A Free ECookbook of Our Favorite Christmas Recipes

Christmas Cookbook - a collection of our best family recipes for the holidays assembled in one place. They are classics along with our families' latest innovations. Delight through the holidays to the sights, smells, and delicious tastes of some of the best food you'll ever put in your mouth! This book covers everything-from appetizers to party foods to breakfast to Christmas dinner to desserts to gifts to food with children to what to do with your gifts. (value: $19.97)

Availiable FREE at The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Midnight Clear

Houston – Carolyn Forche`, national best-selling author and motivational speaker, just returned from the book launch of The Midnight Clear, a collection of Christian and Christmas-themed stories of love, hope and inspiration by 20 national female African American authors. Many of the authors, such as Carolyn, are award winning, national best-selling authors. Sixteen attended the launch event held at Copeland’s Buckhead Restaurant in Atlanta, GA this past weekend. The book is published by KNB Publications in Atlanta. Forche's story, The Best Christmas Promise Ever, chronicles the riveting account of her 3-year vigil with a dying sister, and God's miraculous, near-death delivery, that stunned the Chicago medical community.

She is author of the award-winning Colors Come From God … Just Like Me, (Abingdon Press), which has sold nearly 30,000 copies. She hails The Midnight Clear as a first and one-of-its kind publication, that will touch and inspire the lives of people everywhere. The book was released in late November, and is already getting very positive reviews nationally.

Forche`, who is busy scheduling a number of book-signings here in Houston and in her native home, Chicago, says the book was timed for Christmas release and makes the perfect gift for anyone. Reading the “page-turner” contributions from the various authors on the plane home made her feel “privileged to be a part of such a stellar group of talented writers.” She applauds the efforts of Kendra Norman Bellamy, publisher and author of many best-selling works, whose genius in pulling together some of the best writers in the country has made this publication a sure-to-be best seller as well. Carolyn may be contacted at her office, (281) 914-0422.

Real Women Eat Chiles -- One day only – December 7, 2006!

What's this all about? Read on...
I am very excited to be able to tell you about my friend
Jane Butel and her award winning book "Real Women
Eat Chiles". For the last month, Paul Elliott and I have been
helping her put together an awesome “Real Women Give Away”
featuring her wonderful cookbook for the 2006 Holiday season.
When you order a copy of Real Women Eat Chiles right now,
as a thank you for your support, you will receive a complimentary
collection of gifts.
(Combined together, all of these gifts are worth over $685 and you
get them as a bonus, at absolutely no charge.)
Real Women Eat Chiles is full of fabulous spicy, Santa Fe-style
recipes and delicious, health-tested quick ideas for great, easy meals.
The inspiring stories about women and chiles remind us that the secret
to weight-loss without a diet is high-energy, healthy food!
This gorgeous gift book is perfect for:
· girlfriends
· teachers
· mothers
· sisters
· daughters
I recommend the reading for any woman who is a high achiever or who wishes to be!
But you must act now as this offer is for a limited time! Go here right now and check this out:
http://www.janebutel.com/realwomen.html
Remember, you must act today!

***MARK HENDRICKS' 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 06 OFFICALLY LAUNCHES ***

It's here and it's live now.... It's now in its 4th day!I've already spotted several things and started downloadingbut if you haven't gotten over there yet to take a look...be sure to do it soon before the huge download rushbegins...This only happens once a year — so download everything you want while you can...=======> http://www.collardlovers.com/12days/

We are including a Christmas Cookbook for you in that bonus package!

=======> http://www.collardlovers.com/12days/

The Collard Patch was featured on John Folse's "Stirrin' It Up" on October 4, 2006. To hear the radio program, go to this link:

http://www.CollardLovers.com/jfolse110406.mp3

Get This Amazing Collard Story Cookbook, The Collard Patch, Now!

Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

RECIPE: Stacey Pardue's No Sugar Added Lemon Ice Box Pie

No Sugar Added Lemon Ice Box Pie
(Some of my television viewers have reported that the Crystal Light lemonade adds too much tartness. You may need to use only a 1/2 package depending on your taste buds.)


1 small box sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix
1 3/4 cups skim milk
1 tub Crystal Light lemonade powder (to make 2 quarts) or 1 package Kool Aid lemonade powder plus 1 cup sugar substitute
1 tablespoon lemon juice
8 ounces fat free Cool Whip
1 low fat graham cracker crust (See recipe below!)
Combine pudding and milk; add lemonade powder and lemon juice.

The above recipe is quoted from http://www.wafb.com/

Fold in 1/2 of the Cool Whip. Pour into crust and refrigerate until set. Top with Cool Whip.
Yield: 8 servings Calories: 215Fat: 4 grams


Low Fat Graham Cracker Crust
Reduce the fat and calorie content of your recipes by making your own graham cracker crusts! You may find that 1 cup of crushed graham crackers is sufficient for a small pie.
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (about 8 full-sized crackers)
2 tablespoons sugar substitute or 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons liquid Butter Buds
Place all ingredients in small mixing bowl and mix with a fork until moistened. Press into 8 or 9 inch pie pan prepared with nonstick cooking spray.
Yield: 8 servings Calories: 40Fat: 1 gram


WAFB <http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=1385316&nav=menu57_10_2>

-----
Get your copy of FLAVORED WITH LOVE at www.FWLCookbook.com

RECIPE: Stir Fried Vegetables

Stir Fried Vegetables

Stir fry these ingredients in a wok as listed :

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

12 garlic pods, finely chopped

2 cups carrot s, chopped

2 cups collards, chopped

2 cups cabbage, chopped

1 Fuji apple, coarsely chopped

Pinch baking soda

1 tablespoon Madras curry

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons Teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons raisins

3 tablespoons orange marmalade

Serve in bowls or over rice. Two servings.

