Thank you again—you and your mom are in our thoughts!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chippers
Nobody could make peanut butter cookies like my Grandma!

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Bake time:12 minutes
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
Granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Combine peanut butter, brown sugar and egg in medium bowl until well blended. Add chocolate chips to the dough; mix well.

3. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

4. Dip table fork into granulated sugar. Press sugar-coated tines of fork in crisscross fashion onto each ball, flattening to 1/2-inch thickness. Repeat dipping fork into granulated sugar to prevent it from sticking to dough. 5. Bake cookies in middle of oven until set, about 12 minutes. Let cookies stand on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks; let cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container for up to one week.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Whether Grandma wanted to say “Welcome to the neighborhood,” “Good job!” or just “I love you,” she thought cookies said it best. If you want to make a statement with cookies, follow Grandma’s example. Start with a colorful plastic or paper plate. Pile it high with tasty cookies and then wrap it all up in colored plastic wrap. Tie the wrap with festive curling ribbons. Include the recipe on a pretty note card for a personal touch.

Classic Fettuccine Alfredo
After a day of sledding at Grandma’s, we would warm up with this creamy pasta dish.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 12 to 13 minutes
Serves 4

12 ounces dry fettuccine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or
2 teaspoons dried parsley
Fresh Italian parsley sprig,  optional for garnish

1. Cook fettuccine in large pot of boiling salted water just until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), 6 to 8 minutes; remove from heat. Drain well; return to dry pot; keep warm.

2. Place butter and cream in large heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until butter melts and mixture bubbles. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat.

3. Gradually stir in Parmesan until thoroughly blended and smooth. Return briefly to heat to completely blend cheese, if necessary. (Do not let sauce bubble or Parmesan will become lumpy and tough.)

4. Pour sauce over pasta in pot. Stir and toss with 2 forks over low heat until sauce is thickened and pasta is evenly coated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Place fettuccine in heated serving dish. Sprinkle fettuccine with chopped parsley. Garnish with parsley sprig, if desired. Serve immediately.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Grandma always said “Waste not, want not”,and used up all her leftovers. She would freeze leftover cream by placing the carton in a resealable plastic freezer bag for up to six months. She would thaw the cream in the refrigerator overnight and shake the carton well before using it.

Beefy Tomato Pasta Sauce
This classic recipe was a favorite of the children and grown-ups alike.

Preparation time: 21 minutes
Cooking time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours
Serves 14 to 16

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice
1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato soup
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 4 teaspoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon each poultry seasoning, nutmeg and dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
32 ounces vermicelli

1. Cook ground beef in a large skillet, stirring until browned and crumbly. Place in a colander. Pour hot water over ground beef and drain well. Wipe skillet with a paper towel to remove any remaining drippings. Return ground beef to the skillet.

2. Add tomato juice, tomato paste, soup and 1/4 cup Parmesan to ground beef and mix well. Stir in parsley, sugar, oregano, poultry seasoning, nutmeg, thyme and sage. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.

3. Reduce heat to low; cover skillet. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 1 1/2  hours.

4. Cook pasta using package directions; drain. Rinse with cool water; drain again. Transfer the pasta to individual serving plates. Top with the sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Serve with a tossed green salad and crusty French bread, if desired.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Long before she could buy canned crushed tomatoes, Grandma was making them herself. For this recipe, she sometimes used 8 cups of canned crushed tomatoes instead of the tomato juice, tomato paste and tomato soup. At the end of the cooking time, she stirred in 1 tablespoon of butter, tasted the mixture and added another teaspoon of sugar if needed.

(This Ask Betty question was sent to Grandma Betty through the My Great Recipes app. Get Grandma’s carefully selected recipes on your smartphone for just 99 cents!)

I found a terrific, quick recipe in the archives that I  think you’ll want to try!

Cream of Celery Soup
What a warming soup for a blustery day!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves 6

3 tablespoons butter
4 cups chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock, divided
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, for garnish
6 small celery ribs, for garnish, optional

1.  Melt the butter in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

2.  Add the celery, onion, potato, flour and 1 cup of chicken stock to a blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute.

3. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened and smooth, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream, salt and black pepper. Cook and stir for 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately. Garnish with red pepper flakes and small celery ribs, if desired.

Crispy Chicken Parmigiana
Grandma usually cooked a double batch of this chicken because everyone wanted seconds.

Prep time:20 minutes
Baking time:40 minutes
Serves 6

2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves (about 5 ounces each)
1 cup crushed club crackers
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 slices mozzarella cheese

1. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk eggs, salt and pepper until blended. Dip chicken in egg mixture and coat with cracker crumbs.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken. Cook chicken until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; drain. Arrange in a single layer in prepared baking dish.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wipe skillet with paper towels. Combine tomato sauce, basil and garlic powder in the skillet and mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat.

5. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened, about 6 minutes. Stir in butter. Pour over the chicken. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.

6. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes; remove the cover. Top each chicken breast with mozzarella. Bake for 10 minutes longer.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Grandma bought her mozzarella cheese in blocks. She had developed a method of guess-timating the weight of cheese: Four ounces of cheese is about the size of a deck of playing cards. So she cut off two chunks the size of a deck of cards, then sliced the cheese into pieces and topped the chicken.

Louisiana Carrot Cake
My cousins and I have never eaten a better carrot cake than Grandma’s.

Prep time:16 minutes
Baking time: 30 to 35 minutes 
Serves 12

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots (about 12 ounces)
1 (16-ounce) package confectioners’ sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

2. Combine granulated sugar, flour, vegetable oil, eggs and cinnamon in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set at medium speed until blended. Stir in the grated carrots.

3. Spoon into prepared cake pans. Bake layers until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks; cool for 10 minutes. Turn layers onto wire racks; cool completely.

4. For frosting, beat confectioners’ sugar, butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until frosting is a spreadable consistency. Spread the frosting between the layers and over the top and sides of cake on a cake plate. Sprinkle with shredded carrot.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
For Easter, Grandma made a bunny cake with a bow tie. For the ears, starting at the upper right of one cake layer, she cut out an elongated C-shape. Turning the cake a half-turn, she repeated on the opposite side for the other ear, leaving a bow tie shape. She put the remaining layer on a tray and put the ears above the circle and the bow tie below. Then she frosted it with white frosting and used pink sugar for ears, gumdrops for eyes and red licorice for the whiskers.

Here’s how to make a corn bread batter and top the pie: Combine 1 cup self-rising cornmeal, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1 (15-ounce) can Mexican-style corn (drained) and 1 cup shredded Cheddar in a medium bowl; mix well. Spoon the batter on the top of the pie in a spoke pattern. Bake the pie until the topping is golden, about 15 minutes.

Teatime Zucchini Bread
Grandma often served this moist bread with a piping-hot cup of tea sweetened with a touch of honey.

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 30 to 35 minutes
Serves 16

1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup water
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon each salt and baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly spray 8x4x2-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Press moisture out of shredded zucchini with paper towels; set aside.

3. Combine chopped dates and water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; let stand about 15 minutes.

4. Combine whole- wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, ground cinnamon and ground cloves in large bowl. Beat eggs with fork in medium bowl; stir in date mixture and zucchini. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan.

5. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool zucchini bread completely on wire rack.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Grandma had a trick to keeping the chopped dates from clumping together in this flavorful bread. Before combining the dates with the water in the saucepan, she would separate the pieces with her fingers.

(This Ask Betty question was sent to Grandma Betty through the My Great Recipes app. Get Grandma’s carefully selected recipes on your smartphone for just 99 cents!)

Good news! I found the Cheesy Chicken Roll-Ups recipe. At first I wasn’t sure it the correct one, because there is no spinach listed in the ingredient list. But then I noticed that the Variation says you can add chopped spinach—so it must be your long-lost favorite. Here you go!

Cheesy Chicken Roll-Ups
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves 4

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4 ounces each)
4 thin slices boiled or baked ham
10 tablespoons garlic and herb cheese spread, divided
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper; pound to 1/4-inch thickness.

2. Place 1 ham slice on each piece of chicken; spread with 2 tablespoons cheese spread. Roll chicken to enclose filling. Fold ends under and secure with toothpicks.

3. Dip chicken rolls into milk, then roll in bread crumbs to coat. Place rolls seam sides down on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.

