Lenten goals--cleaning instead of fasting

My Lenten goals are getting a slow start. This week it was tackle the cupboards and bookshelves of the kitchen. I'm on the first shelf of cookbooks in the kitchen--next will be the "junk drawer."  I'm already stuck at the computer. I'm looking at a recipe take away from the Home & Garden Show, Feb. 25-Mar 5, 2006. As I recall I picked it up because we went to a demo for a chocolate peanut butter torte with bananas in honor of Elvis' birthday at Gourmet Galaxy Cafe which was sponsored by Whole Foods, Columbus Dispatch, Home Source Interiors, etc. Before I put this in the stay or go pile, I'll just mention 2 recipes easy enough for 80-somethings to learn (each 2 pages features a Columbus chef or personality with their favorites. 

1)  Manny Malhotra of the Columbus Blue Jackets (hockey) offered, "Asparagus a la Manny" which requires 1 bunch of asparagus, salt and pepper and olive oil and aluminum foil.  2) The COO of Donatos (pizza chain based in Columbus) and daughter of the founder reported that she had worked in all areas from take-out window, making night deposits, spreading sauces and cheese to dotting pepperoni slices to the edge, but there was no recipe.

When I went back and checked my blog, I see I had written about this cookbook in 2006. https://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2006/03/2228-chocolate-peanut-butter-cream.html.

By the time I got to shelf 3 I was browsing Vols. 3-5 of "A Taste of Columbus" by Beth Chilcoat. Vol. 5 was 2000, and she began the series when her children were small, and by this one she had grandchildren. I had inherited these from my daughter who had given them originally to her mother-in-law, Marilyn.  All are done in calligraphy with lovely drawings of Columbus' historical scenes. Chilcoat's husband (also co-author) died in 2006 of ALS, and she later wrote about widowhood and grief. Cap City Diner Meatloaf by Jimmy Mohammed has 28 ingredients (mostly herbs and spices) in vol. 5.

Mom's Meat and Potato Quiche

 I was looking through my box of handwritten recipes the other day, and saw, "copied from Mom 1990" Meat and Potato Quiche.  So I decided to try it today because I had all the ingredients.  It's in the oven now, but I don't have great hopes for it.  It uses shredded potatoes for the crust, and I'd forgotten that potatoes are very watery and turn pink when shredded.  Directs say, press them into a 9" pie dish, bake for 15 minutes at 425 then add the meat, cheese and egg mixture, then put it back in the oven for 30 minutes.  I could see immediately that the egg/milk liquid seeped through the crust, so I expect a very difficult clean up.

Meanwhile, I checked the internet, and found several versions of this, and finally one that was an exact match.  Yes, watery potatoes, and liquid seeps through!  But one comment said, "Exactly like 'More with Less Cookbook,' and I know Mom liked that.  So I got mine out, and checked.  Exact match.  You can use diced chicken, ham or sausage, and I used some of the Thanksgiving turkey.  Taste test will be later.

Meat & Potato Quiche Recipe - Food.com

Doris Janzen Longacre wrote "More with less" cookbook and also "Living more with less." She was a Mennonite missionary.  I wrote about this cookbook at my blog in 2014.  She was my age and died when she was 39, but her cookbook sold over a million copies. In the 70s we thought if we had/ate less, we some how would help people who were poor with few material goods.  We know now, that isn't how it works. Life for the poor is improved when they have viable jobs and a decent government. One that doesn't abuse them.  Being careful with money, calories and nutrition is its own reward. Better health and less stress.  At that 2014 blog I included this, "Life is too short," which sounds like her philosophy and she might have written it, however the link is broken, so I can't tell for sure. But it was definitely my philosophy as a young mother in the 1970s. And life is too short to spend time tracking down obscure and broken links (although I do it often) in your 80s.

