December 2002 Taste of Home Newsletter

December 2002

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Offer Expires Dec. 5
Use Suite #5526

THIS NEWSLETTER is from the editors of America's most popular food magazines...

Taste of Home 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,
click here.

To visit our website,
click here.

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,
click here.

To visit our website,
click here.

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,
click here.

To visit our website,
click here.

Dear $$firstname$$,

Happy Holidays from the Taste of Home Test Kitchens! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a frugal family meal menu, some time-saving kitchen tips, quick Christmas candies and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> Feed Your Family for Pennies a Plate!
> Shortcuts Worth Sharing
> Christmas Candy...in a Wink!
> Touching Tabletop
> Looking For Lighter Fare?
> Bulletin Board Brings Answers Fast
> Celebrate with Taste of Home!

Click image above
to view a larger photo.

Feed Your Family for Pennies a Plate!

IF THE HOLIDAYS stretch your family budget, here's a penny-pinching meal you will love.

Hearty Bean Soup is a delightful variety of ham and bean soup from Alice S. of Anon, Iowa. Cornmeal Rolls from Carol F. of Marion, Illinois, are hearty, golden rolls with a subtle cornmeal flavor. Hot Water Gingerbread is a moist, old-fashioned spice cake from field editor Marjorie G. of South Haven, Michigan.

HEARTY BEAN SOUP

3 cups chopped parsnips
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1-1/2 cups dry great northern beans
5 cups water
1-1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks or ham shanks
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, place parsnips, carrots and onion. Top with beans. Add water, ham, garlic, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours or until beans are tender. Remove meat and bones when cool enough to handle. Cut meat into bite-size pieces and return to slow cooker; heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

CORNMEAL ROLLS

2-1/4 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees), divided
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2 eggs
5 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter or margarine
Additional cornmeal

In a saucepan, combine 1-3/4 cups water, cornmeal, sugar, oil and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils, about 9-11 minutes. Cool at room temperature to 120-130 degrees. Place in a mixing bowl. Dissolve yeast in remaining water; add to cornmeal mixture. Add eggs and mix well. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45-60 minutes. Punch dough down. Shape into 24 balls. Place on greased baking sheets; brush with butter and sprinkle with cornmeal. Let rise, uncovered, until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan; serve warm. Yield: 2 dozen.

HOT WATER GINGERBREAD

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

TOPPING:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Whipped topping

Combine flour, sugar, salt, ginger and baking soda; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat egg, molasses, water and butter until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients; beat for 1 minute. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over gingerbread. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting. Top each square with whipped topping. Yield: 9 servings.

To view a photo, click here.

Make Holiday Magic with Puff Pastry

With the magical holiday season upon us, why not add a delicious touch to your menu with memorable, easy-to-make Puff Pastry creations? Our delightful featured recipe -- Brie en Croute -- will transform your holiday table from ordinary to extraordinary.
Click here for recipe.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PUFF PASTRY RECIPES

Shortcuts Worth Sharing

THIS regular feature gives readers a chance to share their favorite kitchen tips, household hints and "home remedies".

> A co-worker is a big fan of my peanut butter cookies. Last Christmas, I gave him a batch of cookie dough in a festive freezer-safe container, along with baking directions and a cookie sheet. He was delighted! --Rebecca P., Osceola, Iowa

> To make shredded beef sandwiches, I cube the roast and put it in my pressure cooker with some water for 20 minutes instead of cooking it for 4 hours in the oven. The end result is the same. --Ellen H., Waterloo, Wisconsin

> Remove iced tea and coffee stains from the inside of a glass thermos bottle by filling the thermos with warm water in the evening and dropping in two effervescent denture cleaning tablets. By morning, it'll shine like new. --Greg M., Huron, South Dakota

> I spray my egg slicer with nonstick cooking spray before slicing hard-cooked eggs. They slice easier and cleaner since no egg clings to the slicer. --Mary Jane R., Trenton, New Jersey

> Use a plastic bowl rather than a glass one when mixing bread dough or pie crust. The dough won't stick to the bowl and is much easier to handle. --Gill M., Methuen, Massachusetts

Click image above
to view a larger photo.

