A to Z Recipes Newsletter
April 20, 2005
|
To leave "A to Z Recipes Newsletter" see instructions at the end.
Publisher's Desk
Ramblings
Did You Know?
Monthly Theme
Reader Support
NEW Birthday Babies
Discussion Forum
Crazy Corner
Linda's Favorites
Heart Healthy
For Two
Publisher's Choice
Good morning. Today's issue is from guest publisher Linda in Michigan. Before we get on to that, we have some unfinished business...
Happy Birthday to William!!!
Tomorrow is Will's birthday. He lives in Canada and has offered me a lot of support personally as well as with A to Z Recipes. He is a warm and sensitive
person who possesses an abundance of kindness for everyone he meets. When the world hands him lemons, he makes lemonade! What a nice person and I am so happy
he is a member of our a2z family. Please join me in wishing him a good day by sending a message through the QT Discussion Forum. I know he will enjoy hearing from you.
Now, on to Linda's great Wednesday installment:
Hi from Linda in Michigan! This is a kind of
hodgepodge mini-theme issue. Don't tell Maggie, but I subscribe to a couple of other recipe
ezines. (Just to keep ahead of the competition.) Some of them have a section that lets people ask other readers for help on finding a recipe. Most of the recipes that
they are searching for call for specific brand ingredients. ("my mom used to make a cake with
Hellmann's Mayonnaise", "my mom used to make sticky buns from a recipe she found on a bag of Rhodes bread"). Well, I found two books on a clearance table in a
book store that I use all the time to help people in their searches. They are the "Favorite Brand Name Recipe Cookbook" and the "More Favorite Brand Name
Recipes Cookbook". I was going to do an issue using those books. I figured that I would pull a recipe from each chapter to make a dinner menu. Ha! Each book has
twenty chapters from appetizers to desserts, and each chapter has sub categories from chicken to pies. So, I decided to give you a little bit of each chapter at a
time. Since graduation parties and bridal showers are coming up, this first installment is on appetizers. By the way, if you have any recipes that you have misplaced,
or are looking for, please contact me through the
QT Discussion Forum, or a note to Maggie, and I will be happy to look for them for you. I have also
taken the liberty of cleaning out one of my 'saved' files, so all the other sections of the newsletter are little 'tidbits' that I have been squirreling away. I hope you
find something that you like.
Cookbooks, Recipes, Gourmet Cooking from Amazon
The school year is almost over. Some teacher just might need to receive one of these.
YOU'RE THE PERSON THAT I MOST ADMIRE
by Nicholas Gordon
You're the person that I most admire,
The person that I most would like to be.
Your friendship, like a torch, has lit a fire
Deep within the cave where I am me.
Because of you, I want to be a teacher,
Touching someone's life as you've touched mine.
And when I'm you I'll know just how to reach her,
Giving her the faith that she can shine.
Though you now must leave, and we must part,
A little piece of you remains behind,
Held with gratitude within my heart,
A portrait of a lady good and kind.
You will be part of everything I do;
When I need strength, I'll look inside for you.
THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A CLOSE FRIEND
by Nicholas Gordon
Thank you for being such a good friend.
How you put up with me I'll never know:
An awfully big heart and a fuse that is slow?
Nothing I broke was too shattered to mend.
Kids know good teachers by the stars in their eyes.
You had those stars by the dozens and more.
Open your heart and you open a door.
Under your love are my free, clear blue skies.
General Shelf Lives for Common Items
Flour unopened: up to 12 months. Opened: 6-8 months.
Whole Wheat Flour unopened: 1 month. Opened: 6-8 months if refrigerated.
Sugar unopened: 2 years. Sugars do not spoil but eventually may change flavor.
Brown sugar unopened: 4 months.
Confectioners sugar unopened: 18 months.
Solid shortening unopened: 8 months. Opened: 3 months
Cocoa unopened: indefinitely. opened: 1 year
Whole spices: 2-4 years. Whether or not opened.
Ground spices: 2-3 years. Whether or not opened.
Paprika, red pepper and chili powder: 2 years when kept in refrigerator.
High acid canned items such as fruit juice, tomato soup and things in vinegar unopened: 12-18 months.
Baking soda unopened: 18 months. Opened: 6 months.
Baking powder unopened: 6 months. Opened: 3 months.
Cornstarch: 18 months. Whether or not opened.
Dry pasta made without eggs unopened: 2 years. Opened: 1 year.
Dry egg noodles unopened: 2 years. Opened: 1-2 months.
Salad dressing unopened: 10-12 months. Opened: 3 months if refrigerated.
Low acid canned items such as soup, meats, gravy and vegetables unopened: 2-5 years.
