Scones by Phyllis Barnard

Preheat oven to 450F.

2 cups sifted flour

4 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

1 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp butter

¾ cup milk (OR 1 egg plus milk to make ¾ cup)

Mix the first 4 dry ingredients.

Add butter and using Manual Food Processor or fork, mix till consistency of breadcrumbs.

Add milk mixture and cut the fluid into dry ingredients just until everything is wet. Don’t overdo it. You want to work the dough as little as possible.

Throw dough on pastry mat sprinkled with flour using Flour Sugar Shaker.  Pat lightly till dough is ¾ inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter or slice in triangles with a knife. Place on stoneware piece (round, rectangle or bar pan) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until light golden brown on top. 

Boiled Fruit Cake Phyllis Barnard

This is an amazingly fabulous recipe of my mother, Phyllis. When I moved to Los Angeles, I had to ask her often to send me recipes. This was in the 1980s and so she wrote out the recipes as you would make it - blow by blow. Just as you would make it when you are starting the process.
So the first recipe here is my edited version of this recipe. However, I would do my mother a disservice if I didn't put the original recipes.  The flavour of her personality comes through in the way she explains how to do the recipes. I have found that I do go back to her recipe from time to time to make sure that I have it right. She is quite thorough, so if you follow that part, your fruit cake will come out perfect. Reading and typing her recipe, I think it is a good idea to read the longer version. There are some good tips there.

EDITED VERSION

1 lb sugar
1 1/2 lb butter
1 lb seeded raisins
1 lb currants
1 lb sultanas
1 lb dried cherries, quartered
1/2 lb mixed candied peel
1 lb grace fruits
4 oz. dried, candied ginger
3/4 cup water
1 tsp baking soda (to be added later)

12 extra large eggs

1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup brandy

1 1/2 lb flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven at 500F.

1. Boil together the first 10 ingredients (not the baking soda) for 10 minutes. Take pot off stove and stir in 1 tsp baking soda. Cool.

2. Beat 12 eggs until frothy and mix into above.

3. Mix walnuts and brandy into above.

4. Sift the last 8 items together and then stir it into the above ingredients.

5. Line cake pans with brown paper. Pour the dough into pans. Turn down oven to 250F and put cake in. Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Take out and pour 1/2 cup brandy over top, and 1/2 cup over bottom of fruit cake. Cool and wrap in tin foil. Put in dark place to mature. 6 months to a year is good.

MY MOTHER'S ORIGINAL VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Cecilia, I am writing out the recipe for the fruit cake. I hope you will be able to buy the ingredients in Los Angeles. If not, let me know what you cannot get and I'll post it to you.

FIRST. You will need the card board box or lid of a fruit tray - like the single layers one buys in South Africa. That is essential for proper baking.
SECOND. I bake my cake in a copper bottomed straight up 5x litre capacity enamel pot which has been lined with a single layer of greased typing paper.
THIRD. Preheat your oven at 260C or 500F. Don't panic - there's a reason.
FOURTH. Your eggs must be room temperature so take them out of the fridge two days  before baking and leave open - not in the egg box.

Recipe for RICH FRUIT CAKE
3/4 lb flour
2 level teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 lb  butter - I use proper butter
1/2 lb sugar
6 eggs extra large
1/2 lb "seeded" raisins (I can buy raisins with the pips i.e. seeds removed - or you'll have the job of opening the raisins to take the peps out. Seedless raisins are NOT correct.
1/2 lb currants
1/2 lb sultanas
1/2 lb quartered cherries (optional)
1/4 lb mixed candied peel
1 cup chopped almonds or Walnuts (I always use walnuts because they are more flavoursome).

A.ONE teaspoon ground cinnamon
ONE teaspoon ground ginger
ONE teaspoon mixed spice
ONE pinch only of ground cloves.
1/2 lb chopped glace fruits and about 2 ounces chopped preserved ginger
ONE WINEGLASS BRANDY

Method
1. Sift the flour, B.P, salt and the spices at A (just above this) three times. HAVE ONE LEVEL TEASPOON BI-CARB SODA READY FOR LATER.
2. Put the sugar, butter and ALL the fruit specified in the recipe in a large saucepan, add ONE SMALL coffee cup i.e. 1/4 pt or 150 ml (depending on your type of measure) water and place on the stove at medium heat to allow butter and sugar to melt. Stir occasionally - BRING TO BOIL
3. From the moment the fruit mixture starts to boil, time for 12 minutes and then remove from stove. Add the teaspoon of Bicarb and stir well. It will foam. This is to give you a dark fruit cake. Cool down completely. I usually turn the electric fan on it to hurry the cooling process. Stir now and then to bring the cool air onto the hot fruit.
4. Beat the eggs till foamy - now fold into the cooled fruit mixture; then add the NUTS and half of the brandy and stir in the sifted flour and spices and mix well.
5. Pour batter into your prepared pot and put a square sheet of brown paper on top.
6. Put the cake into the cardboard lid and put it into the second shelf from bottom of the oven.
7. TURN THE HEAT DOWN AT ONCE TO 140 Cel or 250 FAHRENHEIT and set your  timer or alarm for 1 1/2 hours.
8. After 1 1/2 hours, open the oven door slightly and twitch out the brown paper. Close oven. Leave to bake for a further 1 1/2 hours. Total 3 hours.
9. Put a dry cloth on your wire cake cooler tray.
10. When the cake is ready remove from stove and pour the balance of the brandy carefully over the top.
11. Now turn the cake out, remove the paper round it and then I sprinkle a further 1/2 wineglass brandy over the base. When quite cold wrap in a tinfoil and keep in a cool place to mature. DONT put in the freezer because then the maturing process is arrested. The coolest place is usually in the bottom of a dark cupboard. You can put a marzipan icing round if desired. Sukses!