4. Bring cream to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; remove from heat. Add remaining cheese spread; blend well. Place chicken on a serving platter; pour sauce over chicken rolls.

Variation
Include nutritious chopped cooked spinach (about one 9-ounce package) in this recipe. Add it to the filling in Step 2.

Money Saver
Keep cheese spread in its original container until ready to use. Unopened spread will stay fresh for about 3 months. Once the container has been opened the cheese spread will last about 6 weeks.

Cooking Express
Thin slice of Swiss or Muenster cheese may be used to as a quick substitute for the garlic and herb cheese spread.

Make Ahead
Prepare the chicken rolls and secure with toothpicks 1 or 2 days ahead. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Remove and bake as recipe directs.

I have just the recipe! My Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps are easy-to-make and oh-so delicious. And if you’re looking for tips for making better cookies, check out the Domino Sugar website; they have a terrific page of Cookie Tips that I’m sure you’ll find helpful.

As for macaroni salad, Kathyrn asked about it a few months ago. You can see her question and my answer with links to some terrific recipes here: Macaroni Salad. Happy salad making!

Peel 6 hard-cooked eggs. Cut each lengthwise  into two pieces and remove the yolks to a large bowl.  Mash the yolks a bit, then add 1/4 cup mayo, 1 teaspoon mustard, and a splash of vinegar and mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the yolk mixture into the egg white halves and dust with a bit of paprika. Delicious!   

But do also give my Almond Deviled Eggs a try. I sometimes like to add a little bit of chopped chipotle en adobo to the yolk mixture for more oomph. And Blue Cheese-Stuffed Eggs are a nice, cheesy variation on the classic.

You might want to try my Strawberry Peach Puffs recipe and give it a try!

–April Fool Meat Loaf Cake: Be sure to first tell the kids that you’re having cake for dinner–then watch their faces when they realize your cake is really meat loaf and mashed potatoes!

–April Fool Dirt Cake: A flower pot filled to the rim with chocolate cake “dirt,” pudding “mud” and wiggle gummy worms.

–Chocolate Pots de Creme: The delicate tea cups are filled with tea, right? Or is it chocolate?

–Hot Dog Cookies: The mini hot dogs and buns are decorated with icing “mustard” and sugar “relish.”

–Creepy Monster Fingers: Ewwwww! Are they sickly green fingers? Or just cookies?

–Trick or Treat Cookies: They think they’re getting a cookie, but the treat is that candy is hiding inside!

–Raspberry Fool: OK, so there’s nothing prank-ish about this recipe, but who can resist a fool on April Fools’ Day?

Yours in trickery–Have fun!

In addition, our sister site, www.greatmealsinunder30.com has a recipe for Sole with Cucumber Sauce that includes instructions for simply broiling fish fillets.

As for side dishes, check out my Tasty Side Dishes recipe section. It includes a number of terrific dishes that are wonderful with fish, like Herb-Crusted Tomatoes, Lemon Garlic Cauliflower,  Brown Sugar Asparagus, Buttery Vegetable Medley, Ratatouille, Mushroom Risotto, Farmhouse Corn & Tomatoes, Golden Rice Pilaf, Mellow Turnip Bake, and Stuffed Acorn Squash.

So nice to hear from you! I’m afraid I don’t have a sticky bun recipe on the site. However, our sister site, www.EasyEverydayCooking.com has one: Apple-Cinnamon Sticky Buns. In addition, the King Arthur flour website has what looks like a very authentic recipe here:  Sticky Buns.  Hope this helps!

Erin go braugh!

Almond Macaroon Cheesecake
Serves 12

For the Macaroons and Crust
1 can (8 ounces) pure almond paste, grated
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large egg whites
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted, divided

For the Filling
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons honey
5 to 6 strawberries, sliced

Special Aids
Pastry bag fitted with a large star tip
7-inch and 9-inch springform pans

Making Macaroons and Crust
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with foil; grease and flour foil. In a medium bowl, combine almond paste, sugars and flour; mix well. Using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat in egg whites until smooth. Finely chop 1/2 cup toasted almonds; stir into mixture. Spoon 1/4 cup almond mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 2-inch rounds onto prepared baking sheet. Bake macaroons until golden brown, 18-20 minutes; let cool.

2. Line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with foil. Place remaining almond mixture in pan; cover with plastic wrap. Press mixture to cover bottom; remove plastic wrap. Bake crust until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Preparing the Filling
1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat cream cheese, sugar and extracts until smooth. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Pour 2 1/4 cups into 7-inch springform pan. Pour remaining filling into 9-inch pan; spread evenly.

2. Bake cheesecake layers until almost set, 30-35 minutes for 7-inch layer, 40-45 minutes for 9-inch layer. Turn off oven; let cakes stand in oven with door ajar for 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

3. Remove sides from pans. Invert 9-inch layer onto a baking sheet. Remove pan bottom; carefully peel off foil. Invert onto serving platter. Using a spatula, place 7-inch layer on top of 9-inch layer.

4. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the sides of both layers with honey. Press remaining almonds into honey.

5. Garnish top of cheesecake with sliced strawberries and a macaroon. Arrange the remaining macaroons on the serving platter around the cheesecake..

Kitchen Tips
Before removing from the springform pans, run a knife around the sides of the cakes to loosen.

Smooth Top
When a cheesecake cools too quickly, it will shrink and crack. To avoid cracks, don’t open the oven for the first half hour of baking. Partially cooling a baked cheesecake in the oven will also help.

Fruit Flavor
For a tasty glaze, top each cake layer with strawberry jam before assembling.

Go Coconuts
If you’re a fan of coconut macaroons, press some toasted coconut into the sides of this cake instead of almonds.

Good Idea
For an all-almond dessert, serve this cake with amaretto coffee and a dish of candy-coated almonds

Cheesecake Squares
Press crust into a foil-lined 13 x 9-inch pan. Top with filling and toasted sliced almonds. Bake for 40 minutes. Chill; cut into squares.

Almond Macaroons
These sweets are not just for decoration! Serve leftover almond macaroons with tall glasses of milk for an after-school snack.

(It’s important to note that you should NOT use condensed milk when evaporated milk is called for unless it is UNSWEETENED condensed milk. Most condensed milk found these days is of the sweetened variety and is used almost exclusively in desserts.)

As for buttermilk, you can use the age-old trick of adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk and letting it stand for 10 minutes to make your own buttermilk. Many cooks also swear by powdered buttermilk, which can be stored in the cupboard for months (if not years) and takes only minutes to reconstitute.

And keep in mind that powdered buttermilk and cans of evaporated milk are shelf-stable and will keep indefinitely, so you might want to stock up from online stores like Amazon.com to use during your time in Penang.

–Great American Recipes: The very best “family favorite” recipes
–Great American Home Baking: Be the best baker on the block!
–Everyday Cooking My Way: Recipes packed with hints and tips to make the dish your way

And of course, you are welcome to come back to GrandmasKitchen.com anytime to browse all of my wonderful homestyle recipes!

And don’t use too much fat in the recipe – it can make cornbread very tender, but it can also make it fall apart.

And finally, don’t overbake the bread – a too-hot oven, or leaving the corn bread in too long, will dry out the bread and make it crumbly.

If you’re feeling a little Tex-Mex, you should try my Mexican Rice Cornbread. And our sister site, EasyEverydayCooking.com, has a traditional Skillet Corn Bread recipe that is perfect.

Combine 1 1/2 cups water, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened and clear. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice. Then swirl in 2 tablespoons butter. Let cool slightly, then serve over bread pudding, pound cake, gingerbread or any other dessert that needs a shot of lemon!

Here are some of my favorite recipes for potato bakes and potato casseroles that include bacon:
Crunchy Ranch Taters are cooked quartered potatoes combined with sour cream, Cheddar and bacon, then topped with crushed cornflakes before baking.
Au Gratin Potatoes are cooked sliced potatoes combined with salad dressing, American cheese and onion, baked, then topped with crumbed bacon.
Potatoes Lorraine uses uncooked sliced potatoes layered with bacon and Gruyere cheese, then baked.
New Potato Casserole has cooked quartered new potatoes, bacon bits and Cheddar.