Honey: 1 year whether or not opened.
Worcestershire sauce: 1 year whether or not opened
Ground, canned coffee unopened: 2 years. Opened: 2 weeks, if refrigerated.
Instant coffee in jars or tins unopened: 12 months. Opened: 3 months.
Bottled water unopened: 1-2 years. Opened: 3 months.
Pudding mixes unopened: 1 year. Opened: 4 months.
Jams, jellies and preserves unopened: 1 year. Opened: 6 months if refrigerated.
Peanut butter unopened: 6-9 months. Opened: 2-3 months.
(From The Food Marketing Institute In Washington, DC)
Busy Mom Recipes
Here's the scoop on the current theme:
Like many of our readers, I am a busy Mom. I love to cook (and my kids love to eat!). However, finding recipes that are busy-Mom-friendly can be difficult. Who has
the time? Most of us are pretty good cooks. But some of the best recipes take a lot of time and a lot of ingredients. What we are looking for in this coming theme
issue are recipes easy to fix, require no fancy-schmancy ingredients, and will help us prepare great food in our busy lives. The issue will be posted in plenty of time
for Mother's Day. What a wonderful gift to all the Mothers in our group.
Here's a sampler for you:
BLACK OLIVE TOASTIES
1 cup chopped black olives
1-1/2 cups sharp cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
Mix well.
Spread on party rye. Broil till melted.
Please use this link: Busy Mom Recipes
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 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.
See the A to Z Recipes Theme Issues collection here:
A to Z Recipes Theme Issues
The theme issue for Busy Mom Recipes has a deadline of April 29, 2005, and will be posted on May 1, 2005.
Please use this link: Busy Mom Recipes
As usual, only recipes are to be sent to: A to Z Recipes Inbox.
Placing a vote takes only a moment and helps promote A to Z Recipes.
Having trouble using the method above for placing your vote?
Vote for this Ezine at the Cumuli Ezine Finder.
A to Z Recipes operates solely through reader support. Your donation helps to defray the expenses involved with publishing this newsletter and the web site. There
is no monetary gain involved, only the opportunity for you to offset the Publisher's expenses thereto. You may donate through PayPal, or other methods listed.
To make donations using other methods, go here.
Shop Better Homes and Gardens 50% Off
Would you like to celebrate your birthday with us here at A to Z Recipes? We would love to help you strike up the band and light the candles on that
cake.
Please send your request using this link. Tell us some basic
information:
Your Name
Where you live
Your birth date
You may include anything else you would like to share such as:
How long you have been with A to Z Recipes
Something about your job and family
Your hobbies
Any special recipe requests
This information will help us get to know you as well as help celebrate your special day. Knowing our a2z family, I am sure it will help others find shared interests
and make new friendships. Because of time constraints, only birthdays shared using the appropriate link and basic information will be considered.
Our discussion forum at QuickTopic is where a2z??™ers go to meet others, swap recipes and give feedback about what is going on in A to Z Recipes. It is
expected that opinions, suggestions, etc. posted there be done with kindness and respect for all involved*. To join in at QT (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 select the button when you get there.
NOTE:
Maybe once you get to the site, you could add it to favorites. Links that are easy to find are more likely to be used again.
*Offensive postings will be deleted by the publisher.
Family Photos!
You may view the
June 2004 A to Z Family Reunion. Check out Leslie and Rusty's pics from the
December 2004 A to Z Family Reunion.
I'm picking on some states today!
You know you're from Pennsylvania if...
You only own three spices: salt, pepper, ketchup
You design your Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
You have more miles on your snowblower than your car.
You have 10 favorite recipes for venison.
You have an uncontrollable urge to buy bread and milk when you hear the word "snow."
Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
You think sexy lingerie is tube socks and a flannel nightie.
You owe more money on your snowmobile or John Deere than your car.
The first day of "Buck Season" and "Doe Season" is a school holiday.
Your snowblower gets stuck on your roof.
The local paper covers National and International headlines on 1/4 page but requires six pages for sports.
School closings due to snow take the radio stations a half an hour to finish, because just about every town has its own school district.
When someone says 1972, you think "Agnes," and when someone says 1979, you think
"TMI."
You call sloppy joes "barbecue."
When it snows, they put cinders on the roads instead of sand.
You think the start of deer hunting is a National Holiday.
You pronounce "Suite" as SUIT, not SWEET. As in Living Room Suite.
You know which leaves make good toilet paper.
You only buy your beer and soda by the case.
You think the roads in any other state are smooth.
You find -20F "a little" chilly.
You ask the waitress for "dippy eggs" for breakfast.