Life is too short to ice cakes; cakes are good without icing.
Life is too short to read all the church periodicals.
Life is too short not to write regularly to your parents.
Life is too short to eat factory baked bread.
Life is too short to keep all your floors shiny.
Life is too short to let a day pass without hugging your spouse and each of your children.
Life is too short to nurse grudges and hurt feelings.
Life is too short to worry about getting ready for Christmas; just let Christmas come.
Life is too short to spend much money on neckties and earrings.
Life is too short for nosy questions like "How do you like your new pastor?" Or—if there’s been a death—"How is he taking it?"
Life is too short to be gone from home more than a few nights a week.
Life is too short not to take a nap when you need one.
Life is too short to care whether purses match shoes or towels match bathrooms.
Life is too short to stay indoors when the trees turn color in fall, when it snows, or when the spring blossoms come out.
Life is too short to miss the call to worship on a Sunday morning.
Life is too short for bedspreads that are too fancy to sleep under.
Life is too short to work in a room without windows.
Life is too short to put off Bible study.
Life is too short to put off improving our relationships with the people we live with.

So maybe I'll browse some more in that cookbook. . . and think about Mom.

Here's another blog written by someone else. Life-Changing Cookbooks: More-with-Less - Paste (pastemagazine.com)

15 minutes later: Taste test. Not ready for prime time; glad I didn't try this one for company brunch.

Poverty simulation workshop at Ohio State

Another way for poverty pimps to earn a living--put on workshops for churches, non-profits, and academe. OSU is promoting yet another one. Participants get to feel virtuous by planning a budget using government programs guaranteed to keep people in their place--including the ones who sign up. It's an industry supporting the middle class.

There's nothing like a job to pull someone out of poverty, but consciousness raising never reduced single motherhood, or a poor education, or a prison record, or mental health challenges. Unmarried parents is the primary cause of childhood poverty. Back in the day (early 80s) when I worked for the state of Ohio and either attended or planned these gatherings (we didn't call it simulation then, just information on state and federal resources) we were told by those above us, our experts and leaders who lived on government grants, that one needed to earn at least $10/hour to go beyond what the state/federal programs could offer. For 1983 that was unheard of! Those of us earning our living doing this didn't make that unattainable salary. I don't know what the figure is today, but the 2019 median income for middle class was $68,703. The government, btw, has no official definition for middle class.

Leanne Brown is not a poverty pimp, but she wrote a hugely successful cookbook on eating well on $4/day SNAP budget. And she made it free. She's a Canadian. https://www.leannebrown.com/cookbooks/... I don't know if the OSU poverty simulation teachers will tell you, but I'm telling you, these are really great, nutritious and cheap.

Sweet and sour chicken

I received a new cookbook for Christmas—it’s a family compilation by the Shaw family, 5 of whom I met blogging and now read and enjoy regularly on Facebook. Their mother Ruth Baird Shaw went back to college after her Methodist minister husband died and became a Methodist minister.  All the children are grown with grandchildren and are quite successful and interesting people—and they have collected in 2 editions, family recipes. With photos.  As I was browsing (always looking for the easiest and quickest) I noticed “Ricky and Lyn’s Sweet and Sour Chicken.” I think Lyn is Joan’s daughter. 

With only 4 ingredients and minimal prep, this looks like one I would take to a church pot luck.

8 boneless chicken breasts

1 8 oz. jar peach or apricot preserves

1 8 oz. bottle Catalina dressing

2 envelopes onion soup mix

Mix all ingredient except chicken breasts.  Place chicken in casserole dish.  Pour mixture over the chicken breasts.  Bake covered for 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Remove cover and bake an additional hour.

This was submitted by Joan Shaw Turrentine, and Carol Shaw Johnston who was the compiler of the cook book comments that she has made this recipe several times and usually splits the recipe among 3 pans and freezes 2 of them for meals later.  It freezes really well.

My new cookbook, Deceptively Delicious

I had no idea I’d purchased an afternoon of reading for $1.00, Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.  First, I’d never pay $25.00 for a recipe book, especially in 2007, but $1.00 looked like a good price on the library sale shelves.

I vaguely remembered the story of Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld, but had to look it up. He of course, was a famous comedian whom I rarely watched.  Then after he retired (I think) he married a much younger woman who was escaping a brief marriage, then they had babies and she made books. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Seinfeld

Their kids are now 20, 17 and 15 or approximately that, and when they were young she had some trouble getting them to eat, so she wrote cook books, one of which was the one I bought for $1.00.

I’m not sure the recipes are simple, the ideas are simple or if it’s supposed to be easy. But it has occurred to me recalling years ago when I tried to teach a young woman some basics of cooking who had never helped her own mother in the kitchen, that there’s a lot left out of cookbooks.  For instance:

1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs—how would you explain this to someone who didn’t know how to make them or where to buy them; it’s not like they are in the bread section of a grocery store.

