For Fran in Upstate New York:
My daughter bought 3 of the Topsy-Turvy planter from QVC (she is also a
QVC-aholic) and before the recall was issued, I had already planted the Heirloom
Tomatoes (also from QVC) so we sorta ignored the recall. The planters are where
the Granddaughter can't get to them and if they should tumble over, so be it.
(We had tornadoes in the area on Thursday night and the wind did not bother them
at all).
Our tomatoes are already about 18" long and are covered with blooms. They have
only been in the planters about a month. They are doing much better than any I
have ever planted in the ground. I would assume that is due to the sun shining
on the dirt and roots all day.
Will let everyone know how it works out in the end.
Have a good week all and Nancy and staff, take care..
Jean in NC
I have been sitting here laughing when reading
about the Nancyland "QVC'ers". I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that orders
from them and then doesn't open the boxes for weeks, sometimes even months. I,
too, work full-time and sometimes I'm just to tired to open them, let alone try
to use them. Maybe we should start a support group for all of us that do this.
LOL. I remember one time a few years ago that I saw my husband standing in the
yard with a stunned look on his face. I asked him what was wrong. He replied
that he had just seen the strangest sight. I asked him what it was. He said, "I
just saw a UPS truck coming down the highway, and it didn't stop!"
Keep up the good work Nancy and
furry friends. I have 6 furry friends of my own and I know the joy and laughter
they can bring.
Elaine in Pennsylvania
Comments
I started a new page just for you,
Gadgets and
Gizmos. I am not only addicted to watching QVC but gadgets and gizmos
for the kitchen.
Nancy Rogers
In the April 18th newsletter Ruth
Ann from Central Ill. asked for a recipe for "Dutch Babies". The following
recipe is one that I have had in my recipe folder for a long time. This may not
be what she is looking for but they are great to have for either breakfast or
any other time.
Jane, No. Calif.
Dutch Babies
preheat oven 425?
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp lemon juice, divided
Powdered sugar
Divide the butter between two heavy duty round cake pans. Beat together all
ingredients, but the lemon juice and powdered sugar. leaving the batter slightly
lumpy.
Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake at 425? for 15 to 20 min, or
until golden brown and puffed up.
Remove from oven , sprinkle each pancake with powdered sugar and 11/2 Tbsp.
lemon juice. Return to oven for 2 to 3 min. Serve with your favorite syrup, but
best with fresh fruit, especially strawberries.
Sylvia, Scotland asked about the blue bonnets in Texas. The blue bells in
Scotland are not the same as the famous
flowers in Texas. I think that
the blue bonnets are similar to the wild flowers here in northern California
that we call lupine. Scottish blue bells are similar to the famous blue bells of
England.
Jane, No. Calif.
Cassie in Kansas
Ropa Vieja
1 to 2 lb. flank steak
Water
1/2 onion
1/4 green pepper
1 tbsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Dash comino (cumin)
Put 1 to 2 pound flank steak in a large pot with lots of water. Add 1/2 onion,
1/4 green pepper, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 peeled cloves of garlic and a dash of
comino. Boil until flank steak is very tender (2 to 3 hours).
Ropa Vieja:
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 c. of the meat broth
Salt
Pepper
Remove the flank steak from the broth and finely shred the flank steak into a
pot. Add 1/2 chopped onion, 1/2 chopped green pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1
can tomato sauce, 1 can tomato paste and 1 cup of the meat broth. Add salt
(garlic salt) and pepper to taste. Cook together for about 45 minutes.
SOUP:
Thin noodles
Saffron
1 to 2 bay leaves
Use meat broth. Add thin noodles, saffron and 1 or 2 bay leaves, and cook until
noodles are tender. Add salt to taste.
RICE:
Rice
Cook rice in normal way. Brown 1 clove of garlic in bacon grease. Add grease to
the cooked rice and mix well.
