Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from the Taste of Home Test Kitchens! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a delicious light meal menu, some "secret ingredients" from readers, a few parsley pointers and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> Good Food...Good For You
> What I Add to Make It Special
> Parsley's Pretty, Practical
> Got a Minute?
> Love Those Late-Night Snacks
> Proven Potluck Tips
> Don't Miss Future Newsletters!
> New Cookbook Has Potluck Favorites

Good Food...Good For You

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IN SPRINGTIME, many of us like to lighten up our meals a bit. Here are some great-tasting recipes that are sure to satisfy! Turkey Meat Loaf is a family favorite main dish from Ruby R. of New Haven, Indiana. Mushroom Potatoes, a tasty change from mashed potatoes, comes from Skip D. of South Hamilton, Massachusetts. You'll never miss the fat in full-flavored Low-Fat Blue Cheese Dressing from Tracey B. of Salem, Missouri.

2 pounds ground turkey breast
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup skim milk
Egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

TOPPING:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients; mix well. Press into a 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Combine topping ingredients; spread over loaf. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 65 minutes or until juices run clear. Yield: 10 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One serving equals 3 very lean meat, 1 starch; also, 154 calories, 186 mg sodium, 27 mg cholesterol, 11 gm carbohydrate, 23 gm protein, 2 gm fat.

MUSHROOM POTATOES

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) low-fat condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 cup skim milk
1 large onion, chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled, diced and cooked
Paprika

In a bowl, combine soup, milk and onion. Stir in the potatoes. Pour into a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 8 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One serving (1/2 cup) equals 1 starch; also, 80 calories, 159 mg sodium, 3 mg cholesterol, 16 gm carbohydrate, 2 gm protein, 1 gm fat.

LOW-FAT BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free cottage cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese

In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, yogurt, onion and garlic; process until smooth. Stir in blue cheese. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Yield: 1-3/4 cups. Diabetic Exchanges: One serving (1 tablespoon) equals a free food; also, 11 calories, 34 mg sodium, 1 mg cholesterol, 1 gm carbohydrate, 2 gm protein, trace fat.

To view a photo, click here.

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 Soup. "I add a tablespoon or two of vinegar to a batch of my beef barley soup," says Joy B. of Cincinnati, Ohio. "It gives the flavor a little zing."

Reports Myriam P. of Sandwich, New Hampshire, "I spice up my lentil soup by substituting salsa for half of the tomatoes."

Turkey soup picks up sweetness without sugar and a nice golden color when Genice V. of Milwaukie, Oregon stirs in a grated raw beet.

Marvelous Main Dishes. "When I make a pork roast, I season the top with salt and pepper, then liberally sprinkle on ground cinnamon," explains Leane T. of West Allis, Wisconsin.

Debbie W. writes from her Nampa, Idaho kitchen, "In lasagna recipes that call for ground beef, I use ground Italian sausage instead. Guests prefer mine to the lasagna served in many Italian restaurants."

Recommends Mildred B. of Sylvania, Ohio, "Make barbecued beef sandwiches using your own recipe, but top them with a combination of shredded lettuce, slivers of green pepper and a sprinkling of sugar."

For a nice thick pot of chili, Kara K. of Kalamazoo, Michigan mixes in a can of refried beans. "No one seems to notice my 'secret', but they sure enjoy the extra-hearty chili," she says.

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IT'S A familiar garnish, but perky parsley can do much more than make plates look pretty.

Two varieties of this biennial herb are commonly used for cooking--curly leaf and flat leaf. Flat leaf (also known as Italian parsley) has more intense flavor, which holds up better dried than curly leaf.

Store dried parsley out of direct sunlight to keep the color bright. Freezing is the best way to preserve curly leaf parsley.

"When I make meatballs or meat loaf, I add dried parsley," relates Carol G. of Itasca, Illinois. "It adds subtle flavor and nice color." Notes Kathryn W. of Peterborough, Ontario, "After harvesting fresh parsley, I wash it and pack it tightly in plastic freezer bags without chopping it. When I need some, I slice off the amount I require and put the rest back in the freezer. It stays fresher unchopped."

