Email Address to respond to newsletter replies, requests and tips. Please include date of newsletter, name of recipe and number of servings.  Remember to include your name within the message as well.

Several days ago someone requested a chili recipe that was not spicy . I started to hunt my Mom's recipe. It was one that came with her (I Believe) Sunbeam Electric Skillet from the late? 60's. We loved this chili and I still think of this when I think of homemade chili.

Heat Electric Skillet to 400 degrees to brown beef
Finish at 220 degrees
Time: About 1 Hour Serves 6

Mom's Chili Recipe
2 T fat or salad oil
1 LB Ground beef
1/2 LB Lean Ground Pork
1 1/2 Cups Thinly sliced onions
1 Sm. Clove Garlic, peel, finely chopped
1/2 Green Pepper, diced
2 Cups canned Tomatoes
1-2 T Chili Powder
2 T cold water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
4 Cups cooked or canned red kidney beans, drained

Preheat pan to 400 deg. add fat and melt. Add gr. beef and gr. pork, stir til lightly browned.** Add onion, garlic and green pepper. Continue stirring and frying til onions are golden color- about 10 min. Add tomatoes and chili powder which has been mixed w/ the 2 T cold water, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer about 1 hour. Add beans, drained. Cook, uncovered til well heated thru and to desired thickness.
** It doesn't say to, but I would drain meat if needed here before adding onion etc.

Hope you will try it, I think you'll like it.
Cheryl, Charlotte

I want to thank Rosemary, Omaha, NE for her tip for preventing pasta boil-overs and add one that I recently learned that is also working. Smear some cooking oil around the inside top inch of the pot and it will not boil over!! It is amazing to me that we live SO long not knowing some simple little trick that ends a lot of frustration!

Along that same note of "frustration", I hope Nancy will let me add
something else I "just found" (along with the push-in holes on aluminum foil) even though it is only indirectly related to cooking. Recently I was fussing and cussing the little bits of paper I had to peel off of a band-aid while my finger was bleeding. (I had cut it while cooking, so this is related.) Trying to get to the band-aid in those little packages has caused me a great deal of frustration over the years. As I picked them up I noticed little teeny arrows on one end!!! Huh? What are they? There it was - a way to OPEN a Band-Aid and I had missed it for how long???? Anyone know how long it has been on there? So it was ME that was dumb!

Thanks to Nancy, Ditto and all the Nancy-Landers that make this a place on the Internet that feels like "home".
Barbara in AL

Hello Nancy, Ditto, and Everyone! I've been frustrated hearing on the news that approximately 500 products with peanut butter have been recalled with no mention of which products were affected. They've now increased the recall going back to 2007. A bit of searching found the FDA site with all the products listed. It looks like they're working hard to keep the list updated. Please take a moment to check the list. Better safe than sorry!

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm

I've found some new "keepers" I tried from my recipe files. I'll send them in within the next few days.
Sue (Cooky) in Indiana

Comment
I looked up the page of other recalls products so I could keep current.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/archive.html
Nancy Rogers

It has been a while since I have told you what A life saver your site is.
BB

Comment
I needed your comment today.  It made my day.
Nancy Rogers

Re: Places to Eat in NY

For Irene in Florida.
The Stage Door Deli near the train station is fabulous! It is a real NY deli.
MaggieB

Hi Nancy,
I wanted to thank Jackiets for the ribs recipe. It sounds delicious. I just couldn't find it in the recipes. Thanks :) Jackie

Thanks To Laurel for the Sticky Ribs Recipe. I will be trying them next weekend :) Everyone, stay warm or cool, where ever you live.
Jackie :)

I am wondering if those who purchased the GT Express 101 or the Omelet Maker clone from Walgreens have any new recipes they would care to share? I bought the Omelet Maker also and am having a lot of fun with this. I have the 101 Recipe link, but wondered if the good cooks here at Nancy's have come up with their own great recipes.
Pam in Ohio

RE: Strawberry Short Cut Shortcakes
For Sara in FL...No, you do not mix the Jell-O as directed on the box, you use it dry. Hope this helps.
JL in South Jersey

Clam Fritters
1 quart clams
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1¼ teaspoons salt
dash of pepper
dash of ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
Approximately 1 tablespoon salt pork drippings (I use Bacon fat)

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, pepper; nutmeg; stir in eggs and milk. Add clams and shortening. Deep fat fry for 4 or 5 minutes until golden brown. Drain. May also be baked at 350° until golden brown if preferred.
JL in South Jersey

Thanks to everyone sending in ideas how to clean my dark, wooden, cabinets. You are all the BEST, with great ideas to help!

