Taste of Home Newsletter - March 2002 Dear $$firstname$$, Greetings from the Taste of Home Test Kitchens! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes an economical complete meal menu, some suggestions for special ingredients, cute kid quips and more. Read on and you'll discover... > Feed Your Family for Pennies a Plate! > What I Add to Make It Special > Bake an Easter Morning Tradition > Kids Have a Way with Words > Looking For Lighter Fare? > Bulletin Board Brings Answers Fast > Get 2,985 Rapid Recipes! ********** Enjoy Delicious Home-Style Food—Guilt-Free! NOW you can serve up a hearty helping of healthy recipes with our brand-new, first-ever cookbook, Light & Tasty Annual Recipes 2002. This 288-page cookbook is jam-packed with 502 scrumptious, trimmed-down dishes from the first year of Taste of Home’s LIGHT & TASTY, the light food magazine that shows you how to cut down on fat, calories or salt without sacrificing flavor! So if you’re ready to savor great-tasting, good-for-you recipes, order Light & Tasty Annual Recipes 2002. As a Taste of Home newsletter subscriber, you’re entitled to buy it at a BIG savings--$ 5.00 off! Plus, you’ll get 2 FREE GIFTS! To order, visit: http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=131 ********** Feed Your Family for Pennies a Plate! EVEN at today's prices, you can feed your family for just pennies a person. This time, three wonderful cooks show how easy it is to put together a low-budget menu perfect to serve family or guests. Lemony Salmon Patties is an impressive main dish from Lorice B. of Severn, North Carolina. Zucchini Pancakes are shared by Charlotte G. of Honey Grove, Pennsylvania. For a sweet, old-fashioned dessert, try Apple Brown Betty from Florence P. of Marshall, Illinois. This satisfying spread goes to show you don't have to forgo flavor when eating inexpensively. To view a photo, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=64 LEMONY SALMON PATTIES 1 can (14-3/4 ounces) pink salmon, drained, skin and bones removed 3/4 cup milk 1 cup soft bread crumbs 1 egg, beaten 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon minced onion 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper LEMON SAUCE: 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour 3/4 cup milk 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Combine the first nine ingredients; mix well. Spoon into eight greased muffin cups, using 1/4 cup in each. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until browned. Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan; stir in the flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually stir in milk; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice, salt and cayenne. Serve over patties. Yield: 4 servings. ZUCCHINI PANCAKES 1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons baking mix 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Dash pepper 1 tablespoon cooking oil In a bowl, combine zucchini, egg, baking mix, cheese and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls and flatten. Fry until golden brown; turn and cook the other side. Yield: 4 servings. APPLE BROWN BETTY 4 slices white bread, toasted 3 cups sliced peeled baking apples 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 1/2 cup half-and-half cream Tear toast into bite-size pieces; place in a greased 1-1/2 qt. casserole. Top with apples. Combine sugars and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples. Drizzle with butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes. Serve warm with cream. Yield: 4 servings. To view a photo, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=64 ********** What I Add to Make It Special WANT TO turn "ho-hum" foods into dishes that'll have family members asking for more? Take a look at the special ingredients suggested by some of our readers: Super Spaghetti. "My spaghetti sauce is improved by mixing in a can of cream of mushroom soup plus chopped olives and mushrooms," reports Connie S. of New Plymouth, Idaho. Shares Anna Marie A. of DeTour Village, Michigan, "When I cook spaghetti, I toss the drained noodles in a bowl with Italian salad dressing. This keeps the noodles from sticking and zips up the flavor." To an 8-quart pot of spaghetti sauce, Alice L. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida adds a 12-ounce can of frozen apple juice concentrate. "It makes the sauce a little sweeter and takes away any acid taste," she explains. Satisfying Side Dishes. "To make the best scalloped potatoes, I always sprinkle canned chopped green chilies between the layers of potatoes, cheese and sauce," informs Kathleen M. of Lemoore, California. "What a wonderful taste!" From Delphi, Indiana, Shirley S. writes, "For extra flavorful rice to serve as a bed for a stir-fry or other entrees, I substitute pineapple juice for some of the water to cook the rice." Magnificent Macaroni and Cheese. "I add peeled tomatoes that have been drained and cut up, chopped onion and garlic powder to my macaroni and cheese, just like my grandmother does," reveals Debbie M. of Pasadena, Maryland. "Just bake to warm through. It's delicious." To make her homemade macaroni and cheese more creamy and satisfying, Doris E. of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin adds either sour cream or prepared French onion dip. Mighty-Good Meat Loaf. Litchfield, Minnesota field editor Elaine S. advises, "For moister meat loaf, add applesauce. Leftovers slice nicely for sandwiches." ********** Bake an Easter Morning Tradition SPECIALTY BREADS rise to the occasion for your Easter breakfast or brunch. Some have "nesting" eggs, cinnamon swirls or symbolic icing crosses. Try this favorite from Dorothy P. of Wills Point, Texas: HOT CROSS BUNS 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast 1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees) 1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees) 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 6-1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour 4 eggs 1/2 cup dried currants 1/2 cup raisins GLAZE AND ICING: 2 tablespoons water 1 egg yolk 1 cup confectioners' sugar 4 teaspoons milk 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, nutmeg and 3 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the currants, raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; shape into 30 balls. Place on greased baking sheets. Cut a cross on top of each roll with a sharp knife. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Beat water and egg yolk; brush over rolls. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. For icing, combine sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth; drizzle over rolls. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen. ********** Kids Have a Way with Words WHEN IT COMES to pronouncing the names of common foods, kids sometimes miss the mark with pretty funny results. "The other day, I asked our grandson what he'd like for lunch," offers Janice Y. of Sandy, Utah. "His answer was pizza--without 'Aunt Chobies' (anchovies)." It's obvious this 4-year-old knows where dairy products come from. "One of Nicole's favorite treats is a 'shake-a-cow' (milk shake)," shares Cheryl H. from Christiansburg, Virginia. "Our son, Mark, now 9, often requested sandwich buns with 'Sesame Streets' (sesame seeds) and 'lemonegg' (lemonade) to drink," recounts Teri W. of Marseilles, Illinois. Her granddaughter's word for maple syrup aroused some chuckles, Maria J. of Morrisburg, Ontario relates. "Karma, 4, asked for waffles with ‘wake-up syrup'." Reveals Susan T. from Roscommon, Michigan, "Our 5-year-old son is a big fan of 'better-be-kind' (butter pecan) ice cream." At 2-1/2, Ethan B. has an international palate and vocabulary, says Mom Cheryl. "He loves Italian 'yawn ya' (lasagna) and French 'womwets' (omelets)," she writes from Washington, Pennsylvania. "One evening, I sent our son next door to his grandma's to borrow some mozzarella," informs Margaret F. of Vancouver, Washington. "The next thing I knew, Mom was on the phone wondering what on earth 'Cinderella cheese' was." Subscriber Charlotte W. of Oswego, New York was at a loss when 20-month-old granddaughter Alisha asked for "bopple ink". Charlotte later discovered Alisha wanted an apple drink. ********** Looking For Lighter Fare? "This is a tasty, healthy meal that everyone in my house enjoys!" says Lori S. of Wimbledon, North Dakota. To view a photo, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=63 CHICKEN STIR-FRY 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound) 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided 2 cups broccoli florets 1 cup sliced celery (1/2-inch pieces) 1 cup thinly sliced carrots 1 small onion, cut into wedges 1 cup water 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules Cut chicken into 1/2-in. strips; place in a resealable plastic bag. Add cornstarch and toss to coat. Combine soy sauce, ginger and garlic powder; add to bag and shake well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil; stir-fry chicken until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining oil; stir-fry broccoli, celery, carrots and onion for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add water and bouillon. Return chicken to pan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Yield: 4 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One serving (prepared with light soy sauce and low-sodium bouillon) equals 3 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 fat, 1/2 starch; also, 306 calories, 239 mg sodium, 73 mg cholesterol, 18 gm carbohydrate, 30 gm protein, 14 gm fat. ********** Bulletin Board Brings