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!