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Hello to one and all. Well, we've made it to Wednesday, which means the rest of the week should be a breeze, right? Let's hope so. So far I have bounced between taxiing my children from place to place, work, and sneaking in naps. I am totally ready for a day off. And on Friday I get one. Good for me. The weekend is usually a great time to try out those new recipes we share here at A to Z Recipes. Since I must work, I am going to try out a couple on Friday. I plan to make enough so my kids will have something for their weekend. I believe they are overdue for a great dessert so that is on the menu, too.

I don't know about where you live, but we had some hellacious weather here yesterday. Not only did it cause a "rain out" for Angela's trip to Six Flags - Astroworld yesterday, it created a little havoc at home. I awoke from my sleep to the sound of loud banging outside. And, wouldn't you know it, it would be trash day. The wheeled trash container was tipped over by the wind and our trash was strewn all over the place. Trey was my hero as he pitched in and helped collect it all. The table and chairs from the front porch were found next to a little creek that runs along one side of our yard, and the neighborhood looked like the dickens. We did our best to gather up our own possessions as well as clean things up for the elderly lady who lives on the property closest to ours. Nothing was permanently damaged and Angela received a "rain check" (now I know why they call them that, lol) for the amusement park. Sounds like all ended on a good note, right? Wrong. Now I have to take Angela (and Trey, of course) to Six Flags sometime this summer. Darn it all.

We have a great issue for you today. Lots of funny stuff, something to make you stop and think, pantry tips, mail from a couple of readers, and yummy recipes. I'd say that's a perfect way to start your day. Have a good one and join us here tomorrow, ok?

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Did You Know?...

Ten Pantry FAQs

A good cook's best friend is an organized, well-stocked pantry. Whether it's just a shelf in your cupboard or a walk-in closet affair, a well-stocked, clean and orderly pantry has several benefits. For one thing, it's guaranteed to make your time in the kitchen easier. You'll always have items on hand for last minute meals. Plus, when you're in a pinch you won't need to rely on fast food or take-out because a wholesome, home cooked meal will always be at the ready. Here are 10 frequently asked questions on storing foods in your pantry.

1. Where should I store canned and packaged foods?
Store them away from heat in a clean, cool (below 70F) dry area, away from light that may destroy nutrients and cause deterioration. Shelves near the ceiling or in a garage are not usually good food storage areas.

2. What is the best way to keep my cupboards and shelves clean?
Keep cupboards and pantry shelves clean by using coated paper or vinyl shelf liners that you can wipe. Cleaning the shelves occasionally with a weak vinegar-water solution can help keep bugs away.

3. What are some useful items to always keep in my pantry?
Here are some staples we find useful to keep on hand: Soups, rice, pasta, beans, peas, cocoa, tea, coffee, canned and dried fruits, canned vegetables, oils, vinegars, soy sauce, cornmeal, flour, sugar and various spices.

4. When I purchase staples for my pantry, how much should I buy?
Buy supplies in amounts that you will use in a reasonable period of time. Replenish your stock regularly, jotting down needed items before the last package or can is used up.

5. Is there a good way to organize the canned goods in my cupboard?
When adding new cans to pantry shelves, be sure to move the old cans forward to be used first. Place the newer cans in back.

6. The oil on my shelf often drips and makes an awful mess. How can I avoid this?
Place plastic tops of containers (such as those that come with coffee cans, or pint-size plastic ice cream containers) under bottles of oils and syrups to prevent dripping onto clean shelves.

7. What is the best way to store dry foods after I open them?
Transfer the contents to clean jars, or wrap boxes in heavy-duty self-seal plastic bags after you open them.

8. How can I tell if certain foods in my cupboard have spoiled?
Check shelves often for signs of food spoilage. Get rid of any infested foods and clean the area with a weak vinegar-water solution. Watch for mold, funny smells or color changes in foods.

9. Do you have any advice for cooking with and storing food from canned goods?
Before opening them, rinse off the tops of cans or wipe them with a damp sponge. Once cans are opened, transfer any unused contents to a covered container and refrigerate it.