SERVE:
Serve soup with lemon wedges. Serve the "Old Clothes" over or along side the
rice
lindah Texas
Favorite Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
2 rolls refrigerated sugar cookie dough, slightly softened
1 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract (any flavor could work)
Combine the above--works great mixing by hand. Roll into two rolls, wrap in
plastic wrap, refrigerate for an hour. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350,
roll dough to 1/4" thickness, and cut desired shapes. Bake on a well-greased
cookie sheet 9-12 minutes till slightly golden. Let cool 7 minutes; transfer to
rack. Can freeze cookies for later use, or let cool to frost.
Favorite royal icing:
1 lb. powdered confectioner's sugar
3 TB meringue powder
6 TB water---start with this and add up to 10 total depending on desired
thickness.
Combine frosting ingredients. Divide into separate bowls to color if desired.
Use a spoon, craft stick, or anything you like to decorate these. Icing dries to
a shiny finish. Delicious.
Lori in IL
New posts have been added to
Prayer Requests
For Mary L-from Green Brook,NJ
this is loo long to post but you can press on it and page will show.. You can
find out more if you put the name of what your looking for in search..many pages
there...
Grey Sheet
In the
5/8/08 newsletter Yoli in Texas inquired about freezing pies. I often freeze
pecan pies with great success. I have never tried freezing a Key Lime pie, but I
have frozen other desserts that use sweetened condensed milk as an ingredient.
Assuming that is the way you make your Key Lime pie, it should work to freeze
it. Cheesecakes can be frozen successfully, so I would think you could freeze
your pie that uses cream cheese. Others may have a different opinion or
additional remarks.
Robbie IN
Many thanks to everyone that has
given me the recipe for sweet condensed milk in the
May 10th newsletter. I had no idea what I was going to do about that .
Joanne Ontario
This is another coffee cake
muffin recipe for Fran in Ottawa.
Robbie In
Yogurt Coffee Cake Muffins
FILLING:
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. cinnamon
1/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
Mix thoroughly ingredients for filling.
BATTER:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. plain yogurt
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
Cream butter, sugar. Beat in eggs, yogurt and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and
add.
Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each greased or lined muffin cup. Sprinkle with
one teaspoon filling. Top with batter and sprinkle each muffin with filling.
Bake 20 - 25 minutes at 375 degrees. Yields: 12 muffins.
I just bought an excellent
cookbook "The Good Home
Cookbook" (author Richard J. Perry) from Tuesday Morning for $9.99. It has
over 1000 recipes that are from what I can guess the 1950's to 60"s. The recipes
are classic American recipes and remind me of the recipes I had growing up. They
are plain and simple and use everday ingredients. I went to a used book site and
ordered a "like New" cop of this book for my sister-in-law for $2.60. I have
over 150 cookbooks and I can see me using this one a lot. I use
www.fetchbook.info for purchasing
used books. The site does price comparisons between the different used book
sites.
Bobbie/IL
Chris in California, how long do
you bake the Bubble Buns? They sound good.
Trish in Illinois~
To JL in South Jersey
I am looking forward to trying your Grandma 's scone recipe but could you
tell me what size pan to use ( like maybe a cookie sheet ) and also would it
need sprayed with something like Pam ?
Joanne Ontario
While marigolds do an amazing job
of keeping smaller critters out, I always supplemented the marigolds power with
moth balls. Just sprinkle around the perimeter of the garden. Cats, dogs
and rabbits hate the moth balls!
Meemaw in Indy
Robbie in IN
thank you for the Rhubarb Bar Cookie recipe. Just in time for my rhubarb.
They sound very good, and the Rhubarb Cookies I had from church with the cream
cheese topping, also did not have precooked rhubarb in them, and I think that is
what makes these cookies taste so special. I'll be trying them soon.
Also, want to thank all of the folks who sent in all the recipes for Joanne in
Ontario, Ca, for Sweetened condensed milk , especially the sugar free recipes ,
and also the brown sugar replacement. This will be a big help in trying to make
up some diabetic desserts. All the folks in Nancyland are sooooo helpful and
kind.
And yes, Nancy, how are Siggy &
Ditto. Would like to hear more about them.
Laurine in NNY on the border
Hi Nancy,
This is a fun comment. I hate rhubarb. My honey has tried so many ways to
make it in a pie for me. Yuck
I now have a cute little sign on our rhubarb that says FREE WEEDS YOU PICK.
