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2001

TODAY's CASES:

Cherry-Almond Bars

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Chris 
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 10:46 PM
  Subject: cherry/almond paste bars

  Last Christmas I found a recipe for the most delicious cherry 
  bars - they were magnificent, and were made with  with almond 
  paste.  I can't find the recipe, and so want to make them for 
  Christmas again this year.  I believe the recipe appeared in 
  a women's magazine, such as Redbook.  Can you help me?

  Thanks,
  Chris

Hi Chris,

Sorry, no luck. All the cherry-almond bar recipes I found use almond extract, not paste. If you can't find the almond paste recipe and want to make cherry-almond bars anyhow, try one of the recipes below. The Bon Appetit one looks especially good.

Phaed

  Cherry Almond Bars 

  2 cups flour 
  3/4 cup margarine 
  3/4 cup sugar 
  1/2 teaspoon salt 

  Mix together with pastry blender until crumbly. Put 2/3 of this mixture 
  into 13" x 9" pan. The rest is saved for top. Bake at 375° for 15 
  minutes. 

  Blend until smooth: 

  8 oz. package cream cheese 
  1/3 cup sugar 
  1 egg 

  Add: 

  1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries 
  1/2 cup almond slices 
  1/2 cup chocolate chips (miniature) 
  1/2 teaspoon almond extract 

  Spread on crust and sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Bake at 375° 
  for 25-30 minutes. 
  ----------------------------------------------
  Cherry-Almond Bars

  1 10 ounce jar maraschino cherries 
  1 cup all-purpose flour 
  1/2 cup butter or margarine -- softened 
  1/4 cup powdered sugar 
  2 eggs 
  1 cup sliced almonds 
  1/2 cup granulated sugar 
  1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
  1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
  Pink Glaze -- (recipe follows) 

  Pink Glaze: 
  1/2 cup powdered sugar 
  1/4 teaspoon almond extract 
  reserved maraschino cherry juice (2 to 3 teaspoons) 

  Heat oven to 350º. Drain cherries, reserving juice for Pink Glaze. 
  Chop cherries; set aside. Mix 1 cup flour, the butter and powdered 
  sugar with spoon. Press in ungreased square pan, 9 × 9 × 2 inches. 
  Bake about 10 minutes or until set. 

  Beat eggs in medium bowl with fork. Stir in cherries and remaining 
  ingredients except Pink Glaze. Spread over baked layer. Bake 20 to 
  25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Drizzle with Pink 
  Glaze. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. 

  Pink Glaze: Mix all ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. 

  Yield: "24 Bars" 
  -------------------------------
  * Exported from MasterCook *
  Cherry-Almond Bars
  Recipe By     :Bon Appetit March 2000
  Serving Size  : 30    
  Preparation Time :0:00
  Categories    : Bars

  Amount  Measure   Ingredient -- Preparation Method
  --------  -------- --------------------------------  
  1 1/2     cups     all purpose flour     
  1/4       cup      cornstarch     
  1/2       teaspoon salt     
  3/4       cup  (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, 
                     room temperature     
  1/2       cup      sugar  
  1         teaspoon vanilla extract     
  1/4       teaspoon almond extract     
  3/4       cup      coarsely chopped toasted  
  3         ounces   slivered almonds (about)  
  1 1/4     cups     cherry preserves


  Preheat oven to 350F. Line 1 1x7-inch glass baking dish with foil. 
  Combine first 3 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using 
  electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. 
  Add sugar and beat until light. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. 
  Add flour mixture and beat just until dough begins to come together. 
  Mix in almonds. Press dough onto bottom of prepared dish. Pierce all 
  over with fork. Bake until just firm to touch, about 45 minutes.
  Stir preserves in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted 
  and hot; spread over warm pastry. Bake until preserves bubble in 
  center, about 15 minutes. Cool in dish on rack.
  Using foil as aid, lift entire cookie from dish; trim edges. 
  Cut into 2x1-inch bars. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and 
  store in single layer in refrigerator.)
  Cuisine:  "Bon Appetit"
  

Ham & Green Bean Soup

----- Original Message -----
From: Sue
To: phaedrus
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 7:57 PM
Subject: Looking for soup recipe

> My grandmother used to make a cream soup with,  green beans and 
> potatoes and it had, I think, a ham base. I've never been able 
> to find a recipe for it.
> Any help finding this recipe would be much appreciated. Thanks,
> Sue...

Hi Sue,

I have several recipes like this. See below. Hope one of them is right.