10. How long can I store canned foods?
Canned food has a shelf life of at least two years from the date of processing. Canned food retains its safety and nutritional value well beyond two years, but it may have some variation in quality, such as a change of color and texture.

Source: cookingvillage.com
? 

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The Mail Box...

Welcome to The Mail Box where a2z family members may send mail for all to read. It is expected that opinions, suggestions, etc. posted here be done with kindness and respect for all involved. If you have a message for the group, please send it to maggieblackwell@hotmail.com with "Mail Box" as subject. As in ALL items for posting, your first name and location must be included in the message. Posting is at the discretion of the publisher.

Re: E-Zine 6-6-04

Maggie, you outdid yourself on this issue. I copied and printed the marinade article. I think I like marinades but I didn't understand how to make the combinations. Now I can go forth and happily marinade everything. Well almost.

Also the Hamburger Heaven was very timely and helpful. My hubby usually BBQ's. However one day when he said it was too hot, I decided to try it.

DISASTER!!! My burgers crumbled and even with tongs, I couldn't retrieve all the meat. They did taste good though. But they sure looked funny.

I can hardly wait to try the Best Ever BBQ Sauce and will do so this week.

As I have said before, you do an excellent job. It's as though the E-Zine is your only job. And we all know it is not. I look forward to your recipes, jokes and articles every day.

Love,
Pats, AZ



Re: Today's e-zine 6-8-04

Dear Maggie,

This was an outstanding e-zine today. I kept three recipes and forwarded every one of the jokes.

Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!

Love,
Barbara, Chula Vista, CA

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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...

Star Spangled Recipes

So, what would a theme so named mean, exactly? Well, I am hoping to liven things up a bit around the a2z house. What we'll be looking for in the month of June (hint: the theme issue is to be posted on July 4th) are recipes that either have "red" "white" and/or "blue" in the title - or - recipes that are red, white, and/or blue in appearance. It's really simple and could be great fun.

Here are some examples:
"Beet Salad" (red in appearance)
"White Chocolate Mousse" ("white" in appearance and title)
"Mom's Blue Cheese Dressing" ("blue" in title)
"Strawberry Cream Pie" ("red" and "white" in appearance)
"Blueberry Pancakes" ("blue" in appearance and title)
"Creamy Fruit Salad" ("red" cherries, "blue" berries, "white" whipped cream)

For those of you who find themes difficult because you do not have recipes of a certain persuasion, the gig is up??¦everyone has a recipe that will fit in here. I am looking forward to first-time participants as well as our "regulars". Now is a perfect time to spend a few minutes sending in a recipe to share. If you don't, I will certainly be "blue".

Here is the recipe submission 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 and 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 July's theme issue is Friday, June 25th.

Theme recipes must have subject: "Star Spangled Recipes" and will be posted on Sunday, July 4th.

As usual, only recipes are to be sent to: A to Z Recipes Inbox

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Crazy Corner...

The Moral Of The Story

Shared by Richard, Bradenton, FL

The teacher gave her fifth grade class an assignment: Get their parents to tell them a story with a moral at the end of it. The next day the kids came back and one by one began to tell their stories.

Kathy said, "My father's a farmer and we have a lot of egg-laying hens. One time we were taking our eggs to market in a basket on the front seat of the pickup when we hit a bump in the road and all the eggs went flying and broke and made a mess."

"And what's the moral of the story?" asked the teacher.

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket!"

"Very good," said the teacher.

Next little Lucy raised and hand and said, "Our family are farmers too. But we raise chickens for the meat market. We had a dozen eggs one time, but when they hatched we only got ten live chicks and the moral to this story is, don't count your chickens until they're hatched."

"That was a fine story Lucy," said the teacher.

Oh no, here's little Johnny with his hand up.

"Johnny, do you have a story to share?"

"Yes, ma'am, my daddy told me this story about my Aunt Karen. Aunt Karen was a flight engineer in Desert Storm and her plane got hit. She had to bail out over enemy territory and all she had was a bottle of whiskey, a machine gun and a machete. She drank the whiskey on the way down so it wouldn't break and then she landed right in the middle of 100 enemy troops. She killed seventy of them with the machine gun until she ran out of bullets, then she killed twenty more with the machete till the blade broke and then she killed the last ten with her bare hands."