Apple Pie - Phyllis Barnard

This is my mom's apple pie - the best I have ever tasted. Lovely subtle tastes and not overly sweet.

5 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
5 whole cloves
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 lb butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt

Sift dry ingredients, then rub butter though flour until it looks like crumbs. Don't add any moisture.
Press half of mixture into 9 inch pie plate.
Peel core and slice apples. Put in pot, add cloves and sugar. Boil slowly until apple is mushy. Fish out the 5 cloves and pour into pie plate and cover with remaining crust and press down.
Bake for 60 minutes at 350F.
Serve with ice cream or cream. YUM!!

Cranberry Relish

1 lb fresh cranberries
1 whole orange (naval if possible)
2 cups sugar

Wash and pick over cranberries, but in glass batter bowl that holds at least 8 cups. Add one whole orange, chopped fine, peel and all. Add the sugar, cover with lid and microwave for 8 minutes on full power. Stir once or twice during cooking time. When cooked, crush berries with a potato masher.

That's it!

Starbucks Coffee Cake copycat

Box Yellow Cake Mix (plus ingredients on back of box)

2 Sticks cold salted butter

   2 1/4 Cups flour

   1 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon

   1 3/4 Cups brown sugar

    1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla

    Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Prepare cake mix in large bowl according to directions on box. Spray 9 X 13 pan with non-stick spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until center is just barely set. 

While cakes are baking, prepare crumb topping. In large bowl with electric mixer combine, butter, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla until all crumbly. Immediately after cake is removed from oven, break crumb topping into marble size pieces with fingers, sprinkling over top. Put back in oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes (topping will begin to look a little less wet/raw). Let cool fully then dust with powdered sugar, using a sieve. Cut into squares and serve.

Sweet rusks

1 tbsp yeast

About 5 1/2 cups luke warm water

5 lb flour

1 lb sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp anise

1/2 lb butter, melted

Mix the yeast and 1 tbsp sugar in the water.

Mix the flour, sugar, salt and anise. Add the melted butter, yeast and water mixture and enough additional luke warm water so that it is a pliable but not too runny dough. Let rise overnight in a warm place.

Lightly kneed the next morning and put in pans which were spread with butter.

Let rise until double in size. Bake in preheated 400F oven for 1 hour.

Let cool, break in pieces and dry in cool 150F to 200F oven.

Microwave Rusks Natalie Archer

1/2 Kg butter

500 g brown sugar

500 ml buttermilk

2 eggs

1 Kg self raising flour

7 blocks Weetabix, crushed

salt

1. Melt the butter in a pan. When almost melted, add the brown sugar and continue stirring until all the sugar is melted. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

2. Beat eggs and buttermilk together. Set aside.

3. Mix together self raising flour, salt, and crushed Weetabix.

4. Then add the butter mixture and the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix well.

5. Place 1/3 of batter into an 20 x 10cm tub. Cook in microwave for 9-10 minutes on HIGH. Repeat with the remaining batter.

6. Turn out onto cooling rack and cool. Then cut into about 1 inch by 2 inch pieces.

7. Preheat oven to 170 - 200F. Place sliced rusks onto a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and allow to dry in oven for several hours.

Garam Marsala

Every cook has her own Garam Marsala recipe. Here is one that I like.

4 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 1/2 tbsp caraway seeds (shahjeera)
1 1/2 tbsp dry ginger
3/4 tsp black cardamom (3-4 large pods)
3/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon (1 inch piece)
3/4 tsp bay leaves
1 dried red chili

Roast everything in a skillet over a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning. Let cool, take the seeds out of the cardamon pods, discard the pods and put the seeds in the mixture. Blend everything together with a coffee grinder. Store in airtight container in cool dark place.

Dahl Daal, Dal

1 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 x 16 ounce can tomatoes, or 4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp coriander ground
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp garam marsala - see recipe or buy
2 tbsp butter or ghee

Cook lentils, cumin, turmeric, ground ginger potatoes, tomatoes and coriander for 20 minutes.
Saute onion and garlic in butter. Add to lentil and cooks until integrated and the lentils are totally soft.
Serve with rice.

Peanut Butter Balls and Jelly by John-Paul Simonis

1. Combine oats with any nut butter until you they form balls and stick together. Not too much nut butter. The balls should be small-ish.
2. Put some jam, honey, and a tiny bit of cinnamon on a small plate to make a dip.
3. Dip the nut balls into the dip. Tastes like peanut butter and jelly.

Ginger Fruit Salsa by John-Paul Simonis

Hey mom and dad,
I made the most wonderful salsa yesterday, and me, Mark, and Julia all loved it. The words in italics are things that I improvised on. I added it to a salad which already had oil, vinegar, salt, pepper. We also invented peanut butter balls and jelly last night.

Ginger Fruit Salsa
You can use any fruit or a combo of fruits in this spicy yet refreshing salsa. Try peaches, plums, pears, mangoes, papaya, pineapple, and much more.

some pineapple - 2 diced pieces of fruit (use more is fruit are small)
5 smaller tomatoes - 2 diced and de-seeded Large Tomatoes
something red-spicy - 2 diced spicy hot peppers
some green pepper - 1/2 diced green pepper
some chopped cilantro or something - 1 diced scallion
parsley
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
honey - 1 tablespoon of liquid sweetner (agave or maple syrup)
1 lime juiced
1/8th teaspoon of salt
basil - A handful of minced cilantro

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss. Allow the salsa to sit for an hour or more so the flavors and spices can blend together.

Love,
John-Paul

Arrhythmia - B4 the solution? by Brian Simonis

No doubt you probably remember using a lot of wheat germ at one time. I remember that you had a canister of wheat germ in the refrigerator. I bring up wheat germ as