Spring has sprung! The snow is melting, daffodils and other early risers are peeking through the soil, and daylight savings time has kicked in. Seems like the perfect time to put away those winter recipes and try something new.

Our April/May issue is chock-full of delicious ideas. We love the clever ways readers—and Field Editor Susan Stetzel of New York—use rotisserie chicken. And the bacon fans in our office couldn’t stop raving about the Bacon Baklava. Of course, our contest winners are fantastic—especially since all of them are light recipes. Enjoy!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

“Field Editor Spotlight” is the page at the front of the magazine that focuses on a few Field Editors each issue. With the June/July issue, we’ll be trying a new approach: a Q&A format. Some of you have already been contacted to take part, so if you haven’t replied, please do so soon!

FIELD EDITOR INVENTORY

It’s that time again. For all of you new to the Field Editor team, we conduct this inventory every few years to gauge your activity. And with more than 400 Field Editor applicants waiting in the wings, we thought it was time to take inventory again.

Our staff keeps track of Field Editors’ recipe submissions, on-line posts and any things you do in your community to promote Taste of Home (if you let us know about them). If you have not been actively participating in the past few years, you will receive a letter or E-mail asking if you want to continue as a Field Editor. Please make sure to respond either way.

If we do not hear from you, we will assume you no longer wish to be on the Field Editor team. If you have any questions about your status, please send an E-mail to fieldeditors@tasteofhome.com.

FIELD EDITOR FUN

If you’ve held a class, appeared on local television, spoke at an event or promoted Taste of Home some other way in your community, please let us know about it!

* Peggy Goodrich of Enid, Oklahoma is again teaching this spring at the local vocational school. She is leading two classes: “Ten 20-Minute Meals Using Hamburger” and “Ten 20-Minute Meals Using Tuna, Chicken or Other Canned Meats.”

FIELD EDITOR FORUM—JOIN IN!

Here are some recent topics to get involved with in the private Field Editor Forum:

"TOH editors want to know: What do you like to add to mac & cheese to make it even more delicious?"
http://community.tasteofhome.com/forums/t/776304.aspx

"I want to make my own pasta and would like to know if anyone can suggest a pasta machine?"
http://community.tasteofhome.com/forums/t/771691.aspx

"I'm thinking it's time for a new vegetable. It occurred to me I've never made brussel sprouts. How do you make yours?"
http://community.tasteofhome.com/forums/t/770668.aspx

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

Have you been recognized as a Taste of Home Field Editor, like these women have? We want to hear about it! Send your story to fieldeditors@tasteofhome.com.

“I’m a respiratory therapist, and I was covering the ICU recently, when I was approached by a nurse who excitedly told me she had seen me in Taste of Home magazine (on the Field Editor Spotlight page). All day, other nurses kept telling me the same thing. Apparently, someone had brought in their issue and passed it around. It kept me smiling all day!
—Sarah Sanville, Troy, New Hampshire

“After I became a Field Editor and my name appeared in the magazine, one of the ladies I bowled with said she was reading Taste of Home while on vacation and saw my name. She was so surprised and thought I was someone special.”
—Mary Houchin, Lebanon, Illinois

Harriet Stichter

“Over the years, I have received calls from as far away as California and Georgia asking for information about cooking or a recipe. I’m a frequent bus traveler and am often recognized on trips. Once, the tour escort even announced to the entire group that there was a Taste of Home Field Editor on the bus.”
—Harriet Stichter, Milford, Indiana

TOH COOKING SCHOOL

Some of you have asked why we didn’t announce a “Behind-the-Scenes” program for the spring session of the Taste of Home Cooking School. The Cooking School has been going through a transition that includes new management. Because of the amount of work involved in this transition, the Field Editor program was put on hold.

At the Cooking School’s annual workshop last month, Erik and I talked to their staff about the importance of the Field Editor program, and the entire group agreed that they want to involve the Field Editors...it's just finding the best way to do so.

That does not mean Field Editors will no longer be able to help at Cooking School shows. Field Editors have always had the opportunity to volunteer, simply by contacting the local sponsor to see if any help was needed backstage, at the door etc.

In the months to come, we will be working with the Cooking School on how best to involve the Field Editors. We'll keep you posted!

That’s it for this issue. See you in April!

Barbara Schuetz, Editor
Erik Bergstrom, Web Community Manager