An Offer You Cannot Afford to Miss

"Here's How To Grab Your $3,757.23 Book Buy Business Bonus Bonanza...absolutely FREE!"!
Go right now to www.CollardLovers.com

You have to grab these bonuses today, November 2, 2006, or not at all. This is a one-day offer.

BONUS BANANZA

We have some exciting news for you! We are giving away bonuses worth more than $3,000 to everyone who orders The Collard Patch at Amazon.com on November 2, 2006.

These bonuses include cookbooks, help with producing and marketing your own cookbook, self-help literature, generalized marketing, thousands of free recipes, software . . . and so much more.

Go to our Bonus Bonanza page and discover what we are giving away.

Go to http;//www.CollardLovers.com/bonuses and follow the directions.

Our Prater's Mill Country Fair Experience

Well, the anticipation of the Prater's Mill Country Fair in Dalton, GA, this past weekend was certainly well-placed. There were about 10,000 visitors over Saturday and Sunday!

Our cookbook, The Collard Patch, sold very well. We met so many delightful people. Of the ones we met, some were from TN, AL, MS, SC, KY, and LA, in addition to many from all around the home state of GA.

The history of Prater's Mill is intriguing, and the volunteers demonstrated that grain can still be ground into flour, corn meal, and hominy grits. We bought both white and yellow cornmeal and wheat flour.

One of the local matriarchs, Mrs. Smith of the Goodner-Smith Family, was selling delicious homemade jellies and we laid in a supply of that also.

It was a wonderful weekend experience both as a spectator and as a vendor.

Check back this week for a surprising announcement!

Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Recipe: Hot Link Collard Eggs

Original Recipe by Paul Elliott
Ingredients
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 cup finely chopped tender baby collards with stems removed
1 hot link, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 eggs
⅔ cup grated cheddar
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt substitute
1 tablespoon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce—Chile ’n Lime®

Preparation
· Sauté onions, collards, and hot links in olive oil in a heavy skillet.
· Whisk the other ingredients together—the eggs, cheese, and spices—in a mixing bowl
· Pour all the ingredients into the skillet; cook and stir, as you would scramble eggs.

Use to fill crepes or tortillas.

This recipe was featured in The Ruston Daily Leader. Paul's story is in a separate blog entry.

The Way Men Cook Breakfast

Hot Link Collard Eggs

The Way Men Cook Breakfast

By Rindy Swafford. Ruston Daily Leader

Who knew collards could be eaten for breakfast?
Ruston resident Paul Elliott found this fact out after a truckload of them landed in his lap.
Mary Cheatham’s sister had some collard in her garden, and it turned out to be a pickup truck full,” Elliott said. “So we had all these collards and had them in these big black garbage bags.”
His friend Mary Cheatham then wondered what they would do with all the collards.
The answer, for Elliott, was simple.
“We’re going to wash them and freeze them,” Elliott said. “So we had enough collards to do a lot of experimenting. And this recipe was part of that.”
He manufactured his recipe for hot link collard eggs out of things he enjoys – hotlinks, collards, and eggs. Also, in his two and a half years of living in Louisiana, this Texas native learned to season his recipe.
“Living in Louisiana, I’ve learned to enjoy well seasoned foods, so I added some of those and worked with the recipe until it suited my spicemouth,” Elliott said.
Elliott and Cheatham soon decided to add this recipe to the May 2006 release of their cookbook entitled The Collard Patch.
“We picked a lot of other areas that people have not thought of to use collards,” Elliott said. “People don’t usually think of collards in desserts; we’ve done it all and got some delicious recipes in the process.”
Elliott”s hot link, collard, and egg mix can be used to fill crepes or even soft tortillas. The size of the wrap or crepe depends on “how big a breakfast you want.”
Elliott’s cookbook not only contains information about how to create his recipes, but also it contains nutrition facts about the ingredients.
“In the process (of making the book) we put in some information on collard nutrition, how to grow collards, how to control pests and the series of stories from my youth that we titled “Growing up in Collard Country,” Elliott said.
This series contains stories about “people who didn’t know how to farm but moved out to a farm and boy did we get laughed at by the serious farmers” – Elliott’s family.
Elliott said the nutritional facts were included alongside some the recipes to let people know how healthy collards are.
“Well, we did it on some of them; on others you probably shouldn’t even ask because it’s in and effort to point out that collards can be very healthy, very tasty, and have many different ways they can be used,” Elliott said. “So if you think you don’t like collards, you haven’t tasted our collards; that’s the difference.”Elliott and Cheatham’s The Collard Patch can be found at Potluck Gifts and online at www.collardlovers.com

The above story is quoted from The Ruston Daily Leader. Paul's recipe for
Hot Link Collard Eggs appears in a separate blog entry.

Recipe: Creamed Taco

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
2 cans Ranch Style® beans (original seasoned ones)
1 can chili without beans
1 can Ro*Tel® tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
½ pound regular Velveeta® cheese product, cubed
½ pound Mexican Velveeta® cheese product, cubed
½ pint whipping cream
1 large bag regular Fritos® corn chips

Place the meat in the bottom of a four-quart pan or crockery cooker. Dump all the other ingredients (except the chips, of course) on top. Cook at very low heat until the cheese melts.