This whole cookbook is built around the idea of pureeing food and then slipping it into regular recipes.  For this you need a food processor which I’ve never used, and the instructions are not particularly clear: put the (item) in the processor, secure lid, press on button and puree until smooth.  Does a beginner just learning how to peel carrots understand that?

However, I suppose if your kids won’t eat regular, hearty textured food, slipping some puree into the French Toast or scrambled eggs might do the trick.  And it’s certainly not going to hurt adults.

I think a lot of women have larger freezers than I do and definitely more patience.  Maybe jars of toddler baby food?

And thank you Mom for all the things I learned from you that I never thought about so I didn’t have to start from scratch with a book.

Good food, good causes

I've been browsing "Mennonite Girls can cook" blog. I think they are Canadian. Lots of great, simple recipes. Like "Orange French Toast." http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2017/07/orange-french-toast.html  Yummy.

  

"We are a group of ten women who share recipes and our faith, with a purpose, inspiring hospitality while using our resources to help needy people around the world.  A simple recipe blog that started to document our family favorite recipes began in 2008 has resulted in two cookbooks."
http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/p/about-us.html

USDA and SNAP

Although USDA is the acronym for United States Department of Agriculture, its largest expenditure ( two thirds of its budget) is SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.  It should really be called the Department of Food and Nutrition.  Liberals don’t want SNAP reduced even though they admit it fails in so many ways, particularly in allowing recipients to buy soda/pop (5 cents out of every dollar value).  I would add to that the use of SNAP EBT cards at fast food restaurants--a boon to the industry, but not to the health of low income people. You can also use the EBT card at Starbucks--I don’t even buy their overpriced product!  You can fix an entire meal for what a Starbucks latte will cost you.  Twenty million more Americans are using SNAP today than at the start of the 2007 recession, which has been over since June 2009 and now unemployment is at record lows.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/expanding-snap-to-promote-healthy-diets-for-low-income-americans/

 http://dailycaller.com/2014/06/30/11-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-buy-with-food-stamps/

Good and Cheap is a cookbook for people with very tight budgets, particularly those on SNAP/Food Stamp benefits. The PDF is free and has been downloaded more than 1,000,000 times.  It's a myth that cheap processed food is more economical than "real" food.  Just figure the cost per ounce of a 5 lb bag of potatoes against a 12 oz. bag of potato chips.  Or a $2.28 gallon of milk against a liter of Pepsi.

Monday Memories--moving the books out

My friends and I compare notes on how we're doing in clearing out the clutter. Three are planning moves to retirement apartments; we're not there yet, but we want to do some rearranging. Our photo albums are taking over the house--I think I counted 70! We did a massive sweep about 11 years ago, but it all came back.  Before I got sick in January, I'd started on the books again, and then last week renewed the effort.  The books have been rounded up and herded into the garage, tied with some twine, and Christmas ribbon, but there's not much change on the shelves. They'll go to the church, the cancer resale shop, the public library, our son, and the sailing books we'll take to the lake next time to see if a neighbor wants them.  A lot of cookbooks went this time.  That's unusual for me, but they were mainly just hanging around to remember the good times.  I have in that stack a 12 volume set of the Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery that I bought one week at a time at the grocery store in the 1960s, and many Taste of Home Annuals. If you are looking for a new set of that encyclopedia, it goes for about $2,000 according to Amazon, or about $40 used.  I think there are volumes in my set that are "new."  I wrote a Thursday Thirteen blog about my cookbooks in 2006.  

Then I decluttered in 2009 about 8 years ago. Shelves looked pretty good, but still tight.

Another set (tied in red ribbon in the photo) is the Famous Writers school of writing, 3 volumes plus an annual. I found them at a used book store about 20 years ago when I was doing more writing, but never really used them. Lots of famous names. According to Wikipedia, as many as 90% never finished the course, so perhaps this was from a disgruntled student. There was eventually a law suit. But I think there should be 4 volumes.  Going through the architectural journals I found an annual that included some places we've been like Thorncrown Chapel.

The bookshelves with all those titles removed, still very full.

