Taste of Home Newsletter - May 2002 Dear $$firstname$$, Greetings from the Taste of Home Test Kitchens! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a speedy southwestern menu, some suggestions for perking up "ho-hum" foods, a springtime favorite main dish and more. Read on and you'll discover... > A Complete Meal In Minutes > Coming Soon...Taste of Home Cooking Expo! > What I Add to Make It Special > Lamb Gives a Lift To Spring Menus > Kitchen Sink Concerts > Looking For Lighter Fare? > Bulletin Board Brings Answers Fast > Casseroles Are Comforting Anytime ********** (Advertisement) What's for Dinner Tonight? You know the situation: your kids ask "What's for dinner tonight, Mom?" and you're too busy to think about it or just out of ideas. I have an easy solution for you. I'm Cindy Ayers from the Campbell's Kitchen and I'd like to invite you to try our Campbell's Meal-mail(R) online recipe service. We'll send you meal ideas--and a complete shopping list--either weekly or daily (you choose). Your family will LOVE these delicious dinners--and you'll love them because they're so easy to make and clean up! To sign up, visit us today: http://www.tasteofhome.com/RD.asp?ID=95 ********** A Complete Meal In Minutes The complete-meal menu here is made up of family favorites from three great cooks. You can have everything ready to serve in about 30 minutes. Mexican Rice, shared by Pattie H. of Grabill, Indiana, is a zippy south-of-the-border side dish. Quick Taco Platter comes from Celia R. of Sylmar, California. Chocolate Icebox Cookies are a simple treat with rich chocolate flavor from Mary N. of Fredericktown, Missouri. MEXICAN RICE 1-1/2 cups water 1 cup salsa 2 chicken bouillon cubes 2 cups uncooked instant rice In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water, salsa and bouillon to a boil. Stir in rice; remove from the heat. Cover and let stand 6-8 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Yield: 6-8 servings. QUICK TACO PLATTER 2 pounds ground beef 2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce 2 envelopes taco seasoning mix Tortilla or corn chips Shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped onion and shredded cheddar cheese In a skillet, cook the beef until browned; drain. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning; simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover a serving platter with chips; top with lettuce. Layer with beef mixture, tomato, onion and cheese. Yield: 6-8 servings. CHOCOLATE ICEBOX COOKIES 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted 4 cups cornflakes, crushed 1/2 cup chopped dates 1/2 cup chopped pecans Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 15-20 minutes. Yield: about 4 dozen. To view a photo, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=93 ********** Treat Someone Special to a One-of-a-Kind Gift! SEARCHING for that unique Mother's Day gift for the extra special "mom" in your life? Give her a Country Woman gift subscription! She's sure to love the wholesome, feel-good reading. And you'll love the savings--37% off every gift! Country Woman--the only ad-free magazine for women who love the country--is packed with fun-filled, helpful features including: > 30+ delicious, home-style recipes > Beautiful "Dream Kitchen" makeovers > Charming, easy-to-make craft projects > Attractive, affordable decorating ideas > And NO ADS! Each full-color issue of Country Woman is brimming with articles about fascinating women, family-favorite recipes, heartwarming humor and touching recollections--sure to brighten anyone's day! As a Taste of Home newsletter reader, you're entitled to generous savings on all gifts you give--37% off the cover price. With savings this big, why not share Country Woman with all the folks you know who'd appreciate a year full of fun and good times! Give a Gift Today! Visit: http://www.countrywomanmagazine.com/RD.asp?ID=3 If you'd like to subscribe to Country Woman yourself, visit: http://www.countrywomanmagazine.com/RD.asp?ID=2 ********** Coming Soon...Taste of Home Cooking Expo! IF YOU like your food seasoned with a hearty helping of fun, plan to join us this fall for Taste of Home's Cooking Expo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mark your calendars now for this exciting first-time event to be held Oct. 18-19 at the Midwest Express Center in downtown Milwaukee. For more information, visit the Cooking Expo Web site at http://www.tasteofhomecookingexpo.com/rd.asp?id=5 ********** 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: Brightened Breakfast. Relates Judi B. of Reinholds, Pennsylvania, "My children gobble up scrambled eggs when I add a pinch of curry powder." "For extra-crunchy French toast, coat each slice of bread with finely rolled cornflake crumbs after dipping in the egg mixture," instructs Betty P. of El Cajon, California. Marvelous Meat. "I add about 1 teaspoon