(The story about the above recipe is in a separate blog entry.)

Get This Amazing Collard Story Cookbook, The Collard Patch, Now!
Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Mary Vaughn’s Creamed Taco: Adding a little spice to a Texas favorite

The Ruston Daily Leader featured Mary Lou Cheatham, author of Flavored with Love,as guest chef in “North Louisiana Cuisine” in the Lifestyles section Sunday, August 13, 2006. Creamed Taco, a recipe from Flavored with Love, was the featured recipe.

Though Mary Lou Cheatham has had a passion for cooking all of her life, it was only four years ago that she decided to put her own recipes and those of her family along with life stories into a cookbook called Flavored with Love, which can be purchased at Potluck Gifts in Ruston.

“About four years ago I was at my family reunion, and there was so much good food and I decided I wanted to collect those recipes,” Cheatham, a resident of Ruston for 30 years, said. “In the meantime everybody was just telling these wonderful stories, all the stories about my family -- funny stories and sad stories. I decided maybe I could put these together, and I came up with the idea of making a story cookbook.”

Family members and friends gave recipes and real-life stories to go along with them. After Hurricane Katrina, her readers expressed a desire for more south Louisiana recipes and stories, so she obliged them with a third edition, which was released in February of this year.

“I did the third edition because so many people were asking me about recipes from south Louisiana, so I added recipes about south Louisiana and some things from south Louisiana heritage.”

According to the book, “The Southern cooking in a down-home Louisiana and Mississippi style ranges from foolproof sugar cookies to make with children at Christmas to authentic Italian lasagna to simple desserts like the three-step fresh fruit salad.

Today’s “Mary V’s Creamed Taco” recipe comes straight from Texas with a little added Louisiana spice.

“My cousin (Mary Vaughn) gave me that one, and she has lived in Texas,” Cheatham said. “So this recipe has a Texas and south Louisiana influence.”

Though the recipe in the book calls for ground beef to be added to the tomatoes, beans, chili, Cheatham said she prefers to use crawfish tails to add a unique Louisiana influence.

With football games and other outdoor activities to go to, she also said this quick and easy recipe would be perfect for the upcoming tailgating season.

“This recipe would be excellent for tailgaiting because it’s easy to make in the crockpot, and it just has to stay warm,” Cheatham said. “People can serve it in a bowl and pour over Fritos and add jalapenos if they want to.”

Cheatham said its creamy texture also makes it the perfect comfort food.

“It’s a creamy comfort food but with spice,” she said. “And it’s very, very easy to make.”

Cheatham recommends serving this soul food dish with guacamole dip.

Cheatham’s recipe book contains more than 300 recipes for down-home dishes and nostalgia thrown in with stories from friends and family members.

As the book says, with those recipes you can imagine serving an authentic Louisiana meal that you prepared without difficulty filling your house with the distinctive odors of Creole and Cajun food.

Cheatham’s book is filled with recipes from southern Mississippi and Louisiana.

How’s that for a little Southern pride?

(The recipe is in a separate blog entry.)

To read more about Flavored with Love, visit www.FWLCookook.com and www.FlavoredwithLove.com

Get This Amazing Collard Story Cookbook, The Collard Patch, Now!
Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Pineapple Upside Down Gouda Cake

The Mars Cheese Castle website has some wonderful recipes, along with pictures and descriptions of different types of cheese. Mars Cheese Castle is located at Kenosha, Wisconsin.

http://www.marscheese.com/

Pineapple Upside Down Gouda Cake
Ingredients Lbs. / Ozs. Method
TOPPING:
Unsalted butter, melted 4 oz.
Brown sugar, firmly packed 7 oz.
Canned pineapple juice 2 oz.
Combine.

Canned pineapple slices, for garnish

CAKE:
Unsalted butter 4 oz.
Sugar 12 oz.
Cream together at 3rd speed of 3-speed mixer until smooth.
Eggs 6-1/2 oz.
Add.
Mix at 2nd speed until well blended.
Flour 12 oz.Baking powder 2 oz.Salt 2 oz.
Sift together; add.
Mix at 1st speed just until incorporated.
Canned pineapple juice 4 oz.
Gouda cheese, shredded 8 oz.
Stir into batter.

Heavy whipped cream, for garnish
Instructions:
Pour pineapple into two parchment-lined 8-by-2-in. round pans.
Arrange pineapple slices over topping; pour batter into pan.
Bake at 375_F for 30-35 minutes.
Cool 10 minutes; invert and remove pan and paper.
Garnish with heavy whipped cream if desired.
Yields two 8-in. cakes.

The above recipe is quoted from the Mars Cheese website.

Quick Ways to Prepare Collard Greens

Drizzle cooked collard greens with olive oil and lemon juice.

Serve steamed collard greens with black-eyed peas and brown rice for a Southern inspired meal.
Use lightly steamed, cooled and chopped collard greens as a filling in your sushi vegetable rolls.

Healthy sauté collard greens with tofu, garlic and crushed chili peppers for a meal that will definitely add spice to your life.
Quoted from http://www.whfoods.org
Check this site for more information about collards.

Sauteed Collard Greens and Kale

Simply stews - Susan Wyler
1 large bunch collards, 1 ¼ lbsl large bunch kale, 1 ¼ lbs3 tablespoons olive oil6 cloves garlic, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Rinse collards and kale well in a large bowl of cold water. Drain and cut off the tough stems. There will be 6 to 8 tightly packed cups. In a well seasoned wok, heat the olive oil over moderately high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring 30 seconds. Add half of the greens and cook stirring for about 1 minute, until they begin to wilt. Add the remaining greens and cook stirring constantly for 8 to 10 minutes, until the greens darken slightly and are fairly tender. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serves 4.