In addition, I have a number of other terrific recipes for potatoes that are baked with cheese, cream and other ingredients:
Creamy Potatoes & Leeks are uncooked sliced potatoes layered with sautéed leeks, soaked in cream and eggs, and topped with toasted bread crumbs before baking.
Potatoes Romanoff is a combo of cooked cubed potatoes, cottage cheese, and sour cream and topped with Cheddar before baking.
Grated Potato Casserole uses (uncooked) grated potatoes and American Cheese.
Potatoes Florentine uses mashed cooked potatoes, frozen spinach and Colby cheese.
Smoky Mountain Potatoes are cooked and thinly sliced potatoes baked with ricotta, Cheddar and mozzarella.
Golden Potato Bake takes somewhat of a shortcut approach, using frozen hash browns, instead of sliced or shredded potatoes. It doesn’t cut down much on the baking time, but does save some prep time.

Hope this helps—good luck in your potato bake adventure!

Another reason might be overbaking. Some people get an eggy taste if the cake bakes too long. So be sure to take the cheesecake out of the oven when it is still a little jiggly in the center; it will continue to firm up as it cools.

Were there flavorings in the cheesecake? Next time you might try adding a bit more vanilla extract, or chocolate, or coffee or whatever was used to flavor it. And be sure to use full-fat cream cheese – using reduced-fat cheese will make the eggs more noticeable.

–Eggplant Stuffed Shells are baked jumbo pasta shells filled with sautéed eggplant and topped with cheese and tomato sauce.
–Four-Cheese Stuffed Shells are pasta shells stuffed with provolone, ricotta and Parmesan and baked in a savory tomato sauce.
–Stuffed Shells Florentine have a spinach-ricotta filling.
–And finally, Jumbo Seafood Shells are filled with crab, shrimp and cheese in a creamy dressing.

I hope you try one of these great recipes!

Duck with Raspberry Sauce
When my grandpa used to hunt duck, we made this dish with wild duck. Grandpa still prefers the taste.

Preparation Time: 17 minutes
Roasting Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Serves 2

1 domestic duck (about 3 1/2 to 5 pounds), dressed
2 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 apple, cut into quarters
1 medium onion, cut into quarters
1/4 cup red raspberry jelly
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon lime juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Discard duck giblets and neck. Sprinkle duck cavity with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stuff with apple and onion. Secure cavity with toothpicks.

3. Sprinkle duck with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Prick skin at 3-inch intervals. Place breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.

4. Roast duck, basting occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in inner thigh registers 185°F, about 1 1/2 hours. Cover loosely with foil. Roast for 1 hour longer.

5. Combine raspberry jelly, water, mustard, lime juice, remaining salt and remaining black pepper in a small sauce pan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Serve with the duck.

Grandma’s Secret Trick
Grandma sometimes made a sauce using wine and the pan juices from the duck. She boiled 10 prunes in cranberry-apple juice until soft, then added the drained prunes, along with 3/4 cup red wine, to the roasting pan after removing the duck. She cooked the mixture until the liquid was reduced to 1 cup.

As for my Overnight Yeast Waffle recipe – I don’t see any reason that a recipe like this can’t be an occasional indulgence in a healthy diet. The recipe as written has less than 1/2 tablespoon butter and a small amount of added salt per waffle–and no convenience foods (that can add who-knows-what to a recipe). It’s actually quite a wholesome breakfast when served with fresh fruit. You can make it even healthier by cutting the salt to 1/2 teaspoon, using reduced-fat milk, and a trans-fat-free margarine (like from Smart Balance) instead of butter. And of course, you might want to forgo that pat of butter at the end! So go ahead, and enjoy a waffle occasionally!

And though we are not able to provide nutritional information for our recipes are you aware of the USDA’s Nutrient Database? You can access the nutrition information (including fat, fiber, sugar, carbs, etc.) for thousands of foods — from simple ingredients (like onions and pasta) to prepared foods (like tomato sauce and chicken nuggets). The database is online at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_s.pl .

I also urge you to check out other online resources: If sodium is big concern, the Mayo Clinic has a number of Low-Sodium Recipes you might want to try. The American Heart Association (Heart.org) also has a listing of Low-Sodium Recipes, and their Getting Healthy section has a lot of invaluable information on nutrition and fitness. And whether or not you are diabetic, the website of the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org is a good resource. Their “Food & Fitness” section has a lot of excellent advice on healthy cooking in general (along with information on cooking for diabetes patients in particular). In addition, www.DiabeticLifestyle.com has a large number of diabetic-friendly recipes in all categories.

Again, I thank you for writing. And I am wishing you good luck in your quest for healthier cooking and eating!

Both my Egg Custard Pie and Carrot Custard Pie call for a small amount of flour in the custard—did you try one of those? If so, and you left out the flour, please let me know how it turned out!

Thaw 1 (10-ounce) package frozen sliced strawberries (in syrup) and combine with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low; cook and stir until sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool slightly and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The other recipe is a little different in that it uses brown sugar, which gives the frosting a deeper flavor. It might be the special touch you are looking for. It’s a part of my Blackberry Spice Cake recipe:

Combine 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually, until the brown sugar is dissolved; let cool. Place brown sugar mixture, another 4 tablespoons butter, 2 ounces softened cream cheese, 1 (16-ounce) package confectioners’ sugar and 1/4 cup milk in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set at medium speed until smooth.

I think either frosting would be great on Red Velvet Cake!

The easiest way to cook rice is to simmer it on the stovetop: Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter (if you like). Add the rice, stir and turn the heat to low. Cover the pan (with a tight-fitting lid) and keep the rice at a barest simmer until the grains are tender. White rice will be done in 15 to 20 minutes, brown rice in 40 to 50 minutes. When the rice is done, take it off the heat and let it sit, covered, for about 10 minutes. Just before serving, lightly fluff the rice with a fork.

Here are a few more tips:

– Use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water for more flavorful rice.

– Add even more flavor to your rice by using the pilaf method: Cook the dry rice in the saucepan in about 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, then add the water, reduce the heat and simmer as above.

–Resist the urge to stir the rice as it is simmering – that will release some of the starch and give you sticky rice. And try not to even lift the lid during cooking – that releases steam that helps the rice cook.

– But do take an occasional peek near the end of the cooking time to make sure the rice is not getting too dry before it is fully cooked. If there is barely any water left, and the grains are not near tender, you can add a few tablespoons water.

–On the other hand, if the rice is tender, but there is still liquid left in the pan, uncover the rice, raise the heat to medium, and cook until the excess liquid is simmered away.

This Ask Betty question was sent to Grandma Betty through the My Great Recipes app.

One difference is that usually with a cake mix, the only ingredient from the fridge is eggs, whereas scratch cakes use eggs, butter, sometimes milk. One trick for lighter cakes is to use room temperature ingredients – so maybe if you try bringing the eggs, butter and any other chilled ingredients to room temperature before starting, that might help.

Another difference might be in the type of flour used. Some cake mixes use a lighter flour. So for your scratch cakes, you might try using cake flour (which has a lighter texture) instead of all-purpose flour. Try using 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour for every 1 cup of all-purpose flour called for in the recipe.  Or look for recipes that call for cake flour, like my Snow White Cake, Nutty White Cake, and Whipping Cream Cake.

Here are some other general tips that will help give you lighter cakes:

* It’s important to incorporate air into the batter for light and fluffy cakes, so be sure to beat the batter as long as the recipe directs.

* You could try separating the eggs, then add the yolks to the batter, but beat the egg whites separately until very light, then fold them into the rest of the batter just before baking.

* Resist the urge to open the oven door while the cake is baking – the sudden change in temperature can cause the cake to fall.

I hope these tips help – please let me know how it turns out if you try them!

And I do have dozens of other recipes that use ground beef, including Crunchy Taco Salad,  Fiesta Beef Enchiladas, Festive Taco Potpie and Beef Tamale Pie.  Visit the Ground Beef Recipes page to see them all!

But you’re in luck, because in addition to my wieners-wrapped-in-pastry Pigs in Blankets recipe, I also have a Classic Stuffed Cabbage recipe for you. The recipe uses a slow cooker, but if you don’t have one you can cook the cabbage rolls on the stovetop: Use a covered Dutch oven and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Keep in mind that cooking in a slow cooker doesn’t require as much liquid as on the stovetop, so check the pot frequently and if the sauce reduces too much, add a little bit of  water.

But the wonderful thing about casseroles is that they are so adaptable, so you can easily tweak one of my other chicken casseroles. For a reasonable facsimile of Chicken Divan, add some chopped chicken to my Rice & Broccoli Casserole recipe; add broccoli (cooked fresh or frozen) to Chicken Strata; or substitute broccoli for the asparagus in Chicken Asparagus Bake. And finally, I urge you to browse all of my Casserole Recipes for a lot more terrific baked-dish dinners!