Phaed

Ham  &  Green  Bean  Soup

 Ingredients :
 1 ham bone with lots of meat on it
 2 qts. water
 4 c. cut green beans
 3 c. cubed potatoes
 2 med. onion, sliced
 1/4 c. parsley
 4 tsp. savory
 1 tsp. salt
 1/4 tsp. pepper

 Preparation :
    Cook ham bone 1 1/2 hours in the 2 quarts water.  Cut off meat in
 chunks; add to soup stock with all other ingredients.  Bring to a
 boil and reduce heat and simmer covered until vegetables are done.
 Skim off extra fat.  Stir in 1 cup of light cream or milk.
 ----------------------------------
  Country  Green  Bean  Soup

 Ingredients :
 2 lb. meaty ham bone
 2 qts. water
 4 c. cut up green beans
 3 c. cubed potatoes
 2 med. onions, sliced
 1/4 c. chopped parsley
 1 tsp. dried savory
 1 tsp. salt
 1/4 tsp. pepper
 1 c. light cream

 Preparation :
    Cook ham bone in water in 6 quart pan until tender, approximately
 1 1/2 hours. Remove meat from bone and cut into chunks.  Add to soup
 stock along with beans, potatoes, onion, parsley, savory, salt and
 pepper.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered 20 minutes
 or until vegetables are tender.  Skim off excess fat.  Just before
 serving, stir in cream.  Makes about 3 1/2 quarts.
 ----------------------------------
  Green  Bean  Soup

 Ingredients :
 1 meaty ham bone (about 2 lb.)
 2 qt. water
 4 c. cut up green beans
 3 c. cubed, pared potatoes
 2 med. onions, sliced
 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
 4 sprigs summer savory, chopped (I
    use 1 tsp. dried savory)
 1 tsp. salt
 1/4 tsp. pepper
 1 c. light cream, or half & half

 Preparation :
    Cook ham bone in water in 6 quart saucepan until tender, about 1
 1/2 hours.  Remove meat from bone and cut in chunks.  Put back in
 soup base.  Add green beans, potatoes, onions, parsley, savory, salt
 and pepper.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20
 minutes or until veggies are tender.  Skim off excess fat.  Just
 before serving, stir in light cream.  Makes about 3 1/2 quarts.
 ----------------------------------
  German  Green  Bean  Soup

 Ingredients :
 Ham bone or ham hocks
 2 qt. water
 2 qt. home canned or store canned
    green beans
 6 c. peeled & cubed potatoes
 1 or 2 carrots, peeled & sliced
 1 tsp. parsley
 1 tsp. summer savory
 1 c. sour or sweet cream

 Preparation :
    Simmer ham in 2 quarts water for about two hours.  Remove meat
 from bone and return to soup.  Add the remainder of the ingredients
 except the cream.  Simmer until vegetables are tender.  Remove from
 heat and add cream and serve.
 ----------------------------------
  German  Green  Bean  Soup

 Ingredients :
 2 c. leftover ham and bone
 1 lb. green beans
 2 lg. potatoes, cubed
 3 qts. water
 2 tsp. salt
 1 tsp. pepper
 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
 1 med. onion, minced
 4 slices bacon, minced
 3 tbsp. flour
 1 1/2 c. milk

 Preparation :
    Put ham and bone and next 6 ingredients in Dutch oven.  Boil,
 covered, 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Saute onion with
 bacon.  Add to ham.  Mix flour and milk; stir into soup.  Simmer,
 covered, for 15 minutes.  Garnish with parsley.  6 to 8 servings.
  

Diet and Longevity

 ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ronald  
  To: phaed
  Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 10:33 AM
  Subject: re: Japan

  My understanding is that in general, Japanese people have a longer 
  life expectancy than others.  This would lead to the assumption that 
  about 100 years ago there was something very . longevi-ning about 
  their diet.  Besides raw fish, rice and seaweed, got any ideas?

Hello Ronald,

Thanks for asking such a good question.

Just to see what other countries have higher longevity rates than the U.S., I checked the World Health Organization's numbers. It turns out that they are using a new system for calculating longevity. It's called DALE. What's different about it is that it uses healthy years instead of all years. Final years during which a person is disabled & bedridden are not counted as part of the longevity number.

What the numbers show is that Japan is number one at 74.5 years. The rest of the top 10 nations are Australia, 73.2 years; France, 73.1; Sweden, 73.0; Spain, 72.8; Italy, 72.7; Greece, 72.5; Switzerland, 72.5; Monaco, 72.4; and Andorra, 72.3. The United States is rated 24th under this system, or an average of 70.0 years of healthy life for babies born in 1999.

Let's talk about Japan and then come back to longevity in general.

Among the Japanese, the residents of the island of Okinawa are the longest-lived, with 33 persons over 100 years of age per 100,000 population. Various studies have therefore looked at the Okinawan diet for answers to why. The typical Okinawan diet consists of seven servings of fruits and vegetables daily, 80 grams of soy products a day, plenty of grains and legumes (herbs, beans, peas, etc.) and limited amounts of fish, lean meats and dairy products -- the opposite of the average American diet. The Okinawan diet consists of only 26 percent of daily calories from fat. The traditional Okinawan food culture follows a principle called hara hachi bu, which means you stop eating when you feel 80 percent full. Very few Okinawans smoke, and alcohol consumption is moderate to none. Okinawans remain physically active in their later years.