Never ending battle with books

 I wish my culinary skills matched my kitchen bookshelves. Yesterday we had our entry and kitchen floors cleaned (thanks to our son who made the arrangements), so the furniture had to be moved. I was able to remove maybe 7" of things I didn't need, and rearranged it all when we put it back. I just counted the cookbooks--33 of them--from hard bound, spiral bound, church ladies, and Upper Arlington Public Library Christmas collections, plus the little box of recipes from my mother, all the clippings from the Columbus Dispatch and printouts from internet recipe sites I keep in a folder. I need to entertain more, because it's really difficult to cull the culinary shelf.

My latest purchase for $2.00 at Marc's that won't be used--Taste of Home 2011 Collection--recipes are too esoteric and difficult. But I do like to look at the photos.  https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Christmas-Catherine-Cassidy/dp/0898218306

We are hosting both Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day dinner; our son is donating the ham and bringing the wine, and our daughter will be contributing a sugar free pie. I have two sets of Christmas dishes to choose from.  Now to figure out the rest of the story.

Eating on $29 a week—Gwyneth Paltrow

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…/gwyneth-paltrow-food-stamp_…? Gwyneth Paltrow is on a publicity stunt. This not the budget for SNAP, nor is it intended to be the only source of income, however, there's a wonderful on-line recipe book that shows it can be done with delicious, frugal and well balanced meals. “Good and Cheap is a gorgeous cookbook for people with limited income, particularly those on a $4/day food stamps budget.” http://www.leannebrown.com/cookbooks/

Gwyneth Paltrow is actually a very distant cousin on my mother's side (via the Danners).

How about asparagus pizza?

 

If ethics laws apply to wives, they should also cover girlfriends and mistresses, or whatever a boy toy is called

“Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, is demanding that lawmakers report income they make from outside jobs as part of an ethics overhaul. In response, Republican lawmakers say it's only fair to require officials to file disclosures including the finances of domestic partners such as Lee, a successful TV chef and author.”

http://news.yahoo.com/tv-celeb-sandra-lee-pulled-ny-legislative-ethics-225547313.html

From my bookshelves.

Don’t cook much, but love to look

I bought this nice hard cover Taste of Home at Marc’s last week for $2.93.  I’ll put it on the coffee table to browse while “watching” TV. Maybe it will inspire me to try something new, but I really think I’m buying more processed or store baked foods now than when I worked and didn’t have time.

Taste of Home 2004,  Taste of Home 1998  Premiere issues 1993 Taste of Home Quick Cooking

It was announced in 2002 that Reader’s Digest Association Inc . acquired Reiman Publications LLC for US$760 million cash, and also completed US$950 million in syndicated financing that was partially used to fund the Reiman purchase. Link. Initially, there was little change in the folksy format or style, but the most recent Taste of Home I saw looked like any other recipe magazine, including lots of ads and coupons.

On the cover is Best Chocolate Raspberry Torte (p. 57)

Yes, you can eat on SNAP allotment—but you don’t need to

A very nice cookbook you can download. The idea is tasteful, healthy meals on $4/day, although SNAP was never intended to be the full budget for food, but a supplement, it can be done. http://www.leannebrown.ca/cookbooks/

Broccoli and Cheddar Empanadas (makes 12)

Dough

2 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour

½ cup cornmeal

½ tsp salt

½ cup butter

1 egg

1/2 cup cold water

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Filling

8 cups broccoli, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ tsp chili flakes

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 egg (for brushing)

See the website for instructions on preparations.

Baked French Toast for 12

Or one. Me.

I've tried a recipe in my New Inglenook Cookbook (Brethren Press, 2013) and declare it tasty. It's baked French toast, but the mix is eggs and orange juice with the soaked bread baked in a glaze of butter and cinnamon. It was a camp recipe to serve 12 so I reduced it and left out the sugar, which was rather high.

10 eggs, beaten (I used one)
2 cups orange juice (I used 1/4 cup)
1 cup butter, melted (I used a Tablespoon)
1 1/2 cups of sugar (didn't use it)
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (sprinkle)
24 slices thick-sliced crusty bread (I used 2 heels and one dried out bakery something)

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Combine eggs and orange juice.
• Combine butter, sugar, and cinnamon and divide between two 13 x 9 baking dishes (I used one 8 x 8).
• Spread the butter mixture around to thoroughly coat the bottom of the dishes.
• Dip the bread into the egg mixture, turning to coat thoroughly.
• Lay the bread in the dishes.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• When ready to serve, flip the bread pieces over so the glaze is on top.