However, it can be kind of tricky to convert the recipes, and it will take a little bit of trial and error. But fortunately, the Internet to the rescue! BreadWorld.com, a website from Fleischmann’s Yeast, has some good advice and tips for converting recipes here: Converting Recipes from Traditional to Bread Machine Use. And the Bread Making Basics page of the King Arthur Flour site has some tips if you scroll down to the Frequently Asked Questions area.

Hope this helps! Please let us know how it turns out if you convert a regular bread recipe to the machine.

Pork Chops & Stuffing Bake
For an easy and delicious meal, nothing could beat Grandma’s pork chops.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 to 40 minutes
Serves 6

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 (3/4-inch thick) boneless pork chops
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 cups herb-seasoned stuffing cubes

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Heat vegetable oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the pork chops and cook until browned on both sides, turning once. Remove pork chops from skillet and set aside.

3. Add onion and celery to same skillet. Cook and stir until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add apples; cook and stir for about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, undiluted soup and wine; mix well. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. Stir in stuffing cubes until moistened.

4. Spread stuffing mixture in prepared baking dish. Place pork chops on top of stuffing; pour any accumulated juices over pork chops.

5. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until pork chops are juicy and barely pink in center, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Because everybody loved Grandma’s stuffing so much, she often made a second batch. She would place it in a lightly greased baking dish, cover it and bake it at the same time as the pork chops. For a drier stuffing, she would uncover it during the last ten minutes of baking.

Oh yes, angel biscuits! Rich, buttery and absolutely delicious. They are sometimes called Bride’s Biscuits because although they are yeast-risen, they are almost foolproof to make. So head over to Angel Yeast Biscuits and print out the recipe for your neighbor—I’m sure it is very close to the recipe she remembers so well.

In addition, you could use chicken tenders in many of my Chicken Breast Recipes; just keep in mind that you don’t need to cook chicken tenders as long as you do chicken breasts.

 As for one-dish meals: Oh, yes, if you’re tired of too-much cleanup, I have plenty of One-Dish Dinners you can choose from!

(Be careful, though if you’re making a marinade; if you don’t use wine you need to make sure there is some acid in the marinade. For 1/2 cup wine in a marinade, try substituting 1/4 cup vinegar + 1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon sugar OR 1/2 cup stock or water + 1 tablespoon vinegar.)

And did you know that most every recipe that uses wine in Grandma’s Kitchen also includes a non-alcohol substitute? For instance, Five-Onion Soup calls for 1 1/4 cups burgundy OR 1 cup water plus 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar.  And my Fettuccine alla Carbonara says you can use 1/4 cup dry white wine OR chicken broth. So feel free to browse all of Grandma’s Kitchen recipes and rest assured you can make them without alcohol!

You might also want to check out some of the recipes at the Zatarain’s website: zatarains.com/Recipes/Jambalaya.aspx. They all use their mixes, but the recipes also include a lot more additional ingredients than just chicken or seafood. It might be a good place to start if you want to expand your jambalaya repertoire.

However, are you aware of the USDA’s Nutrient Database? You can access the nutrition information (including calories, fat, fiber, sugar, carbs, etc.)  for thousands of foods — from simple ingredients (like onions or spaghetti) to prepared foods (like tomato sauce or chicken nuggets). The database is online at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_s.pl.

In addition, I can tell you that if you’d like to keep the calorie count down when making the Chunky Potato Soup, be sure to use skim or reduced-fat milk, and maybe cut down on the amount of cheese – using 1/2 cup (instead of 1 cup) would still make a delicious soup.

And finally, you might want to check out the recipes that are tagged  “Healthy” on Grandma’s Kitchen: www.grandmaskitchen.com/tag/healthy. Although they are not specifically developed to be low-calorie, they are relatively healthy and you might find some dishes that fit in with your eating plan.

If you are baking cookies or muffins, you might want to be a bit wary. Many bakers and cookbooks say it’s fine to substitute quick oats for rolled oats when baking, but I find that sometimes it alters the texture of the baked good, especially cookies. The cookies will be fine, but maybe flatter, a bit more ‘mushy’ and not as chewy. Some people prefer that kind of cookie, but I like thick, chewy oatmeal cookies, like my Raisin Oatmeal Cookies! (And note that you want to keep away from instant oats in baking recipes—unless the recipe specifically calls for them—they will definitely turn your cookies or muffins into a mushy mess.)

But never fear! You could head over to the Albers cornmeal website, www.alberscorn.com and try their recipe for Corn Meal Mush, which includes instructions on how to fry up slices of the cooled mush. It sounds delicious!

So I’ve got a couple of more traditional scalloped potato recipes you’ll want to try: The traditional Scalloped Red Potatoes is a simple baked dish of potatoes, butter and milk. Pretty Potato Scallop Surprise is a little more involved; the creamy potatoes are speckled with celery, onion and pimiento. Confetti Scalloped Potatoes has Cheddar cheese and a topping of crushed crackers; however, it uses frozen hashed brown potatoes and cream of celery soup, so it is not really “from scratch.” 

In addition,  you might want to check out these from-scratch cheesy dishes that could also be considered “scalloped potatoes”:

Au Gratin Potatoes
Classic Potatoes au Gratin 
Herbed Cheese Potatoes
Smoky Mountain Potatoes

Hope this helps!

And don’t be afraid to take any of the salad recipes and make them your own—that’s the fun of sandwich spreads. Feel free to add or substitute a crunchy or flavorful vegetable (like diced celery, diced carrot, sliced scallion, sliced sugar snap peas), chopped nuts (like walnuts, cashews, almonds), minced fresh herbs (tarragon, thyme, parsley, dill, chives), and even fruit (diced apple or pear, raisins, chopped prunes).  The possibilities are endless!

(Sophia’s question was sent from the My Great Recipes app. Did you know that you can get Grandma’s carefully selected recipes on your smartphone? Just 99 cents for a limited time.)

I have a no-bake raspberry tart—is that close enough? My Luscious Raspberry Tart has a filling made of cream, white chocolate, and raspberries. It’s delicious, and very elegant. I think you’ll like it.

But wait! I’ve got plenty more cheesy potatoes! Sesame Mashed Potatoes are mashed spuds with plenty of cheese; Classic Potatoes au Gratin, with both Swiss and Cheddar, is one of my most popular recipes; Potatoes Romanoff has both cottage cheese and Cheddar Cheese. Au Gratin Potatoes uses American cheese; even Potatoes Florentine has a good amount of Jack cheese, along with the spinach. And finally, Delmonico Potatoes has 2 cups of grated Cheddar. Enjoy your cheesy spuds!

You might also be interested in my Marinated Rib Roast, which uses a boned, rolled roast (ask your butcher to do this), and Peppered Beef Rib Roast (featured in this week’s newsletter), which calls for a boneless rib roast. I hope this clears things up for you!

Quick Chicken Pot Pie uses biscuit baking mix (i.e., Bisquick) for the topping. Mini Chicken Pot Pies uses refrigerated biscuit dough as the crust. Tempting Tuna Pot Pie uses crescent roll dough (and you can substitute cooked chicken for the tuna). Not in the mood for chicken? I also have Festive Taco Pot Pie, Bayou-Style Pot Pie and Tuna & Pasta Pot Pie. Enjoy!

Butter is the solid fat that you buy in sticks and use on toast, sandwiches and to make cookies, cakes, etc. Butter is made by churning (mixing) cream until the fats come together to create butter, with some liquid leftover.

Originally, buttermilk was this leftover liquid. But nowadays (since few people churn their own butter!), buttermilk is regular milk that has had special bacteria added to it to thicken it and give it a tangy flavor – it is similar to plain yogurt, but not as thick. You can buy cartons of buttermilk in the dairy case of your supermarket, or make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup whole milk and letting it sit for about 15 minutes. Hope this helps – happy baking!

You might want to try my Herbed Potato Salad, which has a creamy yogurt dressing. And don’t be shy about substituting your favorite veggies and herbs for the ones in the recipe – that’s what potato salad is all about!

