|
A to Z Recipes Newsletter
May 16, 2005
|
To leave "A to Z Recipes Newsletter" see instructions at the end. View this
issue on the website
Publisher's Desk
Ramblings
Did You Know?
Monthly Theme
Reader Support
Birthday Babies
Discussion Forum
Crazy Corner
Recipe Favorites
Heart Healthy
For Two
Publisher's Choice
Good morning and what a glorious Monday before us. Mondays can be difficult. But when you work many weekends like me, you begin to look at them for what they
are: another chance to make a difference. Yes, the restful weekend is over, but you have been given the opportunity to make a difference today. And I plan to do
just that. I hope however you spend your Monday, you will feel it worth the trade for 24 hours of your life.
Speaking of making a difference... this issue should do just that. We have some delightful things to share today. There is a bushel of great recipes and a peck of
other goodies to make this fun.
I hope your Monday is grand. Linda will be here on Wednesday for a super issue (I got a sneak peek!). See ya'll!
Cookbooks, Recipes, Gourmet Cooking from Amazon
I'M SPECIAL
I'm special. In all the world there's no body like me. Since the beginning of time, there has never been another person like me. Nobody has my smile. Nobody has
my eyes, my nose, my hair, my hands, my voice. I'm special. No one can be found who has my handwriting. Nobody anywhere has my tastes - for food or music or
art. No one seeds things just as I do. In all of time there's been no one who laughs like me, no one who cries like me. And what makes me laugh and cry will never
provoke identical laughter and tears from anybody else, ever. No one reacts to any situation just as I would react. I'm special. I'm the only one in all of creation
who has my set of abilities. Oh, there will always be somebody who is better at one of the things I'm good at, but no one in the universe can reach the quality of my
combinations of talents, ideas, abilities and feelings. Like a room full of musical instruments, some may excel alone, but none can match the symphony sound when
all are played together. I'm a symphony. Through all of eternity no one will ever look, talk, walk, think or do like me. I'm special. I'm rare. And, in all rarity there
is great value. Because of my great rare value, I need not attempt to imitate others. I will accept - yes, celebrate - my difference. I'm special. And I'm beginning
to realize it's no accident that I'm special. I'm beginning to see that God made me special for a very special purpose. He must have a job for me that no one else
can do as well as I. Out of all the billions of applicants, only one is qualified, only one has the right combination of what it takes. That one is me. Because . . . I'm
special.
Source: Unknown
COOKING HINTS
AFTER YOU EMPTY THAT SQUEEZE BOTTLE OF MUSTARD, wash and dry it well. It is great for decorating cakes and cookies when the bottle is filled with
icing.
TO CLEAN FRESH MUSHROOMS EASILY, put mushrooms in a bowl of lukewarm water, add a tablespoon of flour and gently stir with your hand. Then rinse the
mushrooms.
EVER RUN SHORT OF POWDERED SUGAR OR BROWN SUGAR? Whip up some easily by following these instructions: Powdered sugar - combine 1 cup of
granulated sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and put in blender for 45 seconds. Brown sugar - combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of
molasses and mix well.
Source: Easy Chef's One Million of the World's Best Recipes CD
Mexican Recipe Favorites
Here's the scoop on the current theme:
There is one type of food that usually gets grandioso reviews: Mexican. During the month of May, we are searching high and low for the best Mexican Recipe
Favorites. Send us those family keepers and restaurant taste-likes for all to share here at A to Z Recipes. Make sure to try out my sampler and drop by
the rules section to ensure your submissions are acceptable.
Here's a sampler for you:
QUESO FLAMEADO
This is one of my daughter's favorite appetizers. Matter of fact, she eats it as an entree. Lots of flour tortillas are needed to wrap this melted cheese
concoction.
3/4 lb. Mexican sausage (chorizo), casing removed, crumbled*
1 sm. onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
3/4 c. picante sauce
4 c. (1 lb.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Avocado slices
Tomato slices
Brown sausage in small skillet; remove to paper towels with slotted spoon. Drain all but teaspoon drippings from skillet; add onion and cook until tender. Return
sausage to skillet; add tomatoes and picante sauce. Simmer 15 minutes or until most of liquid has evaporated. In a 9 inch baking dish, arrange 2 cups of the cheese.
Top with sausage mixture; cover with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish with avocado and tomato slices and
serve immediately with warm tortillas or tortilla chips.
*We omit the chorizo and use 8 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced, and cook in a small amount of canola oil along with the onions. We also add fresh cilantro,
chopped.
Please use this link for theme recipes: Mexican Recipe Favorites
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 submitted by readers 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 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 (ALL caps or NO caps) 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 Mexican Recipe Favorites has a deadline of May 27, 2005, and will be posted on June 5, 2005.
Please use this link for theme recipes: Mexican Recipe Favorites
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 birthdate
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.
Remember 1957...
Shared by Jean, Syracuse, NY
I know some of you are not old enough to remember but this was put together in a great way, so I hope you enjoy it!
Remember this?
The following were some comments made in the year 1957:
(1) "I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, its going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20.00."
(2) "Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $5,000 will only buy a used car!"