Marilyn Sue B. of Van Wert, Ohio remarks, "I store rinsed parsley in a covered widemouthed glass jar in the refrigerator. It stays crisp for a long time." Field editor Emma M. of Amsterdam, New York adds sprigs of parsley to all her green salads.

Want to grow your own? Parsley seeds are very tiny and take a long time to germinate, says Mrs. Joey G. of Brandon, Manitoba. "To speed up the process, some people soak the seeds in warm water before planting. Instead, I pour boiling water over soil in a shallow container, then sow the seeds and cover them gently."

TUNE IN to great home cooking! Viewers in several states are now being treated to tasty menu ideas and cooking tips from Taste of Home in lively "Taste of Home Minute" television segments.

Each 60-second segment includes a recipe, preparation tips and serving suggestions from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen. To learn more (and view recipes, hints, photos and more from each Taste of Home Minute), click here.

GLAZED SAUSAGE BITES

"These tangy meatballs have a deliciously different flavor since they're made with sausage," relates field editor Sue B. of Cherokee, Texas.

1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 egg
1/2 cup saltine or butter-flavored cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar

In a bowl, combine the sausage, egg, crumbs, milk and sage; mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. In a skillet over medium heat, brown meatballs; drain. Combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Add to skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until centers of meatballs are no longer pink. Yield: 2 dozen.

DILLY VEGETABLE SPREAD

"My family enjoys this creamy snack," says Donna J. of Lincoln, Maine. "Packed with chunks of vegetables, ham and cheese, it's also good as a sandwich spread or stuffed in a tomato."

2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
4 medium dill pickles, diced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound fully cooked ham, diced
1/2 pound American cheese, diced
Crackers

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the next five ingredients; mix well. Stir in tomato, pickles, green pepper, onion, ham and cheese. Chill. Serve with crackers. Yield: 6 cups.

CRISP GRAHAM COOKIES

"I was delighted to find the recipe for these fun cookies," says Lori D. of Elkins, West Virginia. "The peanut butter makes them extra special."

1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (1 pound) plain M&Ms
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar; beat in egg. Add vanilla and milk. Blend in peanut butter. Combine dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the M&Ms and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 7 dozen 2-inch cookies.

To view a photo, click here.

> When making a two-crust pie, I brush a little water around the edge of my bottom crust before putting on the top crust. This creates a good seal once the two are crimped together--I never have any filling bubbling out between the crusts, ruining my pie's appearance. --Vistola E., West Point, Virginia

> Here's a handy way to serve deviled eggs: Put them in paper cupcake liners and set them in muffin tins. They stay upright and neat, and the eggs in the paper cups won't slide around on people's plates. --Sally T., Las Cruces, New Mexico

> Iced tea or lemonade for a party looks lovely and tastes great when served with special ice cubes. Freeze a sprig of mint or lemon balm or several slivers of lemon zest in each cube and drop a few in each glass. I also put cubes of frozen pink lemonade (sometimes with maraschino cherries in the center) in regular lemonade. As they melt, the yellow lemonade turns a delicate pink. --Ginger B., Reidsville, North Carolina

UNWANTED E-mail has become a problem for many of us, and some ISPs are taking aggressive measures to control "spam". They may soon prevent you from receiving newsletters like this one simply because they are mailed in "bulk" to thousands of subscribers.

If your ISP plans to activate a "bulk mail filter" or "spam filter", be sure to let them know that you wish to continue receiving this newsletter!

WHIP UP any of these delectable recipes for your next big get-together, and your "dish to pass" will be too good to pass up!

Our brand-new Best of Country Potluck Recipes cookbook is packed with 244 proven favorites from subscribers of Taste of Home and other Reiman magazines.

This gorgeous hardcover cookbook contains mouth-watering main dishes like "Three Cheese Chicken Bake", "Home-Style Roast Beef" and "Sausage Noodle Casserole". Folks will love the luscious side dishes such as "Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes" and "Creamy Herbed Vegetables", and sweet treats including "Caramel Apple Cake" and "Triple Fudge Brownies". Plus you get soups, salads, breads, muffins and more. All are easy to make with everyday ingredients.

Best of Country Potluck Recipes features 112 pages, 125 full-color photos and lots of helpful cooking tips. To order from Country Store On-line, click here.

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