Nancy, I am so sorry for your loss. It is so hard to lose people, that we care about, and who are a big part of our lives. Time heals and good memories will remain, for you.
Sue

I recently purchased a Hoover Floormate Spinscrub Hard Floor Cleaner. The first time I used it, I was unhappy with its ability to pick up water after the scrubbing. I am getting better at it. If anyone in Nancyland has one, is there a cleaner that can be used other than the brand that comes with the machine? It says "o not use cleaning concentrates that contain solvent based ingredients" and cleaner should be low- sudsing. I am looking for something I can purchase from Dollar General, Wal-Mart or somewhere local. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Nancy, I look forward to the newsletter, and I share ideas and recipes from it with many friends and relatives.
Linda from Bayou Country in Louisiana

Comment
I purchased one as well. While Ditto's Uncle Joe (my brother) was here at Thanksgiving he showed me how to use it. He might have some suggestions and tips for using it.
Nancy Rogers

RE: Susan in Milledgeville, GA -

Yum Yum sauce (Japanese Shrimp Sauce)
the shrimp sauce recipe is:
1 clove garlic
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chili sauce (Heinz)
1 teaspoon of dry or regular mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
2 teaspoons of lime (real limes)
chop the garlic then put them all in a bowl and mix well. refrigerate for about an hour then put in the freezer for a half hour. Its awesome!!

Yum Yum Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon milk
3/4 teaspoon paprika (or 1 teaspoon ketchup)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, white sugar, rice vinegar, melted butter, paprika and garlic powder. Mix well, cover and refrigerate. (Phaedred)

Hope this is what you are looking for. I never had this nor have I made these so you'll be the judge.
Cheryl, Charlotte

Good morning everyone!

Dennis’s chicken dish was wonderful! It made just the right amount of gravy/sauce and the flavor was outstanding!

CJ in Ohio, here is a lemon tart I have made. It is very good! I love anything lemon! LOL

Tart & Tangy Lemon Curd Tart T & T

Crust Ingredients:
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Filling Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, cut into 8 pieces

Topping Ingredients:
Sliced fresh strawberries or raspberries
LAND O LAKES® Heavy Whipping Cream, whipped, sweetened, if desired

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine 1/2 cup butter and 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.

Reduce speed to low; add flour, milk and almond extract. Beat until well mixed. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of ungreased 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Prick dough all over with fork. Bake for 14 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, beat eggs and egg yolks together in 1-quart saucepan with wire whisk. Whisk in 1 cup sugar, lemon peel and juice. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture coats back of spoon and is thickened (15 to 20 minutes). (DO NOT BOIL.) Remove from heat. Immediately stir in 1/2 cup butter, 1 piece at a time, until mixture is smooth. Let mixture cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, at least 1 hour. Pour cooled filling into cooled, baked crust. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Top with fresh berries. Dollop each serving with whipped cream, if desired. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.
Source: www.landolakes.com
Chris in NM

This is for Kathy in FL regarding French Onion Soup.
I used to make it from scratch but found that Campbell's makes a delicious French Onion soup. Add a piece of French bread topped with a little grated Swiss cheese, pop in the broiler or toaster oven and it's wonderful...and easy!