As for the sauce—that’s a bit more difficult. I doubt that you would be able to duplicate the sauce exactly (even if the chef DID provide the recipe!). Instead, I would make a simple brown butter/hazelnut sauce to go with the ravioli: Melt a good amount of butter (maybe 1/2 cup) in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook until golden and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add about 1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts, then a splash of hazelnut liquor (like Frangelico) and a pinch or two of salt and heat through. Then add the drained cooked pumpkin ravioli and toss gently to coat. What a great first course for a holiday dinner!

And if you’re thinking about holiday cooking, check out the Christmas Recipes page, where I’ve gathered all my holiday roasts, sides, appetizers and sweets. One-stop holiday recipe shopping at its best!

One of my favorites during the holiday season is the Puff Pastry Wreath – it looks spectacular and is not hard to make, as long as you have a leaf-shaped cookie cutter. For substantial noshing, you could also put out some crackers and my Holiday Cheese Ball or Smoked Salmon Ball. The Clam Dip ‘n Bread Bowl is another fun, hearty offering at a party. And for deviled-egg lovers, there’s always the ever-popular Blue Cheese-Stuffed Eggs and Almond Deviled Eggs.

And finally, if you really want to go all out (and guarantee that no one will go away hungry), why not a ham?  My Ham with Raisin Sauce is a show-stoppping crowd pleaser that is perfect for holiday entertaining. Have fun at your party!

For a tasty side dish, I like to make mashed potato cakes. Simply form the mashed potatoes into hockey-puck-sized cakes, then dip them in beaten egg, then dried bread crumbs. Fry them up in some vegetable oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat until brown and crispy – delicious! (Hint: If you find that the potatoes are too loose to easily form into cakes, try putting the mashed spuds in the freezer for a few minutes, or mix a tablespoon or two of flour into the potatoes. To avoid this the next time you want to make leftover mashed potato cakes, plan ahead when you make the potatoes for mashing: After boiling and draining the potatoes, return them to the empty pan and heat them over medium heat, stirring, for a few minutes to remove some of the excess moisture – and don’t add too much milk to the potatoes when mashing.)

I’m guessing you’re talking about my Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie.  Yes, indeed, that’s a great dessert! I’m so glad to hear it’s become a Thanksgiving tradition of your family.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie
Our nickname for this pie—candy bar ice cream pie—indicates how many wonderful flavors it has.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Freezing time: 1 hour
Serves 8

1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup sour cream
1 quart chocolate chip ice cream, softened

1. Coat bottom and sides of an 8-inch pie plate lightly with butter.

2. Combine chocolate syrup and chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until hot, about 45 seconds. Stir until smooth. Reserve 1⁄4 cup of the chocolate mixture.

3. Combine remaining chocolate mixture and cereal in a medium bowl and mix to coat cereal. Press mixture over bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

4. Combine reserved chocolate mixture and the sour cream in a small bowl and mix well. Spread half the ice cream in the prepared pie plate. Drizzle with half the sour cream mixture. Top with remaining ice cream and drizzle with remaining sour cream mixture. Freeze pie, covered, until firm, about 1 hour.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
To get clean, even slices of pie, Grandma first filled a bowl with hot water. She made a cut, then dipped the knife in the hot water and wiped it off. The hot knife sliced right through the frozen ice cream and crust with a minimum of effort. And that made it easier to cut the pie into 8 slices instead of 6.

You might also be interested in other breakfast and brunch main dishes that are perfect for the first morning of the New Year:

Speckled Egg Bake
Hash Brown Quiche
Mushroom Egg Bake
French Toast Casserole
Breakfast Bread Pudding
Cheddar Spinach Sensation

Happy New Year! Here’s to another wonderful, delicious year of good eating!

And note that if you haven’t canned before you might want to head over to the Home Canning section of  the National Center for Food Preservation; they have a lot of great advice, tips and step-by-step instructions for home preserving.

UPDATE: The recipe is copied below, but I’ve also added it to the Pantry section of the website — you can find it here: Homemade Apple Butter.

Homemade Apple Butter
Toasted pound cake became special with some of Grandma’s apple butter.

Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 3 hours
Makes 7 (1/2-pint) jars.

5 to 7 pounds Jonathan, Winesap or Red Delicious apples
2 1/2 cups apple cider
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Cut unpeeled apples into quarters and remove cores. Place in a large heavy stockpot. Add apple cider. Place over high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and puffy, about 2 hours.

2. Process the apple mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth to yield 6 to 7 cups of pulp.

3. Combine apple pulp, granulated sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, cloves and salt in a large heavy saucepan and mix well.

4. Place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 hour.

5. Spoon into 7 hot sterilized 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal with 2-piece lids. Store in pantry or refrigerator.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
When Grandma got a slow cooker, she put it to use making apple butter. She cut the apples into halves or quarters, then packed them in the slow cooker. She added 2 cups of cider and the remaining ingredients, then let the apples cook for 6 to 8 hours, stirring them occasionally. When done,  she spooned the the apples, along with the cooking liquid, into the food mill.

Sweet Potato Pie
Grandma called sweet potato pie, a staple on many holiday tables in the South, “autumn comfort food at its best.”

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking  time: 60-70 minutes
Makes 8 servings

1 refrigerated piecrust (from a 15-ounce package)
2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes (about 3 medium)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon plus 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg, divided
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
Whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate; flute edges.

2. Beat sweet potatoes in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg; beat until combined. Add milk, butter and eggs; beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into prepared piecrust.

3. Bake pie until knife inserted near center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Cool pie on wire rack. Cut into slices. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with remaining nutmeg.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
If Grandma was in a hurry, she used one can (17 ounces) of sweet potatoes in place of the cooked fresh  sweet potatoes. And she told us that the center of a sweet potato pie should be slightly underdone even when the rest of the pie is done, as it will finish setting during cooling. That’s why this pie should be tested for doneness near the center, not in the center.

UPDATE: The recipe (and picture) is now in the recipes section: Sweet Potato Pie.

And don’t miss all my other pumpkin recipes on the Pumpkin Recipes page!

Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
We nibbled these cookies until Grandma said, ‘You’ll spoil your appetite.’

Preparation time: 24 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours
Baking time: 11 minutes
Makes 3 3/4 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon each baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup each granulated sugar and firmly packed light brown sugar
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces butterscotch chips
1/4 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl and mix well.

3. Combine butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin and egg until blended. Beat in flour mixture until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Fold in butterscotch chips. Chill the dough, covered, for 2 hours.

4. Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Dip fingertips into the cinnamon sugar and lightly flatten each cookie, redipping fingertips between each cookie.

5. Bake until firm, about 11 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Pumpkin paired with maple and chocolate is an unexpected and unbeatable flavor combination. Sometimes Grandma used an equal amount of chocolate chips or miniature chocolate chips in place of the butterscotch chips. Instead of the cinnamon sugar, she used maple sugar.

I have a couple of poultry recipes that you could easily adapt for a beef-and-barley dish. First, a stew: My Chicken & Barley Skillet would be delicious if you used ground beef instead of the ground chicken called for. (Or for a chunkier beef dish, you could use cubed or diced sirloin or chuck instead of ground beef. Just cook the beef for a couple of minutes in the oil in step 1 before adding the vegetables.)  And for a soup, our sister site, EasyEverydayCooking.com, has a Barley and Turkey Soup that could be made with ground beef instead of ground turkey. I hope you try one of them!

Fragrant Plum Cake
When baking, this cake filled the house with smells that promised a treat.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Serves 12

2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 (6-ounce) jars baby food plums and apples
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons drained canned plums, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 (16-ounce) package confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. For cake, combine flour, granulated sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well.

3. Add the baby food plums and apples, vegetable oil and eggs to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer set at medium speed until blended. Spoon into a nonstick 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

4. Bake cake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

5. For frosting, mix the canned plums and butter in a large bowl. Add half of the confectioners’ sugar and mix well. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar and mix well. Stir in orange zest. Spread frosting over cooled cake.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
If she didn’t have baby food plums and apples, Grandma could still make a fantastic cake with one of her ingenious substitutions. She cooked 1 cup prunes in water until they were very soft, then she drained and mashed them and used them in place of the baby food. Or she used 1 cup seedless blackberry jam instead of the baby food.

That said, you can use ham hocks to flavor many soups (in addition to split pea), like my Chunky Potato Soup, Hearty Minestrone, Bronco Buster Soup (instead of the beef shank), and Farmhouse Ham Chowder.

And many Southerners  use hocks to add flavor to long-cooking greens like collard greens or mustard greens. Hope this helps!

