Sundays of that month. The rules for recipe submissions for the monthly theme issues are the same as ALL recipes submitted for posting.
The rules are as follows:
As a service to your fellow readers, please send only recipes that are in a form that others could easily copy and save for their own use. Recipes that would require a lot of editing or cleaning up or use non-standard measurements should not be submitted. Recipes without a name and location of sender may NOT be posted or posted without any credit given. There will be NO recipes posted that are from other recipe-zines. A to Z Recipes protects the privacy of its readers and does NOT publish email addresses. There will be no exceptions.
The deadline for January's theme issue is Friday, December 26th.
Theme recipes must have subject: "Favorite Diet Recipes" and will be posted on Sunday, January 4th.
As usual, only recipes are to be sent to: A to Z Recipes Inbox
Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
 ![]()
Scan your PC for viruses now!![]()
Crazy Corner...
Colonoscopies
Shared by Julie, TX
A physician claims these are actual comments from his patients made while he was performing colonoscopies:
1. "Take it easy, Doc, you're boldly going where no man has gone before."
2. "Find Amelia Earhart yet?"
3. "Can you hear me NOW?"
4. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"
5. "You know, in Arkansas, we're now legally married."
6. "Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?"
7. "You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out. You do the Hokey Pokey...."
8. "Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!"
9. "If your hand doesn't fit, you must acquit!"
10. "Hey, Doc, let me know if you find my dignity."
and THE best one...
11. "Could you write me a note for my wife, saying that my head is not, in fact, up there?"
This Just In From Texas....
Shared by Vicki, Sarasota, FL
A scientist from Texas A&M University has invented a bra that keeps women's breasts from jiggling and prevents the nipples from pushing through the fabric when cold weather sets in.
At a news conference announcing the invention, the scientist was taken outside by a large group of cowboys and had the sh*t kicked out of him.
The Birds and the Bees
Shared by Larry Holmes, Ontario, Canada
A father asks his 10-year-old son if he knows about the birds and the bees.
"I don't want to know!" the child says, bursting into tears. "Promise me you won't tell me!"
Confused, the father asks what's wrong.
"Oh, dad," the boy sobs. "When I was six, I got the 'There's no Santa speech'.
At seven, I got the 'There's no Easter Bunny' speech.
When I was eight, you hit me with the 'There's no tooth fairy' speech.
If you're going to tell me that husbands and wives don't really have sex, I'll have nothing to look forward to.
![avenue animated button 120x60]() ![]()
Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
Take a moment to do the right thing. Place a vote every day for what is done for YOU every day.
Having trouble using the method above for placing your vote?
Click here for a link that may be more user friendly.
A donation to A to Z Recipes would be gratefully accepted. For those who can afford to do so, it is a responsible and conscientious act.
To make cash donations using other methods, click here.
Your Favorites...
SANTA FE CRANBERRY RELISH
~Sent in by: Rosemarie, Kansas City, MO
This is great this time of year!!!
1 12. oz package fresh cranberries -- I stock up when they are in season and freeze
3/4 C sugar
1 medium jalapeno pepper cut in quarters - or more to your taste -- I usually use 2 or 3
3 green onions, cut in quarters
1 t dried cilantro
1/4 t cumin
Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Must be refrigerated at least overnight to blend flavors. Keeps up to 3 weeks.
Serve with meats, poultry, chips, veggies - or just as a sauce.
Enjoy!
ELEPHANT STEW
~Sent in by Ann, FL
1 medium sized Elephant
2 Rabbits (optional)
Salt and Pepper
Cut the elephant into bite sizes. This should take about 2 months.
Add enough brown gravy to cover. Cook over Kerosene fire about 4 weeks
at 465??. This will serve 3,800 people.
If more are expected, 2 rabbits may be added, but this only if
necessary, as most people do not like to find "hare" in their stew.
KRINGLE'S CUTOUTS
~Sent in by Larry Holmes, Ontario, Canada
?? cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ?? cups all-purpose flour
1 ?? teaspoon baking powder
?? teaspoon salt
Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large mixing bowl at medium
speed of electric mixer until light and creamy. Combine flour, baking
powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture, beating at slow speed until well
blended. Cover dough and chill for 1 hour for easier rolling.