I also use the soup when making any kind of beef roast. I brown the roast first, add the undiluted soup, cover and bake at 250 deg. for a couple of hours or until tender. Makes it moist, and you have "instant" gravy. I also make delicious beef slices on buns with the same method, except I cool the roast in the refrigerator overnight and then remove the fat. It slices easier when cooled.
Dolores in Wisconsin

To make any cake moist substitute fruit juice for liquid in recipes. Cakes come out nice and moist. Everyone will like them.

p s My friend suggested using Kool Aid instead of juice but I haven't' tried it yet.
Annette from Edmonton, Alberta

Hi everyone!
Good news for all of those Joanne Fluke culinary mysteries followers! These are the Hannah Swenson mysteries based in Minnesota. I just read on her web site that she is putting together a cookbook of all of the recipes in all of her books, plus some extras. It will be on the market in Oct. 2011. Good news, indeed.
Chris in NM

Kathy in Fl , here is my version of our French onion soup. It is very good and T & T!

Parisian Onion Soup
14 oz. onions, peeled and sliced into thin strips - 4 med.
3 T. butter
1/2 C. dry white wine
½ to 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 1/2 C. rich beef broth - I use Swanson's in the box
Salt Freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove - in with onions - I use the little jar of crushed
1 T. olive oil
8 slices from a baguette or French bread
1/2 C. grated Swiss cheese or gruyere

Sauté 1/2 cup grated sweet onions in heavy-bottomed pot with butter until they are soft. Add the wine and broth and bring to a boil; add the remaining onions & season with salt and pepper and cook for about 30 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Peel and crush the garlic clove and stir into the oil. Spread this mixture over the slices of bread and toast under the broiler. Ladle the soup into bowls, place two slices of bread on top, sprinkle with the cheese and brown under the broiler. Makes 4 servings. Posted on Nancy’s message board under soups
Chris in NM

Hi Nancy - It has warmed up a little - very little, but it is nice. The sun is out for a change. This recipe is for Erma in Sullivan, Mo. I found this recipe in a Farm Journal Cookbook about 30 years ago. It is still the recipe I use when I make apple cake. Sometimes I make a hard sauce to put on it, but usually we have it warm with vanilla ice cream on it.

Knobby Apple Cake
3 T. butter
1 C. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. sifted flour
3 C. diced apples
1/4 C. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs; mix well. Sift dry ingredients together; add to creamed mixture. Stir in diced apples, nuts and vanilla. Pour into greased 8x8x2 pan. Bake in moderate oven 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Serve hot or cold, with or without whipped cream or ice cream.
Carolyn - Illinois

Hello Nancylanders,
I have enjoyed so many recipes from this newsletter I figured its time I contributed one of my families favourite Banana Bread Recipes.

I have been making this Banana Bread for almost 20 yrs and everyone asks me for the recipe.
This is an exceptionally moist recipe.

Wendy's Banana Bread
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
splash of vanilla extract
Cream Together.

Add 4 eggs, and mix well.

Mix in separate bowl:
2 cups unbleached/white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp. cinnamon, adjust to your taste
Mix into butter/sugar mixture.

Add 6 old medium banana's. I add them whole as they are mushy once I've thawed them.
(I buy my old banana's from the grocery store when they have a large paper bag full for
99 cents. Then just freeze them in huge freezer bags.)

Now Add 1/2 cup Sour Milk Mixture (This part is tricky)
(Pour 3/4 of the 1/2 cup of milk in 2 cup measuring cup. Fill up to 1/2 cup line with white vinegar.

Add 2 teaspoons of baking soda and stir till it foams up to 2 cups.) If it doesn't foam up then dump it out and start sour milk mixture again.

While you are stirring the milk mixture it will keep foaming up above 2 cups, so when it gets to the 2 cup mark I dump it in the mixing bowl with the previous ingredients.

Add chopped nuts, or chocolate chips, or coconut, or well drained pineapple etc to the mixture if you wish. If I add walnuts to the batter, I sprinkle some on top before I bake them and people think I bought them from the bakery. :o)

Bake for 45 - 60 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Makes 2 large loaves.

I always make 4 med loaves as its great for kids lunches and gift giving, as well as putting a couple in the freezer for later use.