Quoted from:
http://www.epa.net/collardgreens/recipe.html

THE COLLARD PATCH will be featured at Prater's Mill Country Fair.

The Collard Patch Will Be Highlighted at Prater’s Mill Country Fair, A Southern Festival of Quality Artists, Craftsmen, Music, and Food.

Prater’s Mill Country Fair will highlight The Collard Patch, the best collard cookbook in the world, as its featured selection for 2006. Mary Cheatham and Paul Elliott will exhibit and autograph their collard and cornbread reader October 14 & 15, 2006, at Prater’s Mill Country Fair north of Dalton, GA.

Jane Galay, whose recipe for Memories of the Mill Cornbread along with her true story, “Memories of the Mill,” are featured in The Collard Patch, will be present to autograph her selections.

Prater’s Mill Country Fair is one of the most visited autumn events in the Southeast region. The festival provides an opportunity adults and children to experience life as it was in the middle 1800’s. Prater’s Mill, which is still in operation, is a gristmill that grinds grain into flour or corn into meal.

The fair features numerous types of entertainment:

Southern food
Live history exhibits
Original art
Blacksmithing
Handcrafted quilts
Quilting
Woodcarving
Rug Hooking
Hand tufting
Civil War encampment
Antique engines in operation
Tours of the gristmill
Country store
Shugart Cotton Gin
Farm animals in Westbrook Barn
Canoe rides in Coahulla Creek
Nature trail hikes
Pony rides
Clogging exhibitions
Country bands
Gospel singers
Jugglers
Storytellers


From http://www.pratersmill.org/the essential information:
Fair hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, children 12 and under enter free. There is no charge for parking. Visitors are urged to dress casually and wear comfortable shoes.
Prater’s Mill is located on Georgia Hwy. 2, 10 miles northeast of Dalton and about 30 miles south of Chattanooga, TN. Interstate travelers should take I-75 to the Tunnel Hill-Varnell Exit No. 341; drive north 4.5 miles to the intersection with Georgia Hwy. 2 at Varnell; turn right and continue 2.6 miles to the Mill, a total distance of 7 miles from I-75.
For more information or to inquire about sponsorship and volunteer opportunities call 706-694-MILL (6455) or visit www.PratersMill.org.
Fair hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, children 12 and under enter free. There is no charge for parking. Visitors are urged to dress casually and wear comfortable shoes.
Prater’s Mill is located on Georgia Hwy. 2, 10 miles northeast of Dalton and about 30 miles south of Chattanooga, Tenn. Interstate travelers should take I-75 to the Tunnel Hill-Varnell Exit No. 341; drive north 4.5 miles to the intersection with Georgia Hwy. 2 at Varnell; turn right and continue 2.6 miles to the Mill, a total distance of 7 miles from I-75.
For more information or to inquire about sponsorship and volunteer opportunities call 706-694-MILL (6455) or visit PratersMill.org.
Fair hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, children 12 and under enter free. There is no charge for parking. Visitors are urged to dress casually and wear comfortable shoes.
Prater’s Mill is located on Georgia Hwy. 2, 10 miles northeast of Dalton and about 30 miles south of Chattanooga, Tenn. Interstate travelers should take I-75 to the Tunnel Hill-Varnell Exit No. 341; drive north 4.5 miles to the intersection with Georgia Hwy. 2 at Varnell; turn right and continue 2.6 miles to the Mill, a total distance of 7 miles from I-75.
For more information or to inquire about sponsorship and volunteer opportunities call 706-694-MILL (6455) or visit PratersMill.org.
Fair hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, children 12 and under enter free. There is no charge for parking. Visitors are urged to dress casually and wear comfortable shoes.
Prater’s Mill is located on Georgia Hwy. 2, 10 miles northeast of Dalton and about 30 miles south of Chattanooga, Tenn. Interstate travelers should take I-75 to the Tunnel Hill-Varnell Exit No. 341; drive north 4.5 miles to the intersection with Georgia Hwy. 2 at Varnell; turn right and continue 2.6 miles to the Mill, a total distance of 7 miles from I-75.
For more information or to inquire about sponsorship and volunteer opportunities call 706-694-MILL (6455) or visit PratersMill.org.
Fair hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, children 12 and under enter free. There is no charge for parking. Visitors are urged to dress casually and wear comfortable shoes.
Prater’s Mill is located on Georgia Hwy. 2, 10 miles northeast of Dalton and about 30 miles south of Chattanooga, Tenn. Interstate travelers should take I-75 to the Tunnel Hill-Varnell Exit No. 341; drive north 4.5 miles to the intersection with Georgia Hwy. 2 at Varnell; turn right and continue 2.6 miles to the Mill, a total distance of 7 miles from I-75.
For more information or to inquire about sponsorship and volunteer opportunities call 706-694-MILL (6455) or visit PratersMill.org.
Information sources: http://www.georgia.org
http://www.pratersmill.org/

Natural Remedies And Old Mountain Foods

Quoted from:
http://www.mountaintimes.com
Folks back in the 1800s (and even into the 1900s in some parts!) did not have a local grocery store with fruits and vegetables piled onto cooled shelves, or a corner drug store where remedies waited patiently stacked. Most of their nourishment and medicines came from the world around them, from spring greens and summer flowers, to autumn fruits and roots dug in winter.
The mountains are literally covered with herbs, plants and other naturally occurring substances which can be eaten or used for medicinal purposes. Extreme caution should be used, however, when dabbling in natural remedies and wild foods! If even remotely unsure of what you're using or ingesting, DON'T DO IT! It is important to learn to properly identify a plant before using it for food or medicine. Mistakes can be painful, or even deadly.