(3) "If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit -- a quarter a pack is ridiculous."
(4) "Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?"
(5) "If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store."
(6) "When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage."
(7) "Kids today are impossible. Those ducktail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the
girls!"
(8) "I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying damn in "Gone With The Wind", it seems every new movie
has either hell or damn in it."
(9) "I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call
astronauts preparing for it down in Texas."
(10) "Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more
than the President."
(11) "I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They're even making electric typewriters now!"
(12) "It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet."
(13) "It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work."
(15) "I'm just afraid that Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business."
(16) "Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes... I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to
Congress."
(17) "The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they'll ever catch on."
(18) "There's no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel!"
(19) "No one can afford to be sick any more, $35.00 a day in the hospital is too rich for my blood."
Looking for a particular recipe, ingredient or submitter?
Search A to Z Recipes Site and Newsletters:
Kitchen Bestsellers from Amazon
HONEY GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
~Submitted by Larry Holmes, Ontario, Canada
2 ?? skinless chicken drumsticks
1 ?? cups milk
?? cup cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
?? cup liquid honey
2 tablespoons rice or white vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 425?° F. Lightly butter 13" x 9" glass baking dish. Place chicken in baking dish. In a bowl, gradually whisk milk into cornstarch. Whisk in soy
sauce, honey, vinegar, and
garlic. Pour over chicken, tossing to coat. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring twice, until sauce is bubbling and starring to thicken. Stir green onions into dish and
sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink inside and sauce is thick.
Makes 4 servings.
Suggestion: While chicken is cooking, steam some crispy vegetables; serve with rice or rice noodles.
THE ESSENTIAL CRUNCHY OATMEAL COOKIE
~Submitted by Jean, Syracuse, NY
This oatmeal cookie is crumbly-crunchy, the lightest-textured of all the oatmeal cookies we tested. If you??™re not a raisin-lover, leave them out; but we feel both
raisins and nuts give a plain oatmeal cookie pizzazz.
Makes 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (6 ounces) brown sugar
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 cups (10 1/2 ounces) rolled oats
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (6 ounces) raisins, packed (optional)
1 cup (4 ounces) diced pecans or walnuts (optional)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 325?°F. Lightly grease or line with parchment two baking sheets.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, baking powder, spices and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the egg, then add the oats
and flour. Stir in the raisins and nuts.
Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Using the flat bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten each ball of dough to about
1/4-inch thick.
Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until they??™re golden brown. These are supposed to be crunchy, so don??™t underbake them. Remove them from the oven and cool
on a rack.
Baking time: 20 minutes.
Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie Variations:
Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Cookies:
Add 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips to the Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie recipe.
Very Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies:
Add 1 vanilla bean, finely ground, to the Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie recipe. This will add an assertive hit of pure vanilla to your cookies.
Trail Mix Jumbles:
Prepare the Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie recipe, replacing the raisins with 1 cup (5 1/4 ounces) dried cranberries, and adding 2/3 cup (4 ounces) chocolate
chips or candy-coated chocolates, and 1/3 cup (1 ounce) flaked coconut,
unsweetened preferred.
Cranberry Chews:
Prepare the Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie recipe, substituting 1 1/2 cups (7 7/8 ounces) dried cranberries and 1/2 cup diced walnuts for the raisins and nuts.
Add 1/4 teaspoon orange oil, or 1 tablespoon grated orange rind.
More Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie Variations:
Oat Scotchies:
Prepare the Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie recipe, substituting 1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch chips for the raisins and using diced pecans. Add a few drops
strong butterscotch or butter-rum flavor, if desired.
Mocha Chip Oatmeal Cookies:
Prepare the Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie recipe, adding 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder to the dough, and substituting 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
chips for the raisins, and 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts for the pecans or walnuts.
Coconutties:
Prepare the Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie recipe, adding a few drops strong coconut flavor to the dough and substituting 2 cups (6 ounces) shredded
unsweetened coconut for the raisins and nuts. If you use sweetened coconut, reduce the sugar (either brown, or granulated) in the recipe by 2 tablespoons.
PERFECT BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
~Submitted by Angelique, TX
2 packages (box not bag) frozen broccoli (cooked and drained)
1 c. dry stuffing, unseasoned
1/4 c. melted margarine
Combine:
2 beaten eggs
1 chopped onion (medium)
1 can 10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
Place a layer of broccoli, a layer of the egg mixture and repeat layers. Top with stuffing and melted margarine. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
"OYSTER" CORN FRITTERS
~Submitted by Ann, FL
2 c corn pulp
2 Tbsp flour
2 FREEHOLD DAIRY eggs, separated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Canned or fresh corn may be used. To the corn pulp, add the beaten egg yolks, flour and seasonings. Add the stiffly-beaten egg whites and blend. Drop by
spoonfuls, the size of oysters, on hot buttered frying pan and brown.