**If you wish to make these into muffins, bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.
For mini muffins, bake at 350 F for 14 minutes. I can't remember how many it makes, but they were a great snack for my daughter & friends at her after school events.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we have.
Thank you again Nancy.
Wendy, Perth, Ontario
(The kids and I are moving back to the Vancouver, B.C. Canada area in July. We miss our family so much and want to be close to them again.)

For all the Nancylander's giving their recipes for the Potato Casserole made with frozen hash brown potatoes. This is always a dish that is served during the holiday dinners in my family. However, when I make this dish I stir in lots of grated cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp cheddar) when I am mixing the potatoes, soup, sour cream, etc. Then I top the casserole with crushed cornflakes drizzled with melted butter. I find that this makes the casserole more moist and you get cheese in every bite. Delish!
Sara in FL

Thank you, Trish in Illinois, for the blackened catfish recipe. It sounds really good. And Chris, in NM, for the baked hush puppy recipe. It is exactly what I was hoping for! Both recipes were in the Jan. 21st issue.
Dorothy from WA/AZ

Dorry or Jean,
Which newsletter was the Southern Pecan recipe in? I'd like to make one soon for a dinner I'm going to.
Kim

For those of us who don't have a vacuum sealer, I found this trick works fabulously. Whenever I have meat to freeze, I wrap it very tightly with Glad Press'n Seal, then place in appropriate sized baggie. I found some fish the other day that got pushed to the back of my freezer that I froze several months ago and no ice crystals or freezer burn had accumulated whatsover. If I have leftovers that I place in a container with a lid, I press the Glad firmly onto the leftovers, let excess wrap over edges of container and place lid on top. Wow, I swear by this stuff. I hope everyone benefits from this little tip.
~Dar in Iowa

Dear Nancy and Landers, we are having this dip with ritz crackers, while watching the Super Bowl. Thought I would share (VERY good and easy !!) and recipe can be easily doubled ... Theresa P from Illinois

Layered Seafood Dip
1- 8 ounce pkg cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup bottled Ranch salad dressing
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup imitation crab meat, chopped
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced green onion

Combine softened cream cheese and Ranch dressing.
Spread on serving plate. Spread the cocktail sauce over the cream cheese. Top the cocktail sauce with the shredded cheese. Top with diced red bell pepper and green onions.

Cover and chill until serving. Serve with veggies, chips, or crackers.

Nice easy recipe for a warm and comforting dinner.

Braised Beef with Onions
2 and 1/4 lb topside beef or another fairly lean cut
4 slices bacon
2 and 1/4 lb onions, thickly sliced
Salt and pepper

Place 2 tbsp olive oil in large pan.

Cover beef with the bacon slices and tie neatly with kitchen string.
Put the onions on top of the oil in the large pan, place the meat on top, cover and cook over a very low heat for 1 hour.

Turn the meat over, season well with salt and pepper, re-cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour more or until tender.
Remove the meat from the pan, untie and carve into fairly thin slices. Use the gravy for mashed potatoes.

If you prefer a more even consistency, pass the sauce through a food mill first before serving. Serve with mashed potatoes, vegetable and salad.
Judy/Buffalo

Good Afternoon Nancy, Ditto and All,

Great to hear from Maria again. How are the temperatures in Zakynthos?
Kathy in Fl, there are a number of recipes on the message boards for French Onion Soup. I have tried this one, posted by Jay and it is gooood:

French Onion Soup
6 cups onions, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup butter
4 cups beef broth
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
6 - 8 slices French bread, toasted and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 - 8 slices Swiss or mozzarella cheese

Sauté onions in butter until tender. Add beef broth, sugar,
wine, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Bring to a
boil, then reduce heat and cook over medium heat for 15 -
20 minutes. Pour into ovenproof bowls and add bread cubes
to each bowl. Place 1 slice of cheese over each bowl of soup.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees until cheese
is melted and golden brown.

The Skinny: Use fat free beef broth. We also understand
that you can substitute and equal measure of apple cider
for the white wine.