Carolyn, Rochester, New York
Hello Dear Nancy and fellow
readers,
I am desperate for tried and tested recipes for people who have Celiac
Disease. Meaning that they can not eat the following.
Gluten, wheat, rye, spelt, triticale, and kamut, oats, and barley.
I am having a large party this weekend and must accommodate several of my guests
with delicious foods and desserts that are exempt of these products. Small
portions are fine.
Somebody please help me!
Thank you so, Judithe in Buenos Aires
To Judy: Recipes dated May,
6th. RE: Soft pickles. If pickling instructions calling for a 'boil' are
followed literally, you will end up with a soft cooked pickle. About 25 years
ago a neighbor taught me how to make crisp pickles. This is the recipe she used.
Vikki Hoff?S Bread And Butter Pickles
23 to 30 big cucumbers, sliced
2 to 3 large onions, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup canning salt (NOT table salt!)
Mix and let stand for 3 to 4 hours. Meanwhile, bring following ingredients to a
boil, then turn off the heat.
5 cups sugar
5 cups vinegar
2 Tbsp mustard seed
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp alum
Drain cucumbers. Add them to vinegar mix. Heat, stirring gently with long
handled wooden spoon to prevent slices on bottom from scorching, till all are
heated thru at a gentle simmer. DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO BOIL, OR PICKLES WILL NOT
BE CRISP, BUT SOGGY AND RUINED! Just heat them thru.
Pack, while hot, into jars filling to within a half inch of top with slices and
pickling liquid. Lower filled, sealed jars into boiling water bath. When water
resumes boil, begin timing (carefully). Boil 10 minutes for quart jars, 5
minutes for pints. When time is up, immediately lift rack of jars out so they
don't get boiled inside the jars. Cool.
You can do it. Have fun.
Jo Rheta
Thanks Sue in FL and Patricia in
KY for the input on Cuban Stuffed Potatoes. That is JUST what we was
looking for.
Judy in Cocoa, Florida
Nancy
In
5/9/08 newsletter, Joanne Ontario Canada asked for a sweetened
condensed milk substitute that diabetics could use. Here's mine:
Sweetened Condensed Milk Substitute
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. powdered dry milk
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup Splenda
Heat water to boiling and stir in Splenda until it dissolves; stir in powdered
milk. Put in fridge until it thickens. Works great for me.
martyS in TN
I don't care much for pineapple
but my sister-in-law Gave me this recipe for "Baked Pineapple" it changed My
mine. We really like this recipe.
Pat's Baked Pineapple
2 large cans pineapple tidbits, undrained
5 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup of sugar
Mix and pour into 9x13 baking dish. Top with
The following layers:
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups of crushed Ritz crackers
1 stick of margarine, melted
Bake uncovered for one hour at 300. Serves 8 to 10.
Marti
Hi Nancy:
I am wondering if anybody would like to send recipes for foods for a
graduation reception. Punch recipes if you have a good one. Thanks for a
good newsletter.
Sue in ND
Rhubarb Peach Shortcake
Serving Size : 5
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
16 ounce can sliced peaches -- undrained
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tube (5 to 6 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk
Biscuits
1 tablespoon sugar
In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Drain peaches, saving 1/2 cup
liquid. Set peaches aside. Stir reserved liquid into brown sugar Mixture; bring
to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add rhubarb; simmer For 8 minutes. Stir
in peaches and vanilla. Pour into an ungreased 8" round Baking pan. Dip one side
of biscuits in sugar; place over hot fruit with Sugar side up. Bake uncovered at
375 degrees for 20 to 24 minutes or until Biscuits are golden brown. Serve warm.
Vicki H
Rhubarb Muffins
12 muffins
Boy are these good muffins. They are so moist and tasty. I didn't have any Fresh
rhubarb so used frozen. I am sure they would be the best with fresh Rhubarb. I
got the recipe from another group and it was submitted by Gram4two.