Preheat oven to 375?° F. Roll half of dough at a time. Roll on lightly
floured surface to ?? inch thickness. Cut in desired shape (Santa, snowman,
stars, etc.).
Place on ungreased baking sheets. Re-roll leftover pieces. Sprinkle with
colored decorations or leave plain to cool.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool slightly
then remove to cooling rack.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
CHRISTMAS CHEESE SPREAD
~Sent in by: Vicki, Sarasota, FL
Planning tip:
You can make this at least a day ahead, and decorate just before you use.
GARLIC HERB SPREAD
2 bricks (8oz. each) light cream cheese, cut in cubes
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 2/3 cup)
2 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves or 2 tsp. dried, crumbled
2 tsp. minced garlic
Tree garnish: Italian Parsley leaves, bottled roasted red peppers, large carrot, cherry tomato
Accompaniments: Pita chips, assorted crackers, bread sticks, celery stalks
1. Line a 9 inch pie plate with plastic wrap. In food processor, process spread ingredients until smooth. Spread evenly in pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on surface. Refrigerate at least 24 hours until firm enough to unmold.
2. To Unmold: Uncover pie plate, place serving plate on top and invert platter and pie plate together. Uncover spread, and smooth with edge of spatula.
3. Tree garnish: Arrange parsley leaves on spread in shape of Christmas tree. Cut 1 large and several small stars from roasted peppers. Cut 3/4 in. stars from carrot slices. Using veg peeler, peel 2 long carrot "ribbons", and cut both in half lengthwise, and place in cold water to curl. Cut cherry tomato in half, trim top third of 1 half for the "pot" or base of tree....Decorate tree with your ornaments!!
If you don't want to make the tree, the spread is delish without the tree look, just put in pretty bowl, and the guests will love it anyway!!
TONY ROMA'S WORLD FAMOUS RIBS
~Sent in by Anita, WA State
This time of year we are all looking for fingerfoods. And one we tend to
forget, ribs cut into individual ribs, make a wonderful fingerfood and this
recipe is prepared in the oven. I have tried the Carolina Sweets and they are
wonderful and very authentic.
Note: The restaurant uses pork baby back ribs for the Original Baby Backs
recipe, and pork spare ribs for the Carolina Honeys and Red Hots. Of course you
can use these sauces interchangeably on the ribs you like best, including
beef rib and chicken.
The technique:
4 lbs baby back port ribs or 4 lbs pork spare ribs
Barbecue sauce for coating (see recipes that follow)
1. Often when you buy ribs at the butcher shop, you get a full rack of ribs
that wouldn??™t fit on a plate. Usually you just have to cut these long racks
into half to get the perfect serving size (about 4 to 6 rib bones per rack)
You??™ll likely have 4 of these smaller racks at about a pound each.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
3. Tear off 4 pieces of aluminum foil that are roughly 6 inches longer than
the ribs.
4. Coat the ribs, front and back, with your choice of barbecue sauce. Place
a rack of the ribs, one at a time, onto a piece of foil lengthwise and wrap
it tightly.
5. Place the ribs into the oven with the seam of the foil wrap facing up.
Cook for 2 to 2 ?? hours, or until you see the meat of the ribs shrinking back
from the cut ends of the bones by about ?? inch. This long cooking time will
ensure that the meat will be very tender and fall off the bone.
6. Toward the end of the cooking time, prepare the barbecue.
7. Remove ribs from the foil and smother them with additional barbecue
sauce. Be sure to save some sauce for later.
8. Grill the ribs on the hot barbecue for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or just
until you see several spots of charred blackened sauce. Watch for flames and do
not burn.
9. When the ribs are done, use a sharp knife to slice the meat between each
bone about halfway down. This will bake it easier to tear the ribs apart when
they are served.
Tidbits: If you have time to marinate these ribs in advance, do it. I??™ve
found these ribs are extraordinary when they??™ve been soaking in barbecue sauce
for 24 hours before cooking. Just prepare the ribs in the foils as described
in the recipe and keep them in your fridge. Toss them, foil and all, into the
oven the next day, 2 to 2 ?? hours before you plan to scarf out.
Tony Roma??™s Original Baby Backs
Menu description: "Our house specialty and award winning ribs. Lean,
tender, meaty pork ribs cut from the choicest tenderloin and basted with our
original barbecue sauce. So tender the meat practically falls off the bone." Serves
2 to 4 as an entree.