Nobody tells a dying guy to shut up by Dave Chilcoat

"Nobody tells a dying guy to shut up" is the personal testimony of Dave Chilcoat, who battled ALS the last 3 years of his life but continued to witness the love of Jesus to the end. When he learned he had this terrible disease, he started an on line journal recording both his physical struggles and his spiritual victories, writing the final entry in Aug. 2006. His wife, Beth, edited the journal and published it in 2009.  It is in the church library at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church (Columbus, OH), and I read it in one sitting Friday--his description of the disease, his pain, and his tears is crushing, but his joy in the Lord is inspiring and faith building. His selection of appropriate scripture is outstanding. Dave and Beth came to Columbus, OH, to establish Young Life when they were a young married couple with a baby in 1970. After 10 years he went to law school and was a lawyer for 23 years. See  her web site for ordering information. http://bethchilcoat.com/

Until I read this book about Dave's three years battling ALS, I had forgotten I had three "A taste of Columbus" recipe books by Dave and Beth. I have III (1987),IV, (1991) and V (2000), received after Marylyn Doncevic, the original owner and wife of Paul Doncevic, died. These are wonderful recipes from Columbus area restaurants, and the books are illustrated by David's mother, whom you also get to know in his book.

The Wonderful World of Cooking and two mothers $12.00

Katherine Cornell said this book is enchanting. Maybe so, but for one dollar (Lakeside yard sale) it has some great recipes ala the 1950s when it was damn the cream, butter and cholesterol. Still it has enough herbs to make the 21st century cook smile. The Cream of Wild Asparaus uses fresh tarragon, a pinch of coriander, and a sprinkle of mace, served with crusty rolls and fresh berries for dessert.

Edward Harris Heth was a minor writer of the 1940s and 1950s who lived an openly gay life style in the midwest when that was somewhat unusual. At least one young man (then) thought so who met him in a writing class where he was an instructor. This book is autographed, and was given as a gift by the floral shop (Tom Jacks, Milwaukee) to a new bride in 1961. The bill for the flowers, still inside the book, is worth the $1.00: Brides bouquet, $12.50; 3 bridemaids $18.00; 2 altar bouquets, $10.00; Belssed Virgin (sic), $5.00; aisle runner, $10.00; pew bows and streamers $10.00; centerpiece, $15.00; 2 Mothers, $12.00; bouts 9, $4.50. Total for all the flowers for bride, attendants, mothers, groomsmen, tables, etc. was $97.00. So Jean Winzenburg and Steve Treacy of Wauwatosa, WI had quite a wedding.

There are some amusing stories in this cookbook, with Aunt Dell (a large woman who always seems to be in his kitchen), as well as great recipes for Onion Pie, Blueberry Pickle (uses molasses), fried green tomatoes, leaf lettuce and cream (a favorite at my Mother's table), string beans in drippings, Pregnant Soup, Salt pork with creamed new peas and potatoes. Now, aren't you hungry?

Mother's Ham Loaf

In honor of my mother's birthday, I'm going to share her wonderful Ham Loaf/meatball recipe. When there was a church dinner, this is what everyone wanted. I'm making it today, but I've reduced the portions a bit--and the mix I got is beef, pork and veal--so who knows what it will taste like with no ham in the ham loaf! I'm sure it's the ham that makes it yummy.

1/2 lb. ground veal
1 lb. ground smoked ham
1 1/2 lb. ground fresh pork
1 cup bread or cracker crumbs
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Have the 3 meats ground together; combine with crumbs, milk and eggs and shape into a loaf. Make a sauce of 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. mustard, 1/2 cup diluted vinegar and pour over the loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 1.5 hours. Baste frequently with the sauce.

Alternate idea: Instead of sauce, fold into the meat mixture 1/3 cup crushed pineapple, 1/2 tsp. mustard and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar. Serves 8.

This is in the family recipe book, "Taste the Memories," which I created for our 1993 family reunion.