of fennel seed to 1 pound of ground turkey as I brown it," reveals Carolyn A. of Golden Valley, Minnesota. "It makes the turkey taste like sausage, which is great in lasagna and spaghetti." Says Ann M. of Lynchburg, Virginia, "Folks will go 'hog-wild' over your baked pork chops when you dip them in bottled French dressing before coating them with crumbs or flour." Pleasing Pies. "To add a spark to my rhubarb pie, I add grated orange peel," says Florence V. of Story City, Iowa. To bring out the flavor of butterscotch pie filling or pudding, Betty B. of Desert Hot Springs, California stirs in a couple drops of cider vinegar. ********** Lamb Gives a Lift To Spring Menus "Fresh lamb chops are a real treat for us," says Ruth A. of Leavenworth, Washington. "This is how I always fix them." MUSHROOM LAMB CHOPS 6 blade lamb chops (about 3 pounds) 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped green onions 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) beef consomme, undiluted 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup water 1 can (4 ounces) button mushrooms, drained 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley Hot cooked noodles In a large skillet, brown the chops in oil; drain. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Add celery, onions and consomme; cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until meat is tender. Remove chops and keep warm. Combine flour and water until smooth; gradually stir into skillet and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and parsley; heat through. Serve over chops and noodles. Yield: 6 servings. ********** Kitchen Sink Concerts "As I stand at my kitchen sink, I remember washing dishes and singing with my sister, Marsha," says Sharon B. of Provo, Utah. "The time moved so quickly while she washed and I dried. "She sang alto, and I sang soprano, and we rehearsed many tunes over that sink. "Today Marsha sings with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and I direct my church choir. Many years have passed, but I know one thing for sure--it's not as much fun to do dishes solo." ********** Looking for Lighter Fare? When this colorful layered dish goes on a buffet, it's a real eye-catcher, says Lori C. of Pasadena, Maryland LAYERED SPINACH SALAD 1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini 2 cups shredded red cabbage 6 cups torn fresh spinach 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup sliced green onions 1 bottle (8 ounces) low-fat ranch salad dressing 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled, optional Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside. In a large glass bowl, layer cabbage, spinach, tortellini, tomatoes and onions. Pour dressing over top; sprinkle with bacon if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Yield: 10 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One 1-cup serving (prepared with low-fat salad dressing and without bacon) equals 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat; also, 159 calories, 350 mg sodium, 14 mg cholesterol, 16 gm carbohydrate. 6 am Protein. 8 am fat. To view a photo, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=94 ********** 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. To access the Taste of Home Bulletin Board, visit: http://bbs.reimanpub.com/RD.asp?ID=29 (Add the Bulletin Board to your browser favorites or bookmarks for quick access!) ********** Casseroles Are Comforting Anytime NOTHING beats the soul-satisfying flavor, make-ahead convenience and delicious creativity of the family-favorite recipes in our brand-new Casserole Cookbook. Folks who read our food magazines have been asking us for a book like this for years. Now we've put our best casserole recipes plus dozens of time-saving tips into one big, easy-to-use cookbook. Casserole Cookbook gives you 442 tried-and-true recipes for beef, poultry, pork, seafood and meatless casserole meals, including quick-and-easy casseroles (30 minutes or less!), potluck pleasers, side dishes, breakfasts, and even casserole-style desserts! The "one-dish wonders" in Casserole Cookbook let you spend less time cooking and more time enjoying dinner...and they still taste like you fussed all day! To order Casserole Cookbook from Country Store On-line, visit http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=183 ********** 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=91 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=31 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=30 ********** 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. Box 991, Greendale WI 53129-0991 THIS newsletter is now available in a graphical format (HTML) that includes photos with the recipes and stories. The computer code below is HTML. If your e-mail program does not support HTML, visit https://www.reimanpub.com/registration2/text.asp?email=$$email$$