1 egg
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups fresh rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
TOPPING:
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon butter, melted
In a mixing bowl, beat egg. Add brown sugar, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; Beat
for 1 minute. Combine dry ingredients; stir into sugar mixture just Until
moistened. Fold in rhubarb and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined Muffin cups
three-fourths full. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over Muffins. Bake at
375? for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out Clean.
Vicki H
Pudding-Topped Fruit Salad
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 medium ripe bananas, sliced
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
2 medium ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup green grapes
1 cup seedless red grapes
Fresh mint, optional
Drain pineapple chunks, reserving juice; refrigerate pineapple. Add water to
juice if necessary to measure 3/4 cup. In a large bowl, combine the juice,
crushed pineapple, sour cream and pudding mix until blended. Cover and
refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until thickened.
In a large bowl, combine the bananas, blueberries, peaches, strawberries, grapes
and pineapple chunks. Spread pudding mixture over the top. Garnish with mint if
desired. Yield: 12-14 servings.
Reminisce
Source:
MsWitsRecipes Blogspot
Frances
I made these the other night.
They came out great. I added a few things. Original recipe from Tona. Want to
see pics of how it came out view my food blog:
http://vanillakitchen.blogspot.com/
Dawn - cape cod, ma
Italian Appetizer Squares (adapted from Tona)
2 eggs
2 c milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
? tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oregano
1- 2 tsp. chili flakes (optional)
6 oz. sliced pepperoni cut up
4 oz. grated Swiss cheese
12 oz. pkg. sharp cheddar shredded cheese
2 c flour
Mix all together with a fork. Put into greased 9x13 pan. Bake uncovered at 400
degrees for 25-30 min. Cut into squares when cooled. Serve with warm marinara
sauce for dipping.
Note: you can use cooked Italian sausage or hamburg with this dish instead or
added with the pepperoni (about 1 cup). Next time I make this I want to add
artichoke hearts to it, about 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, and switch the cheddar
cheese with Asiago cheese yum!
Hi everyone! This is for Dee in
S. IL. regarding permanent marker in her carpet. I have used plain old
rubbing alcohol to remove permanent marker with good success. Also the magic
erasers work well too! Hope this helps.
Kim in NC
T o Connie in Mi
you wondered why you were not getting your emails. I have always gotten
mine but this week and last week I did not get them either. I read where Nancy
said to check spam mail and I checked and they were there and I pressed on them
and emailed them to my box. This is the first time this has happened to me but I
read where it happened to several others. Don't know why it just started
happening. But I check there every day now first.
JB
This is for the member that asked
about hot dog recipes.
Hot Dog Spaghetti
Slice the hot dogs into chunks. Add chopped onions, bell peppers, and garlic.
Saut?everything together until onions and bell peppers are transparent. Then
add your favorite pasta sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Spoon this over your
favorite pasta.
Nicol in Mississippi
Hi Nancy and all you
Nancy-landers. I love this newsletter so much that I actually un subbed from the
other ones. There is SO much info in this one, it is all I need.
Now, that said, I know you can help me with this. I am in search of a TRIED and
TRUE Coconut Loaf.. I tried this at a luncheon that a friend of mine threw and
it is absolutely awesome! Any help from you??
Thanks so much in advance.
HUGS, Vicky in Mississippi
Here is a WONDERFUL recipes for
Onion and Cukes.. We LOVE these...
HUGS, Vicky in Mississippi
Marinated Cucumber and Vidalia Onion Salad
2 Vidalia onions (medium), sliced thin
3 cucumbers (large), sliced thin, with peel left on
1 can (16 oz size) red kidney beans, rinsed and dried
Dressing
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) (for dressing)
1 teaspoon sugar (for dressing)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (for dressing)
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped fine (for dressing)
1 tablespoon olive oil (for dressing)
1/4 cup vinegar (for dressing)
1/4 cup water (for dressing)
In large bowl, combine onions, cucumbers and kidney beans. Toss together,
separating onion rings. Set aside. In small jar with tight-fitting lid, combine
dressing ingredients. Shake well, let set 30 minutes in refrigerator. Pour
dressing over vegetable mixture. Refrigerate 2 hours and serve.