The trunk of your car doubles as a deep freezer.
You know the four seasons: Winter, Still Winter, Almost Winter, and Construction.
There are still places you can still stop along the road to buy fruits, vegetables, or crafts on the "honor system."
The municipality buys a Zamboni before a school bus.
You never see any Confederate Flags, except on the Gettysburg Battlefield.
You prefer Hershey's Chocolate to Godiva.
You consider Pittsburgh to be "out west," and you know the fastest way to Philly is the Turnpike.
You can give directions to Intercourse with a straight face.
MICHIGAN
Due to the popularity of survivor type shows, Michigan is planning to do its own version, entitled "Survivor, Michigan Style." The contestants will start in Port Huron,
travel North to Cadillac, Traverse City, Boyne City, Mackinaw, Houghton Lake and then South to Bay City, Flint, Pontiac, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Jackson and Lansing,
then back into Port Huron. Each will be driving a pink, foreign made 2-door coupe with California plates and will have the following bumper stickers affixed to their
bumpers:
* "Snowmobiles are stupid"
* "I hate the Detroit Red Wings"
* "Michigan should share the Great Lakes"
* "I don't believe in hunting or fishing"
* "I'm here to confiscate your guns" and
* "All Deer Hunters are Fags"
The one who makes it back to Port Huron alive wins. --
ARIZONA
May 30th: Just moved to Arizona. Now this is a state that knows how to live!! Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. What a place! It is beautiful. I've
finally found my home. I love it here.
June 14th: Really heating up. Got to 100 today. Not a problem. Live in an air-conditioned home, drive an air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun everyday
like this. I'm turning into a sun worshipper.
June 30th: Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing lawn for me. Another
scorcher today, but I love it here.
July 10th: The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least its kind of windy though. But getting used to the
heat is taking longer than I expected.
July 15th: Fell asleep by the community pool. (Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body). Missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson
though. Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.
July 20th: I missed Lomita (my cat) sneaking into the car when I left this morning. By the time I got to the hot car at noon, Lomita had died and swollen up to the
size of a shopping bag and stank up the upholstery. The car now smells like Kibbles and
sh*ts. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this heat.
July 25th: The wind sucks. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer!! And it's hot as hell. The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the AC repairman charged
$200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.
July 30th: Been sleeping outside on the patio for 3 nights now. $225,000 house and I can't even go inside. Why did I ever come here?
Aug. 4th: It's 115 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today. It cost $500 and gets the temperature down to 85. I hate this stupid state.
Aug. 8th: If another wise ass cracks, 'Hot enough for you today?' I'm going to strangle him. Damn heat. By the time I get to work the radiator is boiling over, my
clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!
Aug. 9th: Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts, and when I sat on the seats in the car, I thought my ass was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the
hair on the back of my legs and ass. Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried ass, and baked cat.
Aug 10th: The weather report might as well be a damn recording. Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot! to do
sh*t for 2 damn months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Doesn't it ever rain in this damn desert? Water rationing will be next, so my
$1700 worth of cactus will just dry up and blow over. Even the cactus can't live in this damn heat.
Aug. 14th: Welcome to HELL! Temperature got to 115 today. Forgot to crack the window and blew the damn windshield of the car.?
The installer came to fix it and said, "Hot enough for you today?" My sister had to spend $1500 to bail me out of jail. Freaking Arizona. What kind of a sick
demented idiot would want to live here???
Will write later to let you know how the trial goes."
Alberta Jokes
I know, I know, Alberta is not a state, but my buddy, Don, lives there.
Top 10 Reasons To Live in Alberta, Canada
1. Big Rock
2. Preston Manning
3. Tax is 7 percent instead of approximately 200 percent
4. The Premier is a fat, wife-beating alcoholic with a grade 4 education
5. Flames vs. Oilers
6. Stamps vs. Eskies
7. You can exploit almost any natural resource you can think of
8. Eventually, it will be your town's turn to ban VLT's
9. The Americans below you are all in anti-government militia groups
10. You can attempt to murder your rich oil tycoon husband and get away with it
Looking for a particular recipe, ingredient or submitter?
Search A to Z Recipes Site and Newsletters:
Kitchen Bestsellers from Amazon
ANTIPASTO
1 small head cauliflower, separated into flowerets
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 large carrot, cut into sticks
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into eights
1 jar (8 oz.) HEINZ spiced onions, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound small button mushrooms
1 cup olive or salad oil
1-3/4 cups HEINZ Apple Cider or Wine Vinegar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons HEINZ mild mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
Anchovies
Olives
Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl. Saute garlic and mushrooms in oil until mushrooms are tender. Add vinegar and next four ingredients. Cover. Chill
overnight , stirring occasionally. Drain well; serve on lettuce lined platter. Garnish with anchovies, ripe or stuffed olives.