"Good heavens," said the horrified teacher, "what kind of moral did your daddy tell you from that horrible story?"

"Don't mess with Aunt Karen when she's been drinking."

NEW PET

Shared by Judy, Warren, MI

This guy was lonely and so he decided life would be more fun if he had a pet. So he went to the pet store and told the owner that he wanted to buy an unusual pet.

After some discussion, he finally bought a centipede (100-legged bug), which came in a little White box to use for his house. He took the box back home, found a good location for the box, and decided he would start off by taking his new pet to the bar to have a drink.

So he asked the centipede in the box, "Would you like to go to Frank's with me and have a beer?" But there was no answer from his new pet.

This bothered him a bit, but he waited a few minutes and then asked him again, "How about going to the bar and having a drink with me?"

But again, there was no answer from his new friend and pet. So he waited a few minutes more, thinking about the situation.

He decided to ask him one more time; this time putting his face up against the centipede's house and shouting, "Hey, in there! Would you like to go to Frank's place and have a drink with me?

YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS!





A little voice came out of the box:

"I heard you the first time! I'm putting on my damn shoes!!!"

Blind Date

Shared by Linda, CA

An 85-year-old widow went on a blind date with a 90-year-old man. When she returned to her daughter's house later that night, she seemed upset.

"What happened, Mother?" the daughter asked.

"I had to slap his face three times!"

"You mean he got fresh?"

"No," she answered...

"I thought he was dead!"

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Love is not blind.
That's why they make lingerie...

How Can I Help?...

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Your Favorites...

PORTUGUESE STEW

~Submitted by Jessica, Corfu, Greece

4 cans kidney beans
3 ham hocks
2 qts. water
2 cans tomato paste
4 sticks Polish sausage, sliced
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. coarse chopped parsley
2 tbsp. garlic salt
1 tbsp. black pepper

Put above ingredients in large covered pan and cook 1 hour at 350 degrees or on top of stove, stir once or twice. Add 6 cups or 1 whole cabbage, shredded, 7 to 8 carrots, sliced and 8 to 9 potatoes, diced. Cook about 30 minutes until carrots are cooked. Turn on warm until served.

MUSHROOM ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE

~Submitted by Terry, TX

3 C fresh mushrooms cut in half (quarters if large)
1/2 C sliced green onions
4 Tbs. oleo or butter
2 Tbs. flour
1/4 C milk
1 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules dissolved in 3/4 C water
2 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 10 oz frozen artichoke hearts cooked and drained or 2 cans artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and quartered (remove any choke).
3/4 C soft bread crumbs (about 3 slices)
2 Tbs. melted oleo or butter

Saut?© mushrooms and onions in 4 T oleo until liquid rendered. Remove with slotted spoon to 2 qt. casserole with cooked and drained artichoke hearts. Blend flour, dash of salt and pepper into pan liquid, add milk, bouillon water mixture, lemon juice and nutmeg, cook until bubbly. Pour over vegetables and mix well. Combine crumbs with melted oleo and sprinkle around edge of casserole.

Cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

ORIENTAL MEATBALL SALAD

~Submitted by Barbara, Chula Vista, CA

2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 cups soft bread crumbs
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 (8 1/4 oz.) can pineapple chunks
2 medium green peppers, cut into 1/2 inch squares
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
Shredded lettuce

In bowl combine eggs and milk. Stir in bread crumbs, onion salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add ground beef; mix well. shape mixture into 3/4 inch meatballs. In skillet cook meatballs in hot cooking oil about 10 minutes or till done, turning frequently. Drain off fat.

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add water to reserved juice to make 3/4 cup liquid. In bowl combine pineapple chunks, green pepper, carrot, celery, and meatballs: set aside.

In small saucepan combine brown sugar and cornstarch; stir in the 3/4 cup pineapple liquid, wine, vinegar, and soy. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Pour hot mixture over meatball mixture. Cover and chill.