1 cup ketchup
1 cup vinegar
?? cup dark corn syrup
2 teaspoons sugar
?? teaspoon salt
?? teaspoon garlic powder
?? teaspoon onion powder
?? teaspoon Tabasco Pepper Sauce
4 pounds baby back pork ribs
1. Combine all of the ingredients for the barbecue sauce in a saucepan over
high heat. Use a whisk to blend the ingredients until smooth.
2. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered.
3. In 30 to 45 minutes, when the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat.
If you want a thicker sauce, heat a little longer. If you make the sauce too
thick, thin it with more vinegar.
4. Use baby back ribs and the cooking technique from above to complete the
recipe.
Tony Roma??™s Carolina Honeys
Menu description: "Tender select-cut pork spareribs basted with our
special-recipe sauce. Nothing could be finer??¦." Serves 2 to 4 as an entree.
Barbecue Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup vinegar
?? cup molasses
?? cup honey
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
?? teaspoon salt
?? teaspoon garlic powder
?? teaspoon onion powder
?? teaspoon Tabasco sauce
4 pounds pork spare ribs
1. Combine all of the ingredients for the barbecue sauce in a saucepan over
high heat. Blend the ingredients with a whisk until smooth.
2. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered.
3. in 30 to 45 minutes, when the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat.
If you overcook it and make the sauce too thick, thin it with more vinegar.
4. Use pork spareribs and the cooking method above to complete the recipe.
Tony Roma??™s Red Hots
Menu description: "Some like it hot! Tender, meaty ribs basted with our
spicy red hot sauce made with five types of peppers." Serves 2 to 4 as an entree.
Barbecue Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup vinegar
?? cup dark corn syrup
2 Tablespoons molasses
?? Tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
?? teaspoon salt
?? teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
?? teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce
?? teaspoon cayenne pepper
?? teaspoon ground black pepper
?? teaspoon garlic powder
?? teaspoon onion powder
4 pounds pork spareribs
1. Combine all of the ingredients for the barbecue sauce in a saucepan over
high heat. Use a whisk to blend the ingredients until smooth.
2. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered.
3. In 30 to 45 minutes, when the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat.
If you want a thicker sauce, cook it longer. If you make the sauce too
thick, thin it with more vinegar.
4. Use pork spareribs and the cooking method from above to complete the
recipe.
Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
Heart Healthy...
FUDGY BROWNIES
Low Fat and Low Cholesterol
Ingredients:
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup prune puree
3 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Cut chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in heatproof bowl. Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave oven. Stir occasionally until chocolate is melted.
Remove from heat; set aside. In mixer bowl, combine all ingredients except flour and walnuts; beat to blend thoroughly. Mix in flour.
Spread batter in prepared pan; sprinkle with walnuts. Bake about 30 minutes until springy to the touch about 2 inches around edges.
Cool on rack. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.
Servings: 36
Nutrition Facts:
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 58
Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 70 mg
Courtesy Of:
http://www.portionpak.com
Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
For Two...
INDIVIDUAL QUICHE
Serves: 1
~Sent in by Bev, FL
1/4 c. bulk pork sausage
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
Dash 'each' salt, pepper and ground mustard
1 slice of bread
1 green onion, sliced
1 T. shredded cheddar cheese
In a small skillet, brown sausage; drain. In a small bowl, beat egg, milk and
seasonings' set aside. Cube bread; place in a greased 8-oz. custard cup Top
with sausage and onion. Pour egg mixture over top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake,
uncovered, at 350-F for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the
center comes out clean.
Click here to submit an item for posting in this section.
Always remember:
Do NOT respond to this newsletter by hitting "REPLY". Use the appropriate email address as you do some things by replying in that fashion. You send your emails to Zinester (not me). Zinester forwards them to me, loading my inbox with a VERY large message as it contains the issue, too. I'd like to keep what storage has been purchased at Hotmail for everyone's emails (although yours is important!). Thanks!
A to Z Recipes Website
| View recent issue archives on our web site
| View recent issue archives at Zinester
| View vintage issue archives at Topica
| Shop with Us
| Subscribe to Newsletter
| Unsubscribe from A to Z Recipes
| Recipe Collection
| Contact List Owner
| Make a Submission
| Support this publication
| Reciprocal Links
|