I've been using aluminum foil for
more years than I care to remember. Great stuff, but sometimes it can be a pain.
You know, like when you are in the middle of doing something and you try to pull
some foil out and the roll comes out of the box. Then you have to put the roll
back in the box and start over. The darn roll always comes out at the wrong
time.
Well, I would like to share this with you. Yesterday I went to throw out an
empty Reynolds foil box and for some reason I turned it and looked at the
end of the box. And written on the end it said, Press here to lock end. Right
there on the end of the box is a tab to lock the roll in place. How long has
this little locking tab been there? I then looked at a generic brand of aluminum
foil and it had one, too. I then looked at a box of Saran wrap and it had one
too! I can't count the number of times the Saran warp roll has jumped out when I
was trying to cover something up.
I hope I'm not the only person that didn't know about this.
I IMMEDIATELY WENT AND PUSHED IN ALL MY TABS...HA
Mary in Va
Comment
I didn't know it. Just checked my foil and sure enough there was a push in tap
to lock the roll of foil.. Very helpful hint. I pushed in all my tabs too,
LOL.
Nancy Rogers
For Vadith requesting a Peanut
Brittle recipe. I have tried many recipes and this seems to be my family's
favorite.
Peanut Brittle
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 cups raw Spanish peanuts
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbs. Butter
1 tsp. Baking soda
2 greased cookie sheets (15 ? x 10 ?) Set aside
In heavy 3 quart saucepan, over medium heat, combine: sugar, corn syrup and
water. Cook until 234 degrees (candy thermometer) is reached. Add peanuts and
salt. Stir constantly. Cook to 305 degrees. Quickly stir in butter and baking
soda. Pour at once onto cookie sheets. Spread with spatula. Break up when cool.
Susie in Arkansas.
This recipe is for Boots in
Virginia. I use it for the holidays so it's quite big; however, if she wants
less she could halve it with no problem. Hope she enjoys-it's always a hit!
Scarlett in FL
Corn Casserole
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 cans cream corn, undrained (16 oz)
2 cans whole kernel corn (16 oz) drained
4 pkgs Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. sugar
Mix butter sour cream and egg in large bowl. Stir in cans of corn and corn
muffin mix and sugar. Soon mixture into a 2 qt. buttered casserole dish. Bake in
preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and add cheese. Stir
well and return to oven to bake an additional 15 minutes or until dish is puffed
and bubbly and browned around the edges.
This next one is a Paula Dean Recipe and it's also good.
Serves 6-8
One can whole kernel corn, drained (15 oz)
one 14 oz can cream style corn
One 8 oz Jiffy corn muffin mix
One cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter.
In a large bowl, stir together the two cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream
and butter. Pour into a greased casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes
or until golden brown.
Source: Paula Deen
Hope you enjoy!
Scarlett
Hi Nancy
We live in Costa Rica and a bunch of us are trying to get together a recipe book
- that will be sold only to pay for publishing etc. We are trying to combine
recipes from all the states (including Alaska and Hawaii) We are hoping to get
recipes for a Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Desert and "special" such as candy,
drinks etc. for each state. We will of course give credit to the people who
submit their favorite recipes. We are looking for the "States" special recipes,
such as Gumbo from LA, Crab dishes from SF, etc. If we get a lot of recipes, we
will be able to give more than one recipe selection for each state. We also hope
to publish the book on the internet where people can download the book or
certain recipes.
Recipes can be sent to
butchvanek@gmail.com
Thanks Barb and Butch of Grecia Costa Rica
For those of you who are diet,
health conscious, wheat bread is no more nutritious than white bread,
unless it says 100 percent whole wheat. I buy a brand called Healthy Life. I buy
the 100 percent whole wheat. It is 35 calories a slice, so 2 slices equal one
slice of regular bread. It is the only bread I buy and my family has learned not
to complain that I don't have white bread. Healthy Life makes white, too, I just
prefer the 100 percent whole wheat. If they want a sandwich or toast, they use
what I have or do without.
Knitter in Illinois