So, the secret to their longevity seems to be:

  1. Stop eating before you're full ("hara hachi bu")
  2. Reduce the amount of fats in your diet
  3. Eat lots of soy products
  4. Reduce the amount of animal protein in your diet.
  5. Don't smoke, and drink in moderation, if at all.
  6. Get regular exercise.
But look at that above list of countries again. The other countries in the top ten are not Asian countries in which people have diets similar to the Japanese/Okinawan diet. They're countries like Australia, France, Spain, Italy, and Greece, where there's a lot of meat in the diet and where almost no soy products are consumed.

So, to me it doesn't follow that the Japanese/Okinawan type of diet is the answer to living a longer life. It may be a contributor, but it can't be the main contributor or else other cultures with similar diets would also be in the top ten, and cultures that eat lots of meat and few soy products, such as France and Italy, would be much further down the list.

Still, imitating the Okinawan diet can't hurt, if that's what you want to do, and it probably does help some. The little list I made above is the gist of it. If you can follow it, more power to you. I personally have a taste for meat and have little taste for tofu.

Phaed

P.S. - Also note that Okinawans don't eat a lot of sugar and sugary foods. Sugar and sugary drinks and foods are fueling the diabetes epedemic, the obesity epedimic, and are as much a cause of high cholesterol as are dietary fats.

P.P.S. - Also note that all of the countries in the top ten, including Japan, are countries where all of the citizens have access to good health care, not limited by whether they can afford health insurance. Access to good health care is more important to longevity statistics than any other single factor. After all, when calculating the longevity rate for a country, all citizens are part of the statistic, not just those who can afford the best health care.


Maw Maw Slaw

 ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: The Phillips 
  To: phaedrus 
  Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 7:10 PM
  Subject: MawMaw coleslaw

  Looking for a receipe for MawMaw Coleslaw which is made with spinach 
  and other greens.  It was found on the web some time ago but don't 
  know where.  Can you help?  Thanks.

Hi,

Sure, no problem. "Maw Maw's Slaw" is one of Emeril Lagasse's recipes. It's below.

Phaed

  Recipe adapted from Louisiana Real and Rustic Cookbook, by Emeril 
  Lagasse with Marcelle Bienvenu, published by William Morrow, 1997

  Maw Maws Slaw

  1/2 pound white cabbage, shredded
  1/2 pound red cabbage, shredded
  1/2 pound spinach, shredded
  1 cup julienned red onions
  2/3 cup chopped green onions
  1 teaspoon minced garlic
  1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
  1 cup homemade mayonnaise
  1/4 cup Creole Mustard
  1 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  2 teaspoons honey

  In a mixing bowl, toss the cabbages, spinach, red onion, green onions, 
  garlic, and parsley. Stir in the mayonnaise and Creole Mustard. Season 
  with salt, pepper, cayenne and honey. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour 
  before serving. Mound on a platter and arrange the fried fish and 
  hushpuppies around the slaw. Garnish with parsley and Essence.

  Yield: 8 cups

  about that homemade mayo.............

  Homemade Mayonnaise

  1 egg
  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  1 cup olive oil
  1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  1/2 teaspoon salt

  In a food processor or blender, blend the egg and lemon juice for 10 
  seconds. With the processor running, slowly pour in the oil through 
  the feed tube. Mixture should thicken. Add the pepper and salt and 
  pulse once or twice to blend. Transfer to an airtight container and
  refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. Best if used within 
  24 hours. Yield: 1 1/4 cups
 

Canning Meatballs

----- Original Message -----
From: Alicia 
To: phaedrus
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 8:25 PM
Subject: MeatBalls need help

> Hi i love the web site, i will use it often. I am going to grind 
> my tough bear and deer meat. I want to can meatballs. I have never 
> done it and need advise. I can't seem to find anything on what kind 
> of spices to use or the method used. I do have a pressure canner.
> Thank you
> Alicia 

Hi Alicia,

Gosh, I don't send out recipes for canning meat at home because of the risks involved. I know nothing about canning, so I could not say whether a particular recipe or method is "good" or "bad" or "safe" or "unsafe." What if I sent you a recipe for canned meatballs and you followed it and then got food poisoning?

The best place to get information about home canning of any kind is from your state extension service or the USDA.

I just did a search on one of the search engines using "canning meats" as the keywords and here are a bunch of the sites that came up. Many of them are state extension service sites, so some of them surely have information about canning meats or can point you in the right direction:

https://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/yf/foods/he188w.htm

https://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5330.html

https://www.extension.umn.edu/info-u/nutrition/BJ626.html

https://dmoz.org/Home/Cooking/Canning_and_Freezing/

https://www.canning-food-recipes.com/canningfood.htm

https://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/fcs3/fcs3329/fcs3329.htm

https://www.kountrylife.com/articles/canmeat.htm

https://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=006Bqv

https://www.recipesource.com/misc/canning/indexall.html

Phaed

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