Jay
This soup is lovely and warming on these cold Winter evenings:

Middle Eastern Chickpea Soup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 Pt/600ml hot vegetable stock
400g can chopped plum tomatoes with garlic
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 oz/100g frozen broad beans
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
large handful coriander/cilantro or parsley and flatbread, to serve

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then gently fry the onion and celery for 10 minutes until softened, stirring frequently. Tip in the cumin, then fry for another minute.

Turn up the heat, then add the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas, plus a good grind of back pepper. Simmer for 8 minutes. Add the broad beans and lemon juice, then cook for 2 minutes more. Season to taste, then spoon into bowls and sprinkle over a little lemon zest and herbs. Serve with flatbread.

We here in Scotland, can't have enough different soup recipes at this time of the year.
Sylvia <Scotland>

Nancy
Thank you for sharing stories about friends you have lost. I think talking about them honors them as well as brings back a smile to you. Memories are wonderful, thanks for letting us get to know your friends.

Take care ,everyone
Barb Wentzville Mo

In the 1/31/09 newsletter Erma in Sullivan was looking for apple cake recipes. Many wonderful apple cake recipes have appeared in the newsletter. Here are three you should check out. You can find a great recipe from Mr. Myron Drinkwater - Lake Forest, CA for Fresh Apple Cake in the 11/19/08 newsletter.
Marti in AL

Submitted a recipe for German Apple Cake in the 10/17/08 newsletter. In the 11/18/08 newsletter Chris NM submitted a recipe for Amish Fresh Apple Cake. All are wonderful recipes.
Robbie In

Hi ladies, Our church is having a Valentine party and I'm making small Italian bread sliced with some kind of topping. Do any of you have any ideas. It has to be easy, as I will be making about 130. I will toast the bread before hand and will put the topping on at the party.
Marlene Fl.

Lisa, this one is for "the kids" You can make these for all three classes. Pizza has no age restrictions. Hope you enjoy yourself because this will take little to no time to prepare. Borrow some of those "Pizza Bags" (or rent them if you have to) from your local pizzeria and you're good to go.
http://kidscooking.about.com/od/dinnerrecipes/r/heartpizza.htm
Susana in Louisiana

Hi Nancy, THANK YOU to Lucy in TX for the Pineapple Surprise Crunch recipe 1-18-09 N/L. Made this yesterday. It is a keeper. The next time I'm going to sprinkle coconut over the pineapple before I pour the mixture in pan. Margaret, Tulsa

Nancy,
I am so sorry to hear about your friends. To lose one is bad enough but when they come two at a time, it is really bad. Just know we are all thinking about you.

Erma in MO was looking for a moist apple cake recipe. Once again, I went to some of my Mom's "OLD" recipes. You have to consider that Mom died the day of JFK's funeral. Like you, these 2 occurrences are permanently etched in my mind.

This is the cake she always made when someone wanted apple cake.
Jean in NC

Apple Dapple Cake
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
2 cups sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups chopped apples
1 ½ cups chopped nuts

Mix eggs, salad oil and sugar; blend well. Add flour, salt and soda: mix well. Add vanilla, chopped apples and nuts.
Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until tests done.

Topping
1 cup brown sugar (Mom used light brown)
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 stick butter

Combine all in small saucepan. Bring to boil and boil gently for 2-3 minutes. Pour hot topping over hot cake.
Jean in NC

This newsletter is not changing in anyway except now you have a choice of two newsletters, this one and Nancy's Pantry. Several wanted to get only the NancyLand (this recipe exchange newsletter) and not the one from Dennis at the Prepared Pantry. To make this possible there are now two newsletters. You need to do nothing to keep getting this newsletter. If you want to get the Nancy's Pantry baking and food related newsletter you will need to click on the following link.
to join Nancy's Pantry newsletter group.

Email Address to respond to newsletter replies, requests and tips. Please include date of newsletter, name of recipe and number of servings.  Remember to include your name within the message as well.

The purpose of this recipe message board (newsletter) is to share recipes, tips and suggestions on food related topics. Messages that promote personal issues will be not be posted. By submitting a recipe giving nancyskitchen.com, nancys-kitchen.com and associated sites the rights to use the recipes in its websites and mailing lists.