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Have something you want to publish...


pictures of weddings, babies, ancestors,


original poetry, digital scrapbook, your blog,


a portfolio, recipes, missionary experiences,


photography, journals, school days memories,


storybooks, novels, family reunions, artwork...


If your answer is YES, then you should check out

Blurb is for anyone who doesn't want to spend lots of money (free download), or endless hours designing layout, but wants a bookstore quality book. Blurb is one of the most versatile websites for creating books and albums; they can do it all.

Blurb gives you the options of selling your book online or keeping it private. The site also provides layout ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Another plus is being both Mac and PC-friendly.

For anyone looking to create a book, Blurb should be your first stop. For inspiration, be sure to check out their book ideas and bookstore. Books start at $13, and you can now choose premium paper.

Twiced Published

Two years ago, I had a recipe for Spice Cutout Cookies published in the Taste of Home Light and Tasty Magazine. I decided to publish it again here on my blog...

Cookies:

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup prune baby food
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses
3 tbsp. fat-free milk
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. aniseed. crushed
1 tsp. fennel seed, crushed

In a large mixing bow, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the baby food, egg, molasses, and milk. Combine the flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, aniseed, and fennel seed. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for two hours, or until dough is easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 3/16-inch thickness. Cut with a floured two-inch cookie cutter. Place one inch apart on baking sheets coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake @ 375º for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are firm. Remove to wire rack and cool. Frost with frosting recipe below...

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 to 5 tbsp. fat-free milk
food coloring, optional

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired. Decorate cookies.

For nutritional information, etc. about this recipe click here.

Cranberry Jell-o Salad

This was my first published recipe...

I had this recipe published in Taste of Home Magazine. They renamed it Fruited Cranberry Gelatin and classified it as a dessert. I still call it...

Cranberry Jell-o Salad

6 oz. pkg orange Jell-o
16 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
8 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
12 oz. can ginger ale [I use Vernors]

Blend together the dry Jell-o and cranberry sauce, and cook in a saucepan over medium heat until the Jell-o is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pineapple and ginger ale until combined. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart serving bowl. Chill until set [about 4 hours]. Stir after 1 1/2 hours.

Marshmallows

'Tis the season to use marshmallows…

There is nothing worse than needing marshmallows for a recipe and finding them more like bricks than fluffy pillows. To avoid this dilemma store them in the freezer instead of the cupboard.

I discovered this trick when I had a college roommate who ate everyone's food. I went out of town and hid my marshmallows in the very back of the freezer so she wouldn't find them. I didn't find them, either, for several months. When I opened them up they were just like the day I bought them.

Pop an unopened bag in the freezer. After they have been opened, twist tie the bag or put it in a Ziploc. Because they are mostly air, the marshmallows will thaw in minutes. I just use them cold in most recipes. In fact, the mini marshmallows are great right out of the freezer in a cup of hot chocolate. They cool it right down if it's too hot!!

I shared this tip with the Taste of Home cooking magazine and they published it...