Go to the website to read about specific plants.

Nanny’s Broccoli Cornbread

Lauren is a sixteen-year-old young lady who cooks on KTVE. Here is a recipe from her website,

http://www.cookingwithlauren.com

Go there for some more good recipes.

Nanny’s Broccoli Cornbread
1 6 oz pkg. cornbread mix (1 1/4 cup)

1 stick melted butter

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 t. Tony’s seasoning

1 pkg. chopped broccoli

6 oz. sour cream

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together except the cheddar cheese. Fill prepared muffin tins about 2/3 full. Sprinkle top with shredded cheese. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven about 30 minutes until golden brown.
*Cottage cheese may be substituted for sour cream.For a lower fat version of this recipe, use low fat sour cream, egg substitute, and low fat cheddar cheese.

Get This Amazing Collard Story Cookbook, The Collard Patch, Now!
Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Cauliflower Soup

Quoted from

Boggy Creek Farm website: http://www.boggycreekfarm.com/pages/recipes.php

Cauliflower Soup

This soup is worthy of your getting out the blender.
1 large Cauliflower (chopped in small bits to cook fast)

1 bunch Leeks (chopped finely; if using baby leeks, chop the greens too)

1 cup to 1 pint Soy Milk (or milk of choice)

1 cup to 1 pint Yogurt

Sprinkles of freshly grated Nutmeg and Cinnamon

Sea Salt to taste

Sauté the Cauliflower and Leeks until soft. Place them in blender or food processor and blend, adding Milk and Yogurt to the desired consistency. Add seasonings and serve hot or cold.

Serves 2-3

When we made our website, www.CollardLovers.com, we made a background of collard leaves. We were intrigued to discover that the Boggy Creek website has also used greens as a background.

Get This Amazing Collard Story Cookbook, The Collard Patch, Now!

Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Recipe:Market Vegetables with Dipping Sauces

From Amazon.com:

BACK TO THE TABLE

Cookbook by Art Smith, Oprah's Personal Chef

"Dining together allows us to better understand who we are, regardless of our social status," writes Art Smith, author of Back to the Table, a cookbook that explores the meaning of the dining ritual while providing 150 recipes to "strengthen bonds between loved ones."

Personal chef to Oprah Winfrey and a contributing editor to her magazine, O, Smith grew up in the Southern cooking tradition, the underpinning of this enticing home-style collection. Smith's reiterated message--that we return to the "sanctity of the table"--is unassailable; his recipes, however, really make the point.

Readers looking for good food to cook and share will find the book a much-turned-to treasure.Chapters like "Breaking Bread," "The Family Meal," and "Food Is Love" organize recipes around the communal eating theme. "The Family Meal," for example, includes exemplary everyday formulas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, such as Zucchini and Tomato Frittata, Carrot-Ginger Soup with Minted Yogurt, and Grilled Fish Fillets with Watercress Mustard and Tarragon. Other outstanding recipes--such as Mushroom, Provolone, and Rosemary Pizza, Sunday Dinner Pot Roast, and Spring Vegetable Lasagna--reflect and encourage shared cooking and enjoyment. Formulas for sweets are woven throughout the book and include such delights as Kumquat-Ginger Pound Cake, Chocolate Pecan Pie, and an old-fashioned Peanut Brittle. Illustrated with photos that depict the food and cooking processes or show people enjoying meals together, the book reminds readers of the culinary and spiritual pleasures of the shared table. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

Art Smith is Oprah Winfrey's personal chef. Smith provides readers with an array of mouth-watering recipes that represent the very best of home cooking.He also discusses how to set the table in a way that gives reverence to the food and the guests; how various cultures give blessings before a meal; how different kinds of foods and dishes can contribute to an atmosphere of family unity; and so much more! Back to the Table is illustrated throughout with stunning photos of the food and of people sharing their tables, and their lives. He has cooked professionally for the families of celebrities and heads-of-state for almost 20 years.

Recipe quoted from Oprah.com by Art Smith:

Market Vegetables with Dipping Sauces
Created by Art Smith
From the March, 2005 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
Makes 4 servings

Art Smith redeems steamed vegetables—the dish that gave an entire cooking method a bad name—with his market vegetables accompanied by peanut, sweet-and-sour, and curry yogurt dipping sauces.


INGREDIENTS


Assorted colorful seasonal vegetables, sliced in a range of sizes
1/4 teaspoons sea salt or juice of half a lemon


Peanut sauce:


2 Tablespoons chopped peanuts or peanut butter
1 teaspoon minced scallions
1 teaspoon finely chopped chili pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil


Sweet-and-sour sauce:


1 teaspoon finely chopped chili pepper
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons grated carrot
1/4 cup fish sauce
8 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice
3 Tablespoons sugar


Curry yogurt sauce:


1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoons ground cumin


To prepare vegetables: In a large pot with a steaming basket insert, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add salt or lemon juice to enhance flavor. Place vegetables in steaming basket and cover. Cook 3 to 5 minutes; remove steamer from pot. To make sauces: In 3 small bowls, mix each set of ingredients together and stir. Sauces can be prepared and refrigerated up to one day in advance; serve alongside steamed vegetables.