I have to admit, your question had me scratching my head a bit, because aside from a field trip way back in grade school, I don’t really have any experience with making maple syrup. But my feeling is that it’s a pretty elaborate operation, and one not to be taken lightly. Also, collecting the maple sap is something that can only be done during a few months in the early spring – so making syrup is not something that you can decide to do on a rainy November afternoon!

That said, I found a good website that explains in great detail what goes into home-based maple sugaring: TapMyTrees.com. Lots of good info there! Please let me know how it turns out if you decide to try it!

As for pie crusts, if the recipe calls for shortening, you can use butter (in the ratio I mention above), but the crust will turn out less tender than if you used shortening. Since butter is much more flavorful than shortening, many bakers compromise by using half butter and half shortening (or lard) in pie crust dough, giving a good-tasting AND tender crust.

 My recipe for German Red Cabbage uses a bouquet garni with a German touch: cloves and allspice.

Or, if you have your own favorite cinnamon roll recipe, you could adapt it to a caramel roll recipe. Simply make a caramel by combining 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup and 1/4 cup nuts in a medium saucepan over low heat until melted and combined. Pour into the bottom of the pan you’ll use to bake the rolls. Top with the unbaked rolls, and then bake as usual.

And so glad to hear you’re a fan of my Chunky Potato Soup. It’s perfect this time of year!

Are you talking about Nana’s Banana Bread? It’s one of our most popular recipes.  Here’s the link:  www.grandmaskitchen.com/recipes/old-fashioned-breads/nanas-banana-bread/.  Happy holidays to you and yours!

Beef, Bean and Sausage Chili
A bowl of Grandma’s rib-sticking chili could fuel a day’s work or play.

Preparation time: 24 minutes
Slow-cooker time: 3 1/2 to 4 hours
Serves 6 to 8

3 slices bacon
8 ounces Italian sausage
8 ounces ground chuck
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 small green bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans
1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas
2 (16-ounce) cans diced Italian tomatoes
2 teaspoons Worcestershire

1. Chop bacon finely. Fry bacon in a skillet until crisp; drain and set aside.

2. Cut sausage into 1/3-inch pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place sausage, ground chuck and onions in hot skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until ground chuck is browned and crumbly; drain. The sausage will be browned and the onions will be translucent.

3. Sprinkle the chili powder, dry mustard and black pepper over the sausage mixture and mix well.

4. Spoon sausage mixture into a slow cooker. Chop bell pepper and jalapeno. Mince garlic. Drain the red kidney beans and chickpeas.

5. Stir bacon, green bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, kidney beans, chickpeas, undrained tomatoes and the Worcestershire sauce into sausage mixture.

6. Cook, covered, on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Ladle into chili bowls.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
This chili practically cooks itself, freeing up Grandma’s day for other activities and also leaving her with time to prepare side dishes. She usually rounds out the chili with warm corn bread muffins and sliced fresh fruit or fruit salad.

UPDATE: I have added another chili, just because Nancy asked!

Tender Pork Chili
Full-flavored but not spicy, this is a chili that all the adults and children in our family enjoyed.

Preparation time: 16 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 8 to 10

3 pounds pork loin
2 quarts tomato juice
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4 1/2-ounce) cans chopped mild green chiles
1 cup water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Tortilla chips, optional
2 tablespoons grated Cheddar cheese

1. Cut pork into bite-size pieces. Place in a large nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.

2. Combine tomato juice, onion flakes, hot pepper sauce, garlic, salt and black pepper in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the green chiles and water to the tomato juice mixture and mix well. Cook until onion is tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Sprinkle flour over pork in skillet and stir to coat. Add pork and any excess flour to tomato juice mixture and mix well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Serve over tortilla chips, if desired. Sprinkle with Cheddar.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
To prevent the flour from forming lumps when she stirred the pork and excess flour into the tomato juice, Grandma used instant, or fast-dissolving, flour and stirred it with a whisk to break up any lumps. Instant flour is granular, so it dissolves quickly in liquids.

Halloween Party Recipes  
Thanksgiving Recipes  
Christmas Recipes
Grandma’s Christmas Menus

And if you’re planning on some football entertaining this fall, you’ll want to check out my Game-Day Recipes and Game-Day Menus.  

(And if you’re not receiving my FREE e-newsletter, it’s easy to sign up: Simply type your email address in the “Recipe Giveaway” box at the top right of this page.)

Chunky Chocolate Chippers
Chocolate Nut Chippers  
Chocolate Chip Squares   
Chocolate Chip Scones   
Chocolate Chip Brownies 
Chocolate Chip Shortbread  
Banana Double Chippers 

I think that’ll do it for now – I hope you find a recipe you like!

And if you are looking for a particular recipe that includes white chocolate, check out the white chocolate page for all the recipes that include that ambrosial ingredient.

And keep an eye out for our next two e-newsletters, both featuring treats perfect for Halloween! If you aren’t signed up for our newsletter, it’s easy! Just type your email address into the Recipe Giveaway box at the upper right corner of every Grandma’s Kitchen page! 

Have a great Halloween!

As I said, I’ve never used canned apples before, but maybe some of Grandma’s Kitchen visitors have – if so, please use the comments and tell us how you use them or how you would make spiced apples.

I would grill or pan-fry a flat iron steak just as I would any other beef steak; check out my how-to for Grilling Steak for some tips. Or head over to my recipe for Pan-Seared Rib Eyes for a good basic recipe for stovetop steak. For more ideas, you might want to visit our sister site, EasyEverydayCooking.com, and try Rib Eye Steaks with Tangy Herb Butter,  Pan-Seared Strip Steaks, or Porterhouse Steaks Verde. Hope this helps!

Potluck Casserole  
Patchwork Casserole
Chicken & Cheese Lasagna
Sausage & Eggplant Pasta
Potato Chip Casserole
Poppy Seed Chicken

I hope this helps!

Black icing can be tough. No matter how much “black” food coloring you use, it often ends up looking gray or purplish. And if you use too much coloring, it can give the icing a bitter or “off” taste. One solution is to start with a chocolate frosting or icing – using cocoa in the icing gives it a good running start.

The kind of icing doesn’t matter all that much – but I prefer a buttercream frosting or royal icing; I simply find them easier to work with.

What might matter is the kind of food coloring. Most serious cake and cookie decorators prefer paste coloring, especially for difficult colors like black and red. Wilton.com, the cake decorating experts, have a good supply of paste colorings, which they call Icing Colors. They also have a blog post with good tips for making and using black icing here: How to Make Black Buttercream Icing.

Good luck with those penguin cookies—it sounds like an interesting wedding!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chippers
Nobody could make peanut butter cookies like my Grandma!

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time:12 minutes
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
Granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Combine peanut butter, brown sugar and egg in medium bowl until well blended. Add chocolate chips to the dough; mix well.

3. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into 1 1⁄2-inch balls. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

4. Dip table fork into granulated sugar. Press sugar-coated tines of fork in crisscross fashion onto each ball, flattening to 1⁄2-inch thickness. Repeat dipping fork into granulated sugar to prevent it from sticking to dough.

5. Bake cookies in middle of oven until set, about 12 minutes. Let cookies stand on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks; let cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container for up to one week.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Whether Grandma wanted to say “Welcome to the neighborhood,” “Good job!” or just “I love you,” she thought cookies said it best. If you want to make a statement with cookies, follow Grandma’s example. Start with a colorful plastic or paper plate. Pile it high with tasty cookies and then wrap it all up in colored plastic wrap. Tie the wrap with festive curling ribbons. Include the recipe on a pretty note card for a personal touch.

1 whole egg = 1/4 cup (or 4 tablespoons) Egg Beaters
1 egg white  = 3 tablespoons Egg Beaters

So if 1 white is 3 tablespoons, the equivalent for 1 egg yolk would be about 1 tablespoon Egg Beaters. But note that Egg Beaters contains mostly egg whites, so it may not be appropriate to use it as a substitute if a recipe calls for just egg yolks.  I hope this helps!

If you have a slow-cooker, I’ve got just the recipe you’re looking for: English Bread Pudding. It’s a fairly traditional recipe (except for the slow-cooker), and calls for dried fruit, nuts and cinnamon. If you don’t have a slow-cooker, or would like to try a simpler recipe, head over to our sister site, http://www.EasyEverydayCooking.com , for a super-easy recipe (using raisin bread), Raisin Bread Pudding.