BROCCOLI PUFFS
10 oz. Package GREEN GIANT broccoli frozen in cheese sauce
11/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
11/2 teaspoons garlic salt
11/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
Oil for deep frying
Cook broccoli according to package directions. Empty contents into a small bowl and cut broccoli, using two knives, into
1/2 inch pieces. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, garlic salt, baking powder and salt. Stir in
broccoli with cheese sauce, milk an egg, batter should be fairly thick. Allow batter to set 5 to 10 minutes. In deep fat fryer or heavy sauce pan drop batter by
teaspoonfuls into 1 to 1 1/2 inches hot fat. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towel.
48 appetizers.
MINI-QUICHES
1 can (8 oz.) refrigerated butter flake dinner rolls
1 package OSCAR MEYER Ham and Cheese Spread
2 eggs
2 green onions with tops, chopped
Separate dinner rolls into twelve pieces. Divide each piece into three sections. Press dough sections in 1
3/4-inch diameter tart or muffin cups, stretching dough to form shell. Combine cheese spread, eggs and onion, mix well. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes,
or until golden brown. Freeze extras; reheat in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Makes 36.
PICKLE POCKETS
2 cups finely grated American cheese
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
Dash cayenne
HEINZ Dill or Sweet Pickles
Mix cheese and butter well. Using a pastry blender, cut in flour and cayenne. Divide into 2 balls; chill. Roll each ball to 1/8" thickness on floured board; cut in
rectangles (2 1/2" x 2"). Cut 36 strips (2" x 1/2") from pickles. Wrap each pickle strip in dough, seal ends well. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in 425
degree oven, 12-15 minutes.
Makes 3 dozen.
CHEESY WALNUT PINWHEELS
1 cup BISQUICK Baking Mix
1/4 cup cold water
1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
Mix baking mix and water until a soft dough forms; beat vigorously 20 strokes. Gently smooth dough into a ball on a floured cloth-covered board. Knead five times.
Roll dough into a rectangle, 12x9 inches. Mix remaining ingredients; spread over dough to within 1 inch of edges. Roll up tightly, beginning at 12 inch side. Seal well
by pinching edge of dough into roll. Wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least two hours. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut roll into
1/4 inch slices. Arrange slices cut side down, on a greased cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
Makes about 40 appetizers.
KIELBASA BITES
3/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup grape jelly
1/2 scant teaspoon cinnamon?
1/2 scant teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 scant teaspoon ginger
4 teaspoons red wine
2 heaping teaspoons prepared mustard
11/2 teaspoons soy sauce
11/2 pound HILLSHIRE FARMS Polska Kielbasa, Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Mix together chili sauce, jelly, cinnamon, ginger, red wine, mustard and soy sauce in sauce pan or chafing dish until mixture can be smoothly blended. Add Polska
Kielbasa and heat until sausage is hot. Serve with toothpicks.
Note: I have used this sauce recipe with little meatballs instead of Kielbasa.
TUNA STUFFED TOMATOES
1 can BUMBLE BEE Chunk Light Tuna in Water
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup imitation or low calorie mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
36 cherry tomatoes
Parsley sprigs for garnish
Drain tuna. Combine tuna, celery, mayonnaise, chopped parsley, green onion and pepper. Cut tops off tomatoes and scoop out seeds; turn upside down to drain. Fill
with tuna salad. Serve chilled on parsley lined plates.
It's hard to make an appetizer for just two, but this recipe makes a small amount and refrigerates well.
CREAM CHEESE SPREAD
1 (3oz.) package of cream cheese
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoons of chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix all ingredients well. Spread on crackers. Refrigerate leftovers.
Favorite recipe from National Pecan Marketing Council
DILLED CHICKEN AND CHEESE BALL?
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (5 oz.) SWANSON Mixin' Style Chicken
1/3 cup finely chopped cucumber
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed, crushed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
In a medium bowl, beat cheese until smooth, stir in remaining ingredients except parsley. Shape into a ball, roll in parsley. Chill. Serve on crackers or cucumber
slices or use to stuff celery.
A to Z Recipes Website
Contact List Owner-Submit Article
Submit a Recipe
Sign up for Newsletter
Be Removed from Newsletter
View recent issue archives at Zinester
View vintage issue archives at Topica
|
About 'A to Z Recipes Newsletter' |
The information contained in issues and the website are for use at your own discretion.
Confer with health professionals for any special needs. Feel free to forward this publication to family and friends.
|