SOURCE: "'The Best in Cooking' in Freehold"
The Women's Club, Freehold, NJ
Submitted By: Dorothy VanSant
PS: This recipe is from an old recipe book I got at one of our our Public Library book sales. Although no dates are given, I would guess it was published around
1960 or perhaps a few years earlier. The local sponsors do not have zip codes in their addresses, and the phone numbers are 2 letters and 5 numbers, instead of the
7 numbers used now. One of the sponsors is a Rambler car dealership; although I can't say exactly, the photo of the car looks to be from around that time.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone has any suggestions to make, maybe someone knows the year when the name was switched from Nash to Rambler, I know it was in
the 50's. We bought our first used Rambler in 1962 and our second in 1968; they were nice little cars.
APRICOT FUDGE SLICE
~Submitted by Robyn, Auckland, New Zealand
125g butter
?? cup brown sugar
?? tin sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 x 250g packet of plain sweet biscuits crushed
?? cup desiccated coconut to decorate
LEMON ICING
100g butter
1 ?? cups icing sugar
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tablespoons hot water
Heat 125g butter, brown sugar and condensed milk until the butter melts. Do not boil.
Add chopped apricots and crushed biscuits. Mix well.
Press into a greased 20 x 30cm (8 X 12") sponge roll tin.
Ice with lemon icing
Beat butter until pale and fluffy. Add icing sugar, grated rind and juice of lemon and sufficient water until you have a fluffy light mixture.
Spread over the slice and sprinkle with coconut.
Set in refrigerator.
Cut into squares.
Makes 12 shortbreads.
CANADIAN CHEESE SOUP WITH PUMPERNICKEL CROUTONS
~Submitted by Richard, Bradenton, FL
Preparation time: 5 minutes
3 (1-ounce) slices pumpernickel bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
1 celery stalk, quartered
1 teaspoon butter or stick margarine
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375?°.
Place bread cubes on a jelly-roll pan, and bake at 375?° for 15 minutes or until toasted.
While the croutons bake, combine onion, carrot, and celery in a food processor, and pulse until chopped. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add
vegetables; saut?© 5 minutes or until tender.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Gradually add 1 can of broth to flour in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to
pan. Stir in 1 can of broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes or until thick. Stir in milk, salt, paprika, and pepper; cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat; add the cheese, and stir until cheese
melts. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with croutons.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1/4 cup croutons)
CALORIES 203 (30% from fat); FAT 6.8g (satfat 3.8g, monofat 1.9g, polyfat 0.4g); PROTEIN 13.2g; CARBOHYDRATE 21.9g; FIBER 1.8g; CHOLESTEROL 23mg;
IRON 1.1mg; SODIUM 671mg; CALCIUM 318mg
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2000
APPLE TURNOVER
~Submitted by Jean, Syracuse, NY
1/4 C all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
4 tsp shortening
1 Tbs ice water
1 medium tart apple, peeled and sliced
1 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Milk
Glaze
2 Tbs confectioners' sugar
1 tsp corn syrup
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp hot water
In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with ice water toss with a fork. Form into a
ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 7-in. circle. Place apple slices on half of the circle; sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Fold dough over filling, sealing
edges with fingers or pressing with a fork.
Brush with milk. Prick top with a fork.
Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375?? for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Combine glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over turnover.
1 serving.
LEMON PUDDING CHEESECAKE
Source: KRAFT Kitchens
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 5 hr 30 min
Makes: 16 servings
1-1/2 cups crushed NILLA Wafers (about 40 wafers)
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar, divided
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. milk
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
4 eggs
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Strawberry Whipped Topping
2 squares BAKER'S Premium White Baking Chocolate (for making Chocolate Curl garnish)
PREHEAT oven to 325?°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300?°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix wafer crumbs, 1 Tbsp. of the sugar
and the butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
BEAT cream cheese, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, flour and milk in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add
eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Stir in dry pudding mixes until well blended.
BAKE 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely. Refrigerate 4
hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare chocolate curls from white chocolate. (See Tip). Remove rim of pan when ready to serve. Top cheesecake with whipped
topping and chocolate curls just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS
How To Make Chocolate Curls
Melt chocolate as directed on package. Spread with spatula into very thin layer on baking sheet. Refrigerate 10 minutes or until firm but still pliable. To make curls,
push a metal spatula firmly along the baking sheet, under the chocolate, so the chocolate curls as it is pushed. (If chocolate is too firm to curl, let stand a few
minutes at room temperature; refrigerate again if it becomes too soft.) Use toothpick to carefully place chocolate curls on wax paper-covered tray. Refrigerate 15
minutes or until firm. Use toothpick to arrange curls on dessert.
Size It Up
Enjoy a serving of this indulgent cheesecake on special occasions.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 430 Total fat 29g Saturated fat 18g Cholesterol 130mg Sodium 470mg Carbohydrate 35g Dietary fiber 0g Sugars 28g Protein 7g Vitamin A 20%DV
Vitamin C 0%DV Calcium 8%DV Iron 2%DV
A to Z Recipes Website
Contact List Owner-Submit Article
Submit a Recipe
Sign up for Newsletter
Be Removed from Newsletter
A to Z Recipes Website Archives
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.
The Best of
Gourmet
Eligible for F-R-E-E Super Saver Shipping
Your purchase defrays expenses
in the publication of A to Z Recipes
|
|
|