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Gone fishing—RECIPE: Grilled Salmon

It’s been a long time since I’ve heard from our friend Shane Bryan. Visiting his blog, I discovered he has found a way to make money while he has fun fishing. Here is a note from his blog with a fishing recipe in the P. S.:
Just wanted to say "hi" to all my readers and to say sorry for the spotty posts of late. I am currently commercial fishing out in Prince William Sound, Alaska. This year has been pretty busy so far with very little time in port. Am having a good summer. I will be catching up with my blogging as soon as possible. We should finally be getting a little time off here next week. I'll also try to post some pics at that time.
Cheers,
Chef Shane
P.S.: Looking for an excellent way to grill salmon fillets on the grill? Simply rub down with lemon pepper, garlic, salt and a little hot sauce. Most of the hot sauce will burn off leaving a slightly spicy but not hot taste. This is my favorite way of doing up salmon. This will also work well in a skillet, but use less hot sauce because it won't burn.
Quoted from http://chefshane.com

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Cheddar Biscuits

Note from Martha Hawthorne:

This recipe has been served in our home for many years. Enjoy!

Martha

Red Lobster Biscuits

2 c. biscuit baking mix
1/2 c. cold water
1 c. finely grated mild cheddar cheese
1/4 c. margarine, melted
1 t. parsley flakes
1/2 t. garlic salt

Preheat oven to 450
Mix biscuit mix, cheese & water. Drop by large spoonfuls onto
greased baking sheet. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. While still hot
brush on the margarine that has been mixed with the garlic salt
and parsley flakes. Serve hot. SERVES 4

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It all started a few months before Katrina hit . . .

After Katrina, my friends asked for more Louisiana recipes, stories, and facts.
As a result, I revised Flavored with Love.

It all started before Katrina hit. People all over Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana were buying and reading the cookbook. Then they begged for more south Louisiana food and experiences.

A lady who owns a gift shop deep down in French country asked me, “How many ingredients do you have in these recipes?”

I said, “It varies. They are all simple to cook, but some of them have as many as 20 things you have to shake into the pot.”

She said, “Good. I’ll sell it in my store. You can’t make food taste right without at least 11 or 10 ingredients.”

About that time Christie and Mike (my daughter and son-in-law) moved across the Mississippi River from Modeste to St.James Parish. Paul (a fellow cookbook writer) and I went to help build a fence around their yard.

To begin the project, Christie went next door to the Kellers’ house, introduced herself to Ms. Hazel, and asked her where the property line was.

With a clear understanding of the acceptable location of the fence, Christie and Paul went to work. About 30 minutes later, a man riding in a little hauling tractor with a load of tools in the back came driving down the street and up the driveway.

Go to www.FlavoredwithLove.com to read the rest of the story.

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Collard Greens (Collards), a Source of Antioxiants

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"'Antioxidant' is a classification of several organic substances,
including vitamins C and E, vitamin A (which is converted from
beta-carotene), selenium (a mineral), and a group known as the
carotenoids. Carotenoids, of which beta- carotene is the most popular,
are a pigment that adds color to many fruits and vegetables -- without
them, carrots wouldn't be orange, for example."
From http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0830.html


"Despite over four decades of research, our understanding of oxidative
damage and the role of antioxidants in health is still in its infancy.
Much of the research done to date has produced contradictory results."
[page description in the source code]
"Other studies have shown that diets high in the antioxidants called
carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxanthin, did have a protective
benefit in reducing the risk of macular degeneration. These are found
primarily in green leafy vegetables, and the intake of spinach or
collard greens had the greatest benefit. Neither vitamins A, C, nor E
was especially helpful. (58) Scientists believe lutein and zeaxanthin
may help cells avoid oxidative damage from light exposure by absorbing
blue light (59). To prevent the onset of macular degeneration, some
doctors suggest wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes from
ultraviolet light damage and eating green leafy vegetables to keep
lutein levels high in the macula."
From http://www.infoaging.org/b-oxdam-17-r-macular.html

Quoted from Answers.Google.com

Recipe: FATHER'S DAY ITALIAN MEATLOAF

Recipe quoted from What's Cookin'
Current recipe for June 16, 2006
FATHER'S DAY ITALIAN MEATLOAF - LA BELLA VITA'S GUEST COOK - MADDY MULL
2 lb ground beef
1/3 red bell pepper chopped
1 1/2 oz dried bell pepper
1 oz montreal steak seasoning
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 tbsp Italian seasoning
barbecue sauce
1 italian sausage link

Mix first 6 ingredients together and mix well. Form into a ball and place on wax paper. Spread over wax paper into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Place italian sausage across the width of meat mixture. Roll up meatloaf over sausage. Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes then rotate and continue cooking an additional 25 minutes.

Combine barbecue sauce and italian seasoning. Spread over meatloaf and serve.

Join La Bella Vita for Father's Day!!

ENJOY and Happy Father's Day.

