Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from the Taste of Home Test Kitchens! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a savory, speedy meal menu, some handy kitchen shortcuts, peanut butter pointers and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> A Complete Meal in Minutes
> Shortcuts Worth Sharing
> Peanut Butter Makes It Better
> Don't Miss Future Newsletters!
> Bridal Shower Bakes Up Fun
> Looking for Lighter Fare?
> Feast for the Eyes...and Taste Buds
> Serve a "Bucketful" of Treats!

A Complete Meal in Minutes

Click image above to view a larger photo.

FOR THOSE who love to cook, spending time in the kitchen is a joy. Still, there are some days when you need to pull together a satisfying meal in a hurry. The complete-meal menu here, made up of family favorites from three great cooks, can be ready to serve in just 30 minutes. Curried Beef Stir-Fry is a flavorful, eye-catching entree from Karen M. of St. Francois Xavier, Manitoba. Dilly Pea Salad dresses up peas in a deliciously different way, says Rita A. of La Mesa, California. Broiled Pineapple Dessert is a sweet and tangy treat from Karen O. of Rising Sun, Indiana.

3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced gingerroot or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound boneless sirloin steak, cut into 1/8-inch strips
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large celery ribs, sliced
1 cup cold water
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder
Hot cooked rice or noodles

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger and 2 tablespoons oil. Add beef; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. In a large skillet or wok, heat remaining oil. Stir-fry beef over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove beef and set aside. In the same skillet, stir-fry the onion for 1 minute; add peppers and celery. Stir-fry for 2 minutes; return beef to the skillet. Combine water, cornstarch and curry powder until smooth; add to skillet. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve over rice or noodles. Yield: 4 servings.

DILLY PEA SALAD

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons sliced green onion
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen peas, thawed

In a medium bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Add peas; toss. Chill until ready to serve. Yield: 6 servings.

BROILED PINEAPPLE DESSERT

4 pineapple slices
8 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 slices pound cake
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
Ground cinnamon

Place pineapple slices on a broiler pan. Top each with 2 teaspoons brown sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoons butter. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 3-5 minutes or until the sugar is bubbly. Place each slice on a piece of pound cake; top with ice cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

To view a photo, click here.

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

Peel your vegetables and fruit over a paper towel. When you're finished, just fold up the towel and toss it and the peelings away. No more mess on the counter! --Priscilla S., Rochester, New Hampshire

Rinse leftover noodles or macaroni with cold water before putting them in the refrigerator. They won't stick together, and the next time you use them, they'll mix easily with other ingredients. --Mary F., West Chester, Ohio

I mix prepared pancake batter in a pitcher for a no-fuss method of making pancakes. There are no messy drips, and any extra batter can be refrigerated with the lid left on the pitcher. --Linda J., Toivola, Michigan

To easily drain grease from ground beef, I push all cooked meat to one side of the pan, tilting slightly to get grease to the other side, then sop it up with a piece of bread. Sometimes I'll put the bread in the dog's dinner dish for a treat! --Liz S., Wheaton, Illinois

Save butter or margarine wrappers to grease the bottoms of pans or dishes. I keep them in a resealable bag in the refrigerator and throw them away after use. --Constance A., Concord, Vermont

"Most people associate peanut butter with snacks or desserts, but it also makes a mouth-watering sauce for chicken," relates Jeanne B. of North Richland Hills, Texas.

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups shredded red cabbage
Sliced green onion tops

In a saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until smooth. Reserve half of the sauce. Slice chicken lengthwise into 1-in. strips; thread onto skewers (if using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes). Grill, uncovered, over medium-hot coals for 2 minutes; turn and brush with peanut butter sauce. Continue turning and basting for 4-6 minutes or until juices run clear. Place cabbage on a serving plate; top with chicken. Sprinkle with onion tops. Serve with reserved sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM TOPPING

Whenever there's an ice cream social at church, this scrumptious topping is requested, says Karen B. of Gasport, New York.

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
Pinch salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Vanilla ice cream
Peanuts, optional

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a 1-1/2-qt. microwave-safe baking dish. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until mixture boils, stirring twice. Add peanut butter; stir until smooth. Stir in evaporated milk. Serve warm over ice cream. Sprinkle with peanuts if desired. Cover and store in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 2-3/4 cups.

DOUBLE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

"My family loves peanut butter, so this cake has it in the batter and frosting," says Marie H. of Hodgenville, Kentucky.

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk

FROSTING:
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. For frosting, cream peanut butter and butter. Add sugar, milk and vanilla; mix until smooth. Frost cake. Yield: 9 servings.

To view a photo, click here.

"SEVERAL years ago, I hosted a bridal shower for a young bride-to-be," relates Colleen H. of Prior Lake, Minnesota. "Instead of a party game, I put out all kinds of baking ingredients and utensils on my kitchen table and asked the future bride to bake a cake from scratch--without using a recipe.

"She selected and measured several ingredients, and I wrote her 'recipe' on a card that she could keep if she should ever want to make that cake again.

"Everyone at the party watched and chuckled as she added tablespoons of salt and cups of oil. The seasoned bakers in the group had trouble biting their tongues when they wanted to lend a hand.

"The cake smelled wonderful as it baked, but we couldn't find any volunteers to sample the finished product. The bride kept the cake pan, measuring cups and spoons as a gift.

It was a lot of fun, and the bride learned that there's nothing like following a tried-and-true recipe for the best results."

Looking for Lighter Fare?

GRILLED Turkey Tenderloin melts in your mouth, and the flavor is fantastic! The recipe from Denise N. of Wayland, Iowa includes a tangy marinade that was developed for the Iowa State Fair.

GRILLED TURKEY TENDERLOIN

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash each garlic powder and pepper
2 turkey breast tenderloins (1/2 pound each)

In a large resealable plastic bag or shallow glass dish, combine the soy sauce, oil, apple juice, lemon juice, onion, vanilla, ginger, garlic powder and pepper. Add turkey; seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Discard marinade. Grill turkey, covered, over medium coals for 8-10 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Yield: 4 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One serving (prepared with light soy sauce) equals 4 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat; also, 284 calories, 558 mg sodium, 82 mg cholesterol, 6 gm carbohydrate, 31 gm protein, 14 gm fat.

WHY just stop and smell the roses when you can eat them, too?

If you're planning your garden and would like to include some edible flowers you can cook with, consider daylilies, carnations, marigolds, calendulas, nasturtiums and roses. The more fragrant the flower, the sweeter the flavor.

Jennifer O. of Missouri City, Texas hosted a bridal shower and served pink petit fours topped with deep pink pansies. "While pansies don't have much flavor, they made my dessert very special," Jennifer says.

The blooms from some herbs like sage, mint and rosemary can also give a dish distinctive flair.

For recipes, fresh flowers are best cut in the cool morning, washed, dried and refrigerated until you use them. While using flowers in recipes, don't forget a centerpiece!

Editor's Note: Be sure to harvest blooms from plants that have not been treated with chemicals. When using any kind of garden flowers in your cooking, be certain what you're picking is edible. If you're unsure, check with your county Extension agent.

UNWANTED E-mail has become a problem for many of us, and some ISPs and businesses 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!

If you receive this newsletter at work, you may want to switch to your personal e-mail address. To do so, click here.

OUR unique glass bucket looks so handsome on your buffet table. Guests are bound to ask, "Where'd you get that?" It's great for serving layered desserts and salads, or for keeping several cans of your favorite beverage "on ice". No wonder it's one of our most requested new products. Sturdy metal handle with wooden grip. 7-1/2"H x 9"D, tapering to 6-1/4" at base.

To order the Glass Bucket 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.

**********