To serve, carefully stir in tomato wedges into meatball mixture (or, reserve tomato wedges and arrange along edges of plates). Place shredded lettuce on individual plates, spoon meatball mixture atop.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS All Time Favorite Hamburger & Ground Meats Recipes - Published 1980

SALISBURY STEAK WITH MUSHROOM AND ONION TOPPING
Serves 6

~Submitted by Margo, SW CO

THIS IS VERY GOOD!!

2# ground beef
2 2/3 c (2- 2.8oz cans) French Fried Onions, divided
3/4 tsp garlic salt
3/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBSP butter
8 oz mushrooms, wiped clean & sliced (3 cups)
1 jar (12 oz) brown gravy
1/4 c water
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

Combine ground beef, 1 1/3 c French Fried Onions, salt and pepper in large bowl. Shape into 6 oval patties.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add patties; cook about 20 minutes or until browned on both sides and juices run clear. Transfer to platter; keep warm.

Pour off drippings from pan; discard.

Melt butter in same skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until browned.

Stir in gravy, water and Worcestershire sauce.

Return patties to skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook until heated through.

Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/3 c onions.

Source: French's "French Fried Onions Casseroles and More"

GINGERED SQUASH

~Submitted by Larry Holmes, Ontario, Canada

3 cups cooked, mashed winter squash
1 ?? cups butter
pinch salt
juice 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons gingerroot, peeled & minced

Mix all ingredients except gingerroot, adjusting amount of lemon and honey to taste.

Place ginger in garlic press and express juice into squash and stir.

Serves 4 to 6

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Heart Healthy...

DIABETIC, LOW-FAT LAYERED ORANGE PINEAPPLE MOLD

~Submitted by Janette, Ontario, Canada

1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 8 serving size package or 2 4 serving size packages JELL-O orange flavor sugar free low calorie gelatin
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add cold water to juice to make 1 1/2 cups.

Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl at least two minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in measured pineapple juice and water.

Reserve one cup gelatin at room temperature.

Stir 1/2 of the crushed pineapple into remaining gelatin. Pour into 5 cup mold.

Refrigerate about two hours or until set but not firm.

Stir reserved 1 cup gelatin gradually into cream cheese in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth.

Stir in remaining crushed pineapple. Pour over gelatin in mold.

Refrigerate four hours or until firm.

Unmold.

Makes 10 servings.
Calories...100...Fat...4 g...Carbs...10 g...Protein...3 g...
Fiber...0 g.
Points...2.
Exchanges...1 fruit...1 fat.

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For Two...

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

~Submitted by Jean, Syracuse, NY

For 1:
1 half chicken breast, skinned and boned
salt and pepper
2 tbs. soft butter
dash oregano
1/2 tsp. chopped parsley
1 slice Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese
2 tbs. flour
1 egg, beaten
2 tbs. bread crumbs or wheat germ
2 tbs. dry white wine

For 2:
2 halves chicken breast, skinned and boned
salt and pepper
1/4 cup soft butter
dash oregano
1 tsp. chopped parsley
2 slices Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup bread crumbs or wheat germ
1/4 cup dry white wine

Pound chicken between 2 pieces of waxed paper until thin. Season with salt and pepper. Combine butter with herbs and spread mixture on chicken. Place slice of cheese on each piece of chicken and roll. Secure with a toothpick, if desired. Dip chicken in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes. Pour wine over chicken and bake 25 minutes longer.

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Publisher's Choice...

EASY CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

1 pound chopped, cooked chicken
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 pound cubed Velveeta
8 corn tortillas
1 jar (10 oz) Mexican salsa
1 cup Mexican-style shredded cheese
1 small can sliced ripe olives

Combine chopped, cooked chicken, soup and Velveeta. Stir until well blended.

Spoon mixture onto 8 corn tortillas. Roll up and place seam side down in 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with the jar of salsa, shredded cheese, olives; cover with foil.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes.

Serve with individual salads comprised of prepared guacamole and chopped tomatoes atop a bed of shredded lettuce.

Serves 4.

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