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Cookbook Readers

Two Great Story Cookbooks -- Distinctive Gift Items! They are certainly unique because nobody else has these cookbooks. When people see them the first time, they say, "Ahh! Wow! These books are beautiful! I didn't expect them to be so big"

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Order

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Order

Snippets and Snippets 2

A Reader's Review of Snippets:
I've been reading bits and pieces of Beth Boswell Jack's writing for a number of years, mostly on a web site called USADeepSouth, and it's great to see them all gathered together in this book called Snippets. Our local Arkansas paper doesn't carry her column, but I wish it did. Her writing is funny and smart. I wish all humorous women without edgy big city pretensions weren't compared to Erma Bombeck. Jacks has her very own, clear voice. I love that she's been married to the same man since forever, lives in a small town in Mississippi, but gets around like crazy. Is there such a thing as up-to-date nostalgia? One of my favorite pieces is "Diary of a Mad Strutter". If you've ever heard of the Sweet Potato Queens from Jackson, Mississippi, you must read how Jacks joined the parade. Snippets is a good gift for southern readers, but also could knock down a bunch of stereotypes that Yankees might still be carrying around. For that you might want to check out Southern Jewelry Laws, page 66.


Beth has written Snippets 2!



Who is Beth Jacks?

A resident of the Mississippi Delta, Beth Jacks is a graduate of Millsaps College (B.A.-English) and the University of Mississippi (M.Ed.-Special Education).
Jacks writes poetry and short stories for children's magazines and literary journals. She's had stories and poems published in Simon and Schuster's Chocolate series and in Delta Magazine, Ladybug, Hopscotch, Devo'Zine, Pockets, Boys' Quest, Story Mates, Story Friends, Wee Ones Mag, Northwest Family Magazine, Shining Star, Kids' Highway, Working Writer, Lighthouse Story Collections, Lonzie's Fried Chicken, and a number of other magazines.

A weekly personal essay columnist for several Southern newspapers, Jacks is a member of both the Mississippi Press Association and the Louisiana Press Association.


From USADEEPSOUTH.COM

Fresh Collard Leaves Right from the Flower Beds

Well Paul and I just had a smoked turkey sandwich with fresh collard leaves out from a plant in our flower bed! Why do we even plant flowers when we can get such delicious food right from planter boxes?

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Yvette Freeman loves collards!

Yvette Freeman, best-known as nurse Haleh Adams on the long-running TV drama "ER," gave us permission to include one of her recipes in The Collard Patch along with her bio.

She grows vegetables in her back yard. Quoting her website:

Among them are budding eggplants, lilac peppers, collard greens, red onions, kale, tomatoes, zucchini and watermelons, which are still producing after a long, hot summer. Herbs, including rosemary, basil, oregano, mint and thyme, are grown in containers in a shady nook near her kitchen.

This quotation is also from Yvette Freeman's website:

Since adopting her healthy lifestyle, Freeman has discovered new ways to incorporate favorite vegetables into home-cooked meals. She uses collard greens, for example, in her own version of Greek roll-ups.
"I use collard greens instead of grape leaves and stuff them with mushrooms and rice instead of meat," she said, adding she's also learned to propagate them by planting a leaf in the ground and watering it.
Now she dreams of having "collard trees," she said, chuckling.

http://www.yvettefreeman.com/television.html

The Collard Patch, http://www.CollardLovers.com

Cooking Collards during the Evening News on KTVE

News

May 17, 2006, 5:00 p. m.

Paul Elliott and Mary Cheatham cooked with Stephen Webster on "Supper with Stephen" featured on the KTVE (West Monroe, LA) on the evening news.

They demonstrated preparing and cooking collards. Paul and Mary showed five collard green dishes during the segment on the 5:00 news and fed the congenial KTVE staff.

Drop a note to admin@collardlovers.com to receive an e-booklet of these recipes.

For news about The Collard Patch, the new collards story book, go to

CollardLovers.com

For news about Flavord With Love, Third Edition, the expanded and revised story cookbook about Mary Lou's Family and friends, please visit

FWLCookbook.com

Collard Green Sandwich

From the NPR site:

Collard Green Sandwich
by Vertamae Grosvenor

Talk of the Nation, November 25, 2004 · Frequent NPR commentator Verta Mae Grosvenor, author of Vertamae Cooks in America's Family Kitchen, offers up a recipe:

Vertamae's Collard Green Sandwich

Ingredients:

Collard Greens (2 or three leaves per sandwich. Choose the small leaves, the nice tender sweet ones... not the big fan leaves)

White Bread (not too thick or thin)

Optional ingredients:

Mustard

Cheese

Thin sliced meats

Thin sliced tomatoes or onions

Spice a pot of water or broth to taste and bring to a full boil as if you were preparing pasta. Once the water is boiling, throw in the collards and boil for five minutes. Remove collards and immediately plunge in ice-cold water. That keeps them green. Bring the water to second boil and throw the collards back in ten minutes. Remove the collards and drain and dry with a paper or cloth towel.

Now you can put your sandwich together and here's where you get creative. Prosciutto works well, or your favorite cheese. My personal favorite is thinly sliced red onion with Dijon mustard. I found that mustard works better than mayonnaise. I also like to add a thinly sliced, real good tomato... not the watery kind please.

Forty-Five Free Recipes

Hello!

I've just finished assembling some of the recipes that appear online at FWLCookbook.com. I placed them in an electronic cookbook.

The title is Forty-Five Free Recipes. Write me at mcheatham@cox-internet.com for your free copy.