But I am guessing you are looking for a cake that includes some fruit. If that’s the case, I’ve got a number of great recipes you can choose from:

If your daughter likes berries, try Star Berry Cake, Polka-Dot Berry Cake, Lemon Berry Pudding Cake or Blueberry Tea Cake.  

Or if you’d like to use canned fruit, take a look at my recipes for Fruit Cocktail Cake, Mandarin Orange Cake and Apricot Surprise Cake.  I hope your daughter takes to one of these cakes — and a very happy birthday to her!

And did you know that if you are a former customer of Grandma’s Kitchen (and have your customer number) you can access most of the Grandma’s Kitchen collection at www.mygreatrecipes.com/redeem? Many of the Grandma’s Kitchen recipes are posted now (including Hearty Chicken Stroganoff) and we will get all of them up shortly. If you don’t have your customer number, contact Customer Service at 1-800-570-5718 or CustomerService@imponline.com and they will get it for you. Please have on hand the address of where the recipe cards were sent when you call, or include it in your email.

Hearty Chicken Stroganoff
Grandma made this dish whenever my brother came home from college. It was his favorite!

Preparation time:14 minutes
Cooking time: 18 minutes
Serves 6

8 ounces wide noodles
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins
4 tablespoons butter, divided
6 medium mushrooms, cut into quarters
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ketchup

1. Cook the noodles using the package directions; drain well. Cover to keep warm.

2. Mix 4 tablespoons flour with the salt and black pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted. Cook chicken in the butter, stirring frequently, until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Remove chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve pan juices in skillet.

4. Add remaining flour and butter and the dry mustard to reserved pan juices and mix well. Gradually stir in broth. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream and ketchup.

5. Return chicken and vegetables to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through; do not boil. Place noodles on a heated serving platter. Spoon chicken mixture over the noodles.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
For a gourmet flavor, Grandma sometimes added a little white wine to this entree. She added 1/4 cup white cooking wine to the skillet when the mushrooms and onion were nearly cooked through. She let the mixture boil for 1 minute, then removed the chicken and vegetables from the skillet.

And did you know that if you have your customer number you’ll soon be able to access the entire collection at www.mygreatrecipes.com/redeem? Most of the Grandma’s Kitchen recipes are posted now and we will get the entire collection up shortly. Also, if you have your own secret tips to make these recipes better, share it with your fellow collectors!

Homemade Apple Butter
Toasted pound cake became special with some of Grandma’s apple butter.

Preparation time: 1 hour
Cook time: 3 hours
Makes 3 1/2 pints

5 to 7 pounds Jonathan, Winesap or Red Delicious apples
2 1/2 cups apple cider
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Cut unpeeled apples into quarters and remove cores. Place in a large heavy stockpot. Add apple cider. Place over high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and puffy, about 2 hours.

2. Process the apple mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth to yield 6 to 7 cups of pulp.

3. Combine apple pulp, granulated sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, cloves and salt in a large heavy saucepan and mix well.

4. Place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 hour.

5. Spoon into 7 hot sterilized 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal with 2-piece lids. Store in pantry or refrigerator.

1. Use a somewhat thick bar of chocolate – one to two inches thick is ideal.  This makes it easy to run the peeler along the thick edge to make the curls. Experiment with using less and more pressure to create curls with different thicknesses.

2. If the chocolate is too cold and brittle, the curls will easily break. To avoid this, place the chocolate in a warm place (90F to 95F) for a few minutes. You could also wave a hairdryer (set on low) over the bar a few times. If the chocolate becomes too soft, simply put it in the fridge for a couple of minutes.

3. Once you’ve created the curls, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Use a toothpick or spoon to transfer the curls to the container and then later to the cake. If you use your fingers, their heat will soften the curls and they may become misshapen. 

Here are some desserts that would be great with some curl decorations:
Chocolate Truffle Mousse   
Chocolate Bread Pudding 
Chocolate Heavenly Hash 
Chocolate Chiffon Cake 
Dark Chocolate Cake 
Milk Chocolate Cake 
Fluffy Chocolate Pie 
Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

Have you tried my Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps? They are my go-to ginger cookie. What’s especially great about these cookies is you can make them softer or crisper by altering the baking time: longer for crisp, shorter for soft. Since you like them soft, bake on the lower end of the scale, about 10 minutes. And how are you storing your cookies? To keep them soft (and also to keep crisp cookies crisp), you should store them in an airtight container. And try this trick: Add a couple of apple wedges to the (airtight) container – they’ll help keep them moist and chewy for a couple of days.

With all these recipes, you’ll probably want to make a double or triple recipe if you’re serving the salsa with chips instead of chicken or fish. And remember, that the beauty of salsa is you can pretty much put whatever you want into it! So clean out that veggie drawer and experiment!

Hmmm, this is a toughy. First off, I want to make sure that if you’re using frozen biscuits (like I call for in Creamed Chicken & Biscuits), that they are completely defrosted before you put them on the creamed chicken to bake. Because if they are still a little frozen, they won’t bake properly. And also make sure that your oven is calibrated correctly – if it’s not hot enough you may have to up the temperature a bit, or bake longer.

Beyond that, it may just be that you prefer a more-done biscuit. For many people, part of the appeal of biscuits and chicken is the kind of doughiness of the underside of the biscuit (almost like a dumpling) in contrast to the nicely browned, biscuit-y top. That’s what my family loves!  (But they shouldn’t be runny!)

If you’d like your biscuits to be more biscuit-like through and through, you might want to try pre-baking the biscuits. Put them on a lightly greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms are just beginning to color, then transfer to the creamed chicken and finish them up in the oven. Or, just bake the biscuits all the way through, then use them to top off the casserole!

Spicy Jalapeno Mustard
This mustard was a great way  for Grandma to use the bounty of jalapenos from her vegetable garden.

Preparation time: 39 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Makes 10 (1/2-pint) jars

16 to 20 jalapenos
1/2 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup salt
4 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 (16-ounce) jar yellow mustard

1. Cut the jalapenos lengthwise into halves. Remove and reserve seeds. Chop jalapenos finely to yield about 4 cups.

2. Combine jalapenos, vinegar, water and salt in a large saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until jalapenos are tender, about 8 minutes.

3. Add the reserved jalapeno seeds to the jalapeno mixture according to taste, using 1 tablespoon for mild flavor, 2 for medium and 3 or more for hot.

4. Combine sugar, flour, turmeric and dry mustard in a medium bowl and mix well. Stir in yellow mustard.

5. Add the mustard mixture to the jalapeno mixture and mix well. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

6. Spoon into 10 hot sterilized 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal with 2-piece lids. Process in hot water bath for 5 minutes.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
After she started making this mustard, Grandma found plenty of uses for it. She served it with broiled or steamed bratwurst or other sausages, she used it to baste chicken pieces before baking or broiling them, and she brushed it on pork chops before broiling them. It was also the secret ingredient in her spicy honey mustard salad dressing.

Well, I can point you in the direction of a terrific recipe on our sister site, EasyEverydayCooking.com: It’s called Zucchini Bread, but I’m afraid it couldn’t be considered low-fat since it has a cup of vegetable oil in it! (It IS quite healthy and good for you, though.) If you like, you could reduce the fat count by replacing 1/2 cup of the oil with a 1/2 cup of applesauce.

And if you’re really looking to get rid of that surplus of zucchini from your garden, you should check out my Zucchini page – it has lots of great zucchini recipes, including my favorite, Chocolate Zucchini Cake. 

As for mile-high baking, be sure to check out the Ask Betty question from a while ago covering High-Altitude Baking.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that used cooked chicken:
Chicken Phyllo Rolls
Creamed Chicken & Biscuits
Chicken Corn Fritters
Chicken Chimichangas
Chicken & Cheese Lasagna

And be sure to check out the Chicken & Turkey Leftovers page.

Seems like people have sugar on their minds today! I just answered Nancy’s question about a substitute for confectioners’ sugar.

Ok, here’s what you do if you have molasses on hand and want to make brown sugar:  for dark brown sugar, combine 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses. For light brown sugar, use 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and the 2 tablespoons molasses.

Guess what? I’ve got a terrific bread pudding recipe I think you’ll love. English Bread Pudding calls for apple, spices and mixed dried fruit – you can certainly use all raisins if you like!  As for an easy dumpling – how about Peach Dumplings? It uses refrigerated crescent roll dough so you know it’s easy!  And if you’ve really got a hankering for apples, you could substitute cored and halved apples for the halved peaches.

