Kitchen Crafts 'n' More Newsletter "Recipes, crafts and help around the home." Issue #496 November 22, 2006 ~11,000+ SUBSCRIBERS~ ================================= Today's FEATURE Sponsor Is... Beckley's Best Blends - All Natural Soy Candles At Beckley's Best Blends, a husband and wife team (along with help from their kids!) carefully create beautiful, all-natural soy candles. No dyes or additives are ever added, and there are DOZENS of scrumptious scents to choose from - or have a candle customized, and create your own scent! Support a family business that creates the highest quality candles by visiting Beckley's Best Blends - All Natural Soy Candles today! ***** By supporting these sponsors, you support our FREE newsletter. Thank you for your continued support of our valued sponsors. ***** Read Real Stories of Successful eBay Sellers - FREE! Want to sell on eBay, but aren't sure how? Visit eBay Pros to read interviews with real sellers just like you! Read what works on eBay and what doesn't. Be sure to subscribe to our updates, so you can read new interviews as soon as they're posted! And yes - it's all FREE! ***** FREE - Enter to Win a Cruise to the Bahamas Easy, fast contest to enter - hope YOU win! Visit Enter to win a CRUISE ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** NEW on The BLOGS ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** Are you NEW to the idea of blogs? All a blog is is a simple WEB LOG - sort of an online diary. :) It's an easy way for me to post LOTS of delish recipes, ideas and all sorts of other lovely things that I know KCnM readers will love. So if you haven't taken a moment, pick a blog or two to visit - and be sure to post a comment while you're there! I read every one. The Always Popular KCnM BLOG Jam packed with even MORE recipes, household hints, craft ideas...everything you've come to love about KCnM! Remember to post a comment while you're there! Household Hints Loads of great hints submitted by readers! Bath Stuff Blog! For all of us who just LOVE a great bath - and a fabulous bathroom to go along with it. The Pie Recipes Blog I am determined to share as many delicious, amazing pie recipes with you as is humanly possible! :) And what a fun challenge to undertake...we're up to 191 pie recipes listed. The Happy Slob's Housecleaning BLOG Housecleaning, made fun! The Coffee Creations BLOG All sorts of gorgeous Coffee Creations - Recipes & Ideas for using coffee Acne Help and Treatments Sharing ideas on effective acne treatments... ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** Hi everyone, Here is a fresh new issue of Kitchen Crafts 'n' More for you to enjoy. :) I've had fun compiling it with loads of delish new recipes, helpful household hints, and all-around great submissions from all of you. You readers are what makes this newsletter something truly special. As such an interactive newsletter, I look forward to your emails - send in your requests, questions, or send in your favorite household hints, answers to questions, or your best recipes. I'll gladly include them in upcoming issues. (You can always contact me at christinam@nucleus.com) Thanks for your help! Take care, Christina ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** READER'S QUESTIONS ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** Ask a question, or provide an answer! :) Email questions or answers to Christina at christinam@nucleus.com Thanks! ----------------- PREVENT PUMPKIN PIE FROM 'WEEPING' One reader asks: "How do I prevent my pumpkin pies from weeping? " FRESHENING A STINKY DISHWASHER Linda from PA asks: "I have in the last weeks been troubled by a smelly dishwasher. I always rinse dishes before I put them in, so it can't be the decaying of food. I use vinegar in the rinse agent dispenser, so I would think this would help. Is there a way to take care of the smell in my dishwasher?" ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** HOUSEHOLD HINTS & HELP FROM READERS ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** Help a fellow reader - send an answer to one of the above questions, and we'll post it here! (Send to christinam@nucleus.com) ----------------- FRESHER SMELLING BATHROOM One reader suggested: "Bathroom Odors: Place a shallow dish of baking soda behind the toilet to absorb bathroom odors." REMOVING LABELS FROM FRUIT & VEGGIES Without damaging the produce! Removing Labels from Produce Tip DON'T STORE POTATOES AND ONIONS TOGETHER A great tip that I wish I had known YEARS ago...Why Not to Store Potatoes and Onions Together NATURAL ANT REPELLANT Here's a simple, inexpensive and NATURAL way to get rid of ants in your house! Natural Ant Repellant CLEANING AND REMOVING RUST FROM CHROME So easy to do - learn how at Clean and Remove Rust from Chrome Surfaces For great cleaning ideas, visit: The Happy Slob's Guide to House Cleaning ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** FREEBIES OF THE WEEK ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** Free Febreze Sample A Free Sample of Febreze will make your home smell nice and fresh! Free Sample of Febreze Spray Free Crest White Strips Sample A free sample of Crest White Strips will make your teeth look their best! Get Your Free Crest White Strips Free Coupons on the Products YOU Use Get the coupons you need to save on the products you actually use! Get Your Coupons Now ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** REQUEST A RECIPE ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** One of the most popular sections of our newsletter - request a recipe or send in requested recipe. Contact: christinam @ nucleus.com ======================== ~~~RECIPE REQUESTS: ~~~ Please help these readers find these recipes! :) Thanks for your help everyone... CHESS PIE WITH WHIPPED CREAM Shelby asks: " I would like to find a recipe for a chocolate chess pie with whip cream on top." HEALTHY PUMPKIN DESSERT (Low-Sugar) One reader asks: "I love pumpkin pie, but am trying to eat healthier. Does anyone have a healthy pumpkin dessert that is sort of like a baked pudding, but with very little added sugar?" ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** RECIPES FOUND! The recipes readers have been asking for... ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** Caramel Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe Thanks to Sue B - a fantastic recipe researcher - for finding this recipe for our reader. INGREDIENTS: 1 pound jar of coffee mate 1/3 cup vanilla 1 cup Splenda with enough very hot water to make 1/2 gallon of creamer NOTE: The hot water is necessary to dissolve the creamer thoroughly. Combine all together and use as usual to sweeten and flavor your coffee. Christina's Note:I think sugar would work perfectly fine in this recipe as well, if you didn't want to use Splenda. -------------------- Simple and Delicious Roast Beef in the Crockpot Recipe Thanks to Linda K for this easy and yummy sounding recipe. "Best way to make roast beef is in the crockpot. I put the roast in, add water to cover and 4 or 5 beef bullion cubes. Let cook in crockpot...usually 8-10 hours. Remove the meat and use the juice to make gravy....yummmmm!" ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** 'KITCHEN CRAFT' RECIPES & CRAFT PROJECTS ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** Bath and beauty products, home remedies, craft recipes, food mixes, natural cleaning formulas, fun kids recipes and other unique recipes! ======================== Antiseptic Spray Recipe Using real tea tree oil - a keeper! Homemade Antiseptic Spray Apple Pie Potpourri - Great Gift Make an easy apple pie potpourri, store in jars and then give as gifts! Apple Potpourri Recipe Baby Gift Baskets Great Gift for Baby Showers Baking soda Uses Database of Uses for Baking soda Cleaning Recipe - Homemade Carpet Cleaning Foam Homemade Foaming Carpet Cleaner ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** TRADITIONAL RECIPES ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~** The family favorites everyone loves! Please submit your recipes to christinam @ nucleus.com and I'll include them in an upcoming issue. =================== LENO'S CHICKEN WINGS Submitted by Pat 2 to 3 dozen chicken wings 1 can Italian plum tomatoes olive oil garlic or garlic powder Durkee's Hot Sauce salt parsley Cook chicken wings by broiling, or lightly flour them and deep fry in safflower or peanut oil. While they are cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat 1/8" of olive oil in a pan, add garlic powder or crushed garlic to taste. Mash one can of whole plum tomatoes through a sieve and cook in the olive oil. Add a few teaspoons of chopped parsley and salt to taste"then cook about 20 minutes. At the end of this cooking time, add Durkee's Hot Sauce (put in a little or a lot, depending on how hot or mild your taste), but put in at least 2 tablespoons or the sauce won't be as tasty. Add a little garlic powder and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. In a bowl, toss the chicken wings with 1/2 cup of the sauce and serve with the remaining sauce on the side to dip the wings into. ------------------- Pumpkin Cheesecake Submitted by PJ Pumpkin Cheesecake, flavored with the warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, will be the highlight of any special occasion. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes Refrigerate: 4 hours to overnight Makes 14 servings. Ingredients: Crust: 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs or vanilla wafer crumbs 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Nutmeg Filling: 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 4 eggs 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract 1 1/4 teaspoons McCormick® Ground Cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cloves Whipped cream Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. For the Crust, mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 2 inches up side of 10-inch springform pan; set aside. 2. For the Filling, beat cream cheese and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Add pumpkin, vanilla and spices; beat until smooth. Pour into crust. 3. Bake 70 to 75 minutes or until top is lightly browned and center is almost set. Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate 4 hour or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream. -------------------- ------------------------ Honey Glazed Ham Submitted by Jeannie "This ham tastes very much like the famous honey baked ham but costs much less, and there's no need to fight the crowds at holiday time. You can even buy the ham presliced to make it easier and more like the original. It is very good. (I do this while preparing the rest of the meal in the kitchen so that I don't forget to baste!)" Original recipe yield: 12 servings PREP TIME 20 Min COOK TIME 1 Hr 15 Min READY IN 1 Hr 35 Min INGREDIENTS 5 pounds ready-to-eat ham 1/4 cup whole cloves 1/4 cup dark corn syrup 2 cups honey 2/3 cup butter DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Score ham, and stud with the whole cloves. Place ham in foil lined pan. In the top half of a double boiler, heat the corn syrup, honey and butter. Keep glaze warm while baking ham. Brush glaze over ham, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with the honey glaze. During the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving. ----------------------- Broccoli Cheddar Chowder Submitted by PJ Broccoli-Cheddar soup is a classic winter warmer; this hearty version may not win prizes for its beauty but will get a blue ribbon for taste every time. The broccoli stems are added before the florets so every bite is tender. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups) 1 large carrot, diced (1/2 cup) 2 stalks celery, diced (1/2 cup) 1 large potato, peeled and diced (1 1/2 cups) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth (two 14-ounce cans) 8 ounces broccoli crowns (see Ingredient note), cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated (3 cups) 1 cup grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. 2. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more. Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan. 3. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through. Season with salt. Per serving: 180 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 15 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber; 354 mg sodium. =============================== --THANKS FOR READING THIS ISSUE Thanks for reading this edition of Kitchen Crafts n' More! ===============================