Answers Fast THE Taste of Home Bulletin Board is a perfect place to ask questions and share recipes and cooking tips on-line! Friendly, helpful readers quickly respond to queries about recipes, ingredients, cooking techniques and more in this practical, easy-to-use service. (See the example below!) To access the Taste of Home Bulletin Board, visit http://bbs.reimanpub.com/RD.asp?ID=22 Here's a recent conversation from our Bulletin Board: Subject: Help with mashed potatoes! Posted by: jojojo My kids love mashed potatoes, but mine never taste like Grandma's. They always come out kind of gummy, not fluffy. Anyone have any tips? Thanks! RE: Help with mashed potatoes! Posted by: NikeMN I boil my potatoes until they are tender. Drain making sure all the water is off. Even let them sit a minute so they are a little dry. I add hot milk or cream and butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Don't over-mix them or they will get gummy. RE: Help with mashed potatoes! Posted by: Missycat_inCO_44 The gumminess is from whipping the potatoes. It breaks down the starch in the potatoes and causes them to be gummy. Just mash them instead. RE: Help with mashed potatoes! Posted by: swalker I think it makes a great deal of difference what kind of potatoes you are using. I have found that white-skinned potatoes mash and bake much better than red-skinned varieties. ********** Get 2,985 Rapid Recipes! IF YOU'RE a busy cook (and who isn't?), you'll appreciate having the latest edition in our Quick Cooking cookbook series, full of fast-to-fix and sure-to-please recipes. The 2002 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes book conveniently gathers ALL of the speedy recipes from the 2001 issues of Quick Cooking, America's #1 busy cook's magazine, in one place. You'll find all your favorites, like "Basil Orange Chops" and "Almond Chicken Stir-Fry" in this hardcover edition. Plus you'll get fantastic meals from the "Busiest Cooks in the Country" and time-saving "30 Minutes to Mealtime" menus, too! There are 731 rapid recipes here, all indexed alphabetically and by food category. Plus, special-diet recipes are marked with a red check. Good news! Now you can complete your Quick Cooking cookbook collection by ordering our past editions, 1999, 2000 and 2001. All three books feature hundreds of color photos, 352 pages and measure 8-3/8" x 11-1/8". Choose an option below to order your Quick Cooking cookbook from Country Store On-line. 2002 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=123 2001 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=124 2000 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=125 1999 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=126 ********** HAVE A FRIEND who enjoys good home cooking? Feel free to forward this newsletter! This email was sent to: $$email$$ If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up for yourself at http://www.tasteofhome.com/RD.asp?ID=17 ********** TO CANCEL your newsletter at any time, visit http://www.reimanpub.com/rd.asp?id=1 TO UPDATE your e-mail address and other information, please visit http://www.tasteofhome.com/RD.asp?ID=17and click on the "Maintain Your Personal Preferences" link next to the "Free Newsletters" link. You'll need your current e-mail address and password to log-in. If you've forgotten your password or never selected one, there is a link to have it e-mailed to you. HAVING PROBLEMS linking to our Web site? If clicking a link doesn't work, you can simply highlight and copy the link, then paste it into your browser's address field. ********** THIS NEWSLETTER is from the editors of America's most popular food magazines... Taste of Home magazine takes a commonsense approach to family-pleasing meals with over 85 practical recipes in every issue. It's America's No. 1 cooking magazine! To subscribe or give a gift on-line, visit http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=65 Quick Cooking features speedy recipes (over 100 in each issue!) that help you put nutritious and tasty meals on the table FAST! Plus you'll get proven cooking hints, kitchen shortcuts and more! To subscribe or give a gift on-line, visit http://www.quickcooking.com/rd.asp?id=21 Light & Tasty is a completely different kind of magazine that lets you enjoy all the foods you love--lighter! Every luscious recipe (75 or more!) is lower in fat, salt, calories or cholesterol. Plus, each scrumptious, slimmed-down dish has been approved by a Registered Dietitian. You'll be amazed that low-fat food can taste so good! To subscribe or give a gift on-line, visit http://www.lightandtasty.com/rd.asp?id=20 ********** BYE for now from the Taste of Home staff...see you next month! ********** Copyright 2002 Reiman Publications L.L.C. All rights reserved. Taste of Home, P.O. 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