Christmas Candy...in a Wink!

THERE'S no need to be a veteran candy maker to turn out these melt-in-your-mouth confections. They're simply wonderful!

CRANBERRY MACADAMIA BARK
"I fill Christmas tins with this special candy to give as gifts," says Pamela G. of San Jose, California.

1 pound white confectionery coating*, cut into pieces
1 jar (3-1/2 ounces) macadamia nuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Melt coating in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Add nuts and cranberries; mix well. Spread onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Cool. Break into pieces. Yield: 1-1/4 pounds.

EASY CHOCOLATE DROPS
Friends and relatives of Heather D. from Terrace Bay, Ontario, relish these crunchy goodies she gives.

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch chips
1 cup shoestring potato sticks
1 cup salted peanuts

In a 2-qt. microwave-safe bowl, heat chips on high for 2 minutes or until melted, stirring once. Stir in potato sticks and peanuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight containers. Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
Says Eleanore P. of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, "This is a favorite 'never-fail' recipe."

1 pound white confectionery coating*, cut into pieces
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Melt coating in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in peanut butter and walnuts. Spread into a greased 8-in. square pan. Chill until firm. Cut into squares. Yield: 1-3/4 pounds.

GOODY-GOODY GUMDROPS
Jewel-toned squares made by SueAnn B. of Painted Post, New York are softer than store-bought gumdrops.

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1-1/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Green and red food coloring
Additional sugar

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup water; let stand for 5 minutes. In a saucepan, bring sugar and remaining water to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the gelatin; reduce heat. Simmer and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in extract. Divide mixture into two bowls; add four drops green food coloring to one bowl and four drops red to the other. Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Chill 3 hours or until firm. Loosen edges from pan with a knife; turn onto a sugared board. Cut into 1/2-in. cubes; roll in sugar. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, for 3-4 hours, turning every hour so all sides dry. Cover and chill. Yield: about 1 pound.

*White Confectionery coating is found in the baking section of most grocery stores. It is sometimes labeled "almond bark" or "candy coating".

To view a photo, click here.

Touching Tabletop

"FOR our 50th wedding anniversary, my husband and I received a special tablecloth embroidered with our names, the date of our wedding and the names of our children, their spouses and our grandchildren," says Bertha D. of Clinton Township, Michigan.

"I always use it for holidays. But at Christmas, when cards start arriving, I lay them on top of the tablecloth, then covered it all with a piece of heavy clear plastic from a fabric store.

"It's heartwarming to sit down for a meal and see the colorful collage of cards displayed there. It makes me think of the dear people who sent them."

Looking For Lighter Fare?

THIS simple, comforting dessert from Sandra M. of Grandview, Manitoba is a wonderful way to end any meal.

OLD-FASHIONED RICE PUDDING

4-1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, optional

In a saucepan, combine milk, rice, sugar and salt if desired; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour into a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Add raisins and vanilla; cover and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 6 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One 1/2-cup serving (prepared with skim milk and without salt) equals 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 skim milk; also, 177 calories, 83 mg sodium, 3 mg cholesterol, 37 gm carbohydrate, 7 gm protein, trace 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.

To access the Taste of Home Bulletin Board, click here.

(Add the Bulletin Board to your browser favorites or bookmarks for quick access!)

Celebrate with Taste of Home!

EVEN if you've never volunteered to host a family gathering in your life, the brand-new edition of Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook makes it simple and fun to put together deliciously festive, memory-making menus for your favorite holidays!

The 2002 edition of this gorgeous and inspiring book gives you all the recipes you need for Christmas dinners, Thanksgiving feasts, Easter brunches and more. It's chock-full of family-favorite recipes for appetizers, salads, main and side dishes, desserts, snacks, beverages and other treats.

Besides more than 280 rave-winning recipes, this useful book gives you tips on table decorating, scrumptious gifts to make in your kitchen, and step-by-step photos with easy to follow "how-to" advice. It makes a terrific gift!

To order Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook from Country Store On-line, click here.

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

**********

TO CANCEL your newsletter at any time, click here.

TO UPDATE your e-mail address and other information, please visit http://www.tasteofhome.com and 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.

**********