As for a substitute for cilantro, I’m not quite sure what to tell you. You’re right that parsley doesn’t really give the same flavor. There are other herbs that might give a similar flavor, but they might also give you a similar reaction, since the plants are in the same family!  But if you can find it, try papalo, a Mexican herb that is similar to cilantro.

You could also try celery leaves or dill (both easier to find that papalo), but they don’t have quite the same flavor. You might also try parsley PLUS a touch of ground coriander (which comes from the cilantro plant, so again, you might have a reaction). A mix of parsley and mint might also be good – not exactly like cilantro, but certainly more flavorful than parsley alone. In the end, I think you’ll just have to experiment a bit to find what you like. Good luck!

How about a salad? OK, I’m not talking about baby greens dressed with Dijon vinaigrette—we all know that most kids aren’t going to go for that.  But maybe a healthy pasta salad made with a favorite pasta shape along with cheese, bits of deli ham or turkey, carrot slivers and other tolerable vegetables. Or try a couscous or rice salad, studded with raisins, nuts and chunks of chicken.  And I don’t know any kid who would turn down Creamy Macaroni Salad.

And maybe “Breakfast for Lunch”! Who says you can only eat breakfast in the morning? Some traditional breakfast foods make great lunchbox fare: The simplest would be a bowl of granola with a container of milk and a banana, or maybe a bagel and cream cheese. Go a little bit fancier and pack thawed frozen waffles spread with peanut butter. For a truly comforting lunch, pack hot oatmeal in a Thermos and include some maple syrup and fresh fruit for mixing in.

Or perhaps a hot lunch? Some kids really enjoy hot food at lunch. My grandson, who passes by most vegetables, will happily slurp up most any kind of soup, even veggie-filled minestrone. So think about investing in a Thermos that you can fill with Chicken Curly Noodle Soup (or any other favorite soup), and add some bread and fruit.  A wide-mouthed Thermos is also good for last night’s stew, fried rice and other rice dishes, and even leftover scoops of casserole or baked pasta!

And finally, go beyond the typical sandwich. Forgo regular sliced bread and build a sandwich from raisin bread, whole grain pita rounds, rice cakes, corn muffins, or bagels. Or take it a step further and deconstruct the typical lunchbox sandwich by separating the protein from the bread or crackers—kids love putting together their own food! It makes it more like a snack, and we all know how much kids love snacks. Try some of these combos for easy lunches:

• Peanut butter or hummus with crackers
• Tuna salad with pita bread triangles to use as scoops
• Cheddar cheese and apple slices with crackers on the side
• String cheese and ham bites with crackers on the side

I hope these suggestions are helpful, Amanda. Here’s to a wonderful new school year for you and your kids!

So I’m not sure what to tell you!  Maybe there are differences in pans from different manufacturers? Have you tried a different brand? You might want to do some research on home and kitchen retail websites that include buyers’ reviews (like Amazon.com), and look for a pan that has universally good reviews. So sorry I couldn’t help you more!  

But maybe there are some Grandma’s Kitchen visitors who have some advice on silicone baking? If so, please comment below and tell Grandma and Merrianne about your experience with silicone bakeware, whether it’s good or bad!

My Santa Fe Skillet Chili, although an excellent chili, is a bit saucy because it uses undrained beans, tomatoes, and chiles. So if you try that recipe you might want to drain those ingredients before adding them to the chili. And of course, use any of the tips above if it’s still too saucy for you!

Classic Waldorf Salad
Grandma’s mother and father stayed at the Waldorf Hotel in New York in the early 1900s. They brought home this recipe.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: none
Serves 6

1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 medium Red Delicious apples
2  medium Golden Delicious apples
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sliced celery
6 large leaves lettuce

1. For salad dressing, combine whipping cream, mayonnaise, granulated sugar, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl and mix well.

2. For salad, chop the unpeeled apples. Combine apples, pecans and celery in a large bowl and mix well.

3. Add salad dressing to salad and toss to mix well.

4. Place a lettuce leaf on each of 6 individual serving plates. Top with equal portions of salad. Serve immediately.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
Classic Waldorf Salad is so flexible. Grandma sometimes used whole-milk plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise.  Sometimes she added grapes, cut in half, and omitted the salt. She even occasionally used toasted sunflower seeds in place of the pecans.

The very best to your sister-in-law and the rest of the family!

Creamy Macaroni Salad
This delicious salad was always a family favorite at summer picnics.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: none
Serves 6

16 ounces elbow macaroni
1 each medium red and green bell pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
Cherry tomatoes, optional for garnish

1. Prepare elbow macaroni according to package directions, but do not add salt. Drain macaroni in colander; place under cold running water to cool. Drain thoroughly.

2. Remove the stems and seeds from red and green bell peppers. Chop bell peppers and set aside.

3. For dressing, in a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper until well blended.

4. Add cooked cooled macaroni, chopped celery, chopped bell peppers and chopped onion to bowl. Toss with dressing to coat evenly.

5. Place salad on serving platter. Garnish with cherry tomatoes, if desired, and serve.

Grandma’s Secret Tip
When Grandma cooked pasta, she didn’t have a pasta pot to use. If you don’t have one to cook your pasta in, use Grandma’s old-fashioned version of a pasta pot. She placed a metal colander or a large metal strainer inside a pot of boiling water. Then she placed the uncooked pasta in the colander or strainer. When the pasta was done cooking, she simply lifted the colander out of the pot to drain the pasta.

In addition, our sister site, GreatMealsinUnder30.com, has a great chicken kebab recipe that you can either grill or broil: Honey Mustard Kebabs. I hope one of these works for you!

You also might want to head over to the National Center for Food Preservation; they have wonderful recipes and step-by-step instructions for making jams and jellies, including three recipes for plum jam.

If you feel like using herbs in main dishes, salads, and other recipes, you can browse all of my recipes that use fresh herbs by heading over to the Herb Page. Enjoy those home-grown herbs while they last!

As for diabetic-friendly desserts, at this time we don’t have any recipes that are specifically developed for those on a restricted diet. But I urge you to check out the website of the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org. Their “Food & Fitness” section has a lot of excellent advice on healthy cooking in general and cooking for diabetes patients in particular. In addition, www.DiabeticLifestyle.com has a large number of diabetic-friendly recipes in all categories.

And you might want to check out my recipes that are tagged  “Healthy,” which you can find at www.grandmaskitchen.com/tag/healthy.  Although they are not specifically developed to be diabetic-friendly, you might find some desserts that fit in with your eating plan.

Instead of the horseradish in the recipe, substitute minced fresh garlic, minced fresh chiles, garlic salt, chili powder, curry powder, cayenne, hot sauce, mustard – any zesty, strong seasoning is fair game.

If you’d like corn that isn’t quite so zesty, omit the horseradish, parsley and paprika and substitute minced fresh herbs (like basil, tarragon, lemon thyme), minced sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, or even grated Parmesan cheese! Or forget about the butter and seasonings and use your favorite vinaigrette or ranch dressing. The possibilities are almost endless – why not experiment a bit and find your favorite?

Thanks for the oh-so-kind words about my recipes! And guess what? I’ve got just the recipe you’re looking for:  Dilly Beans are fresh green beans, pickled in vinegar, mustard seed and dillseed and canned in sterilized jars. If you need to brush up on canning basics, or if you’ve never canned before, you might want to check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation website; it has some great advice on Canning and other ways of preserving food at home.

And why don’t you make Classic Pesto with Linguine tonight?

Shuck the corn and cook the ears in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 2 minutes. (If the corn is not going to be cooked in the recipe, cook the cobs a bit longer – maybe 5 minutes.) Let the cobs cool a bit, then trim the stem end and place, cut-end down, on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut down the cob to remove all of the kernels. Two ears of corn will give you 1 to 1 1/2 cups corn kernels; one 12-ounce can of corn is about 1 1/2 cups. So, depending on the size of your ears, you’ll need 2 to 3 ears corn to get the amount of kernels in one can of corn.

I hope you use that fresh corn in some of my recipes, like Farmhouse Corn & Tomatoes, Salmon Corn Cakes and Easy Dilled Succotash – it’ll be delicious, I promise! And find all of my corn recipes on the Corn page.