LSU AgCenter . Vegetables for South Louisiana Series

LSU AgCenter . Vegetables for South Louisiana Series: "Collards
Collards

Recommended Varieties
Morris Heading, Vates, Georgia (Creole), Champion
Cultural Practices
Planting Dates


March 15 to October 1
Seed to Plant -- 1 packet (100 ft row)
Planting Practices

Plant 1/8 inch deep, for plants 6 to 12 inches apart

Fertilizing

5 to 6 lbs 8-8-8 or 8-24-24 (100 ft row). Side dress with 1/4 to 3/4 lb nitrogen 3 to 4 weeks after planting and again in 2 to 3 weeks. Side dressing after the first harvest will help the plant produce a second crop in 3 to 4 weeks


Harvesting


Days to harvest -- 75
Collard greens are harvested by cutting the tops out of the plants. However, any of the leaves may be harvested
Insect and Disease Control
Aphids -- Malathion (57%EC) 2 tsp/gal water, 7 days before harvest
Caterpillars -- B.t. (Thuricide, etc) according to label. Use weekly with wetting agent in spray
Comments
Plant some collards (6 to 10 plants) each month during the growing season to provide a continuing source of tender greens"

THE COLLARD PATCH

The Collard Patch is our new story cookbook. The printer is running a proof of the cover and the text today! If you would like to be one of the first to own this book, drop me a note. I'll make you a really good deal.

Paul Elliott and I have co-authored this unique cookbook. On the Internet there are hundreds of recipes for cooking collards, but I honestly do not know of another book focusing on the subject. Here are some of the things our book contains:
Some really good stories
The Most Popular Collard Greens Recipe in the World!
Cornbread Recipes to Go with the Collards
Heart Health Recipes
288 Big Pages of 214 Remarkable Recipes!

Write me at MaryCheatham@fwlcookbook.com for more information about the cookbook.

Easter Recipes E-Book

My son-in-law Mike has a very easy way to prepare ham. It's perfect for Easter. In fact, I have an entire set of recipes for a great Southern Easter meal. If you will e-mail me at admin@fwlcookbook.com, I'll send the recipes to you.

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Dogs

Hello from Foxy, the standard poodle, and Chloe, the cocker spaniel.

Melchiorra’s Spaghetti

Here is one of the new recipes that will be appearing in the third edition of Flavored with Love.
Melchiorra’s Spaghetti Sauce

Brown:
Large pieces of lamb (the size a little larger than a fist)
Large pieces of beef (can use neck bones, or joints)
Large pieces of vealOlive oil
Parsley
Oregano
Garlic (fresh)
Celery
Onions
Other - like mushrooms

Squeeze fresh whole tomatoes (can be from cans) in a bowl.

Add to a pan (with the tomatoes):
1 (or how many you think is necessary) can of tomato sauce
1can of tomato paste

Simmer on low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir frequently so that the sauce does not char on the bottom.

Remove meat from sauce and place in a separate dish.

Spaghetti
Boil a pan of water (how much depends on how many are being served), and add olive oil while boiling and some salt (taste water to see if not too salty).

Add spaghetti, either whole or halved, into the water

Sample the spaghetti after about 10 to 15 minutes:
CAUTION: don't make too SOFT! (Spaghetti is eaten the best when it's al dente—a little hard.)

Remove water through colander, add spaghetti to a pan (without sauce), add some olive oil (to prevent sticking), and mix.

With the sauce and spaghetti made, you are now ready to serve.

Paul Urso’s Notes
1. You can replace the lamb, beef, and veal with pieces of chicken (or fowls) if you want chicken tomato sauce.
2. If you want Marinara sauce - do not use meat of any kind.
3. If you want meatballs, take some chopped meat (of any kind) brown the meatballs in a frying pan with olive oil and add to the sauce above while simmering.

Mary Lou, this is my mother’s. ,Melchiorra Garufi Urso (of course she's deceased) was a peasant woman from the mountains of Fiumedinisi, Sicily, born in 1886. She was named after one of the Magi. There was no one better than my Mom.

The making is in the SAUCE. It takes a while for the sauce, but you can make a whole bunch. It seems to last forever. You can even freeze it, and it never loses its taste. Spaghetti is quick and easy to make.

Mom was an illiterate Italian peasant woman, and when she cooked she never used a book (couldn't read), and heated the pot so long, put in a pinch of this and a pinch of that, broiled, baked, grilled, and NEVER fried.

She was extremely bright even though she never went to school. She did all the grocery shopping, and, although some of those smart aleck Italians in Brooklyn tried to cheat her. THEY NEVER COULD! God bless you.

Mary Lou’s Note
Paul Urso, PhD, is a sweet, gorgeous man, who looks like Tony Bennett. He has published over 100 articles in scientific publications, and he also has published several poems of literary merit.

This recipe does not include specific amounts. There is no way to tell you exactly how much of each ingredient to include. You will have to taste it and work at it.

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Recipe for Super Bowl XL: Super Bowl Sundae

Here is a great snack to enjoy eating while you watch the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers Fans in the Super Bowl XL.

Prepare the dish in a 9 X 9” casserole dish.
1 can of Pace® refried beans 1 large tomato 1 small bottle of black or green olives Guacamole (homemade or tub) 1 small onion (optional) Shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 (8ounce) tub of sour cream
First spread the can of refried beans in the bottom of the dish.
Then add desired layers like the guacamole; then olives, onions, tomato; then the shredded cheese, and finally the sour cream.
(I use the Tostitos® brand of chips to dip with.)
Then sit back and cheer on your favorite football team while eating your Football Sundae! GO TEAM!!

Thanks, Elizabeth!

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Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers Fans!

Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers Fans, or anyone interested in the Super Bowl XL, keep watching here I've found an excellent gameday recipe and will post it soon.

Oh, yes. I've heard about some of the commercials that will be aired, and they can be as interesting as the game. Take a good look at GM's Pontiac Solstice (Google Pontiac) and Mazda's MX-5.

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