Also from the cook book:
Mrs. Felker's coffee cake
Aunt Dorothy's Taco Salad
Julie's Vegetable Lasagna
Norma's Sweet Sour Meat Loaf
13 cookbooks on my shelves

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Jessica Seinfeld on feeding kids

Maybe I should've written a book. Although since some other author (Missy Lapine) whose book is further down the best seller list is crying foul, I think it has a bit to do with being Jerry's wife, and sitting in on the Oprah show. Do you think? Anyway, I never had a problem getting my kids to eat, or to go to bed at a decent hour. Most of my tips for eating don't involve food.


1. Eat as a family--this is the key.

2. Set a nice table, both attractive and easy for children to use.

3. Have regular meals--my husband was usually home by 5:30 or 5:45, so this wasn't hard for us. We still eat early.

4. When children are small, use a booster seat, or put them on their knees on a regular chair, but put them at the table with the adults. Counters and stools are death to good eating habits, in my opinion.

5. Eat out only occasionally and/or for special events. You just can't compete for their taste buds with the high fat, high salt, high crunch of fast food.

6. Don't tolerate misbehavior at the table which spoils everyone's dinner, including the kid's.

7. Let the children help--but not too much. You want them to see that food preparation is an adult task--a big deal!

8. Clean plates are optional, but whining, complaints and dessert aren't.

9. Children in Haiti get beans and rice every day at school (according to my husband who has been there). Don't give very young children so many choices that you confuse them and numb their taste buds, which are much more sensitive than yours.

10. Desserts should be occasional and can be fresh fruit or yogurt to be special (it's a mind game, folks).

11. Don't be coy. We used to have mystery vegetable night, but really, the kids didn't like it. However, it makes for great family stories 30 years later.

12. I never snuck vegetable puree into anything (probably didn't have a blender then), although today I put pumpkin into peanut butter pie and you can't tell the difference. My children learned to appreciate vegetables for what they are, and usually raw. Raw carrot slices or cabbage was a BIG treat, as it was in my home when I was growing up. Raw potato slices were another big favorite.

13. My kids loved casseroles. However, my son-in-law (family of 7) hates them, so I think you need to go lightly here. Lasagne, spaghetti, mac and cheese--all that stuff we like, he will only have 2 helpings. He doesn't want his food "to touch."

14. Good luck keeping the sugary, high fat, high chemical and colored food away from your kids--as soon as they do an over-night or an after school play date at a friend's home, you've lost that battle. I baked whole wheat bread and lasagne with spinach noodles, but you can't fight the whole neighborhood unless you want your kid to have no friends.

Note to purists: No one seems to know where the word "sneak" came from, but its past tense "sneaked" is rarely used in the U.S. Most Americans (unless they majored in English or are over 65) use "snuck," but all forms sound pretty silly.

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Garage sale finds

Although a number of "pickers" had already gone through the jewelry, I noticed this piece, which was black and priced at $.50. I suspected it was silver, or silver plate, so I took it in the house and cleaned it up with silver polish. I don't wear much jewelry, but I thought this was interesting. It seems to be strung on a piece of leather, and I may look for a way to shorten it. I wore it to a party last night with a black t-shirt and white slacks and got more compliments than I'd ever had on anything I own. And when I told the women the price. . . what fun!



This piece was maybe $1.00 and still in the May Co. box with the price tag. It too was black from tarnish, but I thought it cleaned up nicely. Looks cute with a t-shirt.



Of course, my daughter didn't even get $1.50 for these--she just gave them to me, but if you had been there, that would have been your price.

One of the cookbooks I got (out of hundreds, new and never used), was a Taste of Home 2002 Annual. I used one of the recipes for our neighborhood party last night. Very tasty. I could have figured this one out on my own, but when I saw it I realized I had the ingredients and wouldn't need to go to the store after a hot day at the garage sale. I arranged bright red strawberries, with stems, and Granny Smith sliced apples (dipped in orange juice to prevent browning) on a pretty glass sectioned platter, and in the center included "Fudgy Fruit Dip":

1/3 cup fat-free sugar-free hot fudge topping
1/3 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt (I used low-sugar strawberry yogurt)
1 1/2 teaspoons orange juice concentrate (I didn't use this)

I think I used more like 1/2 cup of of the fudge sauce and 1/2 cup of the yogurt because I had a large plate of fruit. It makes a nice dipping consistency. Browsing a new cookbook is the fun part, but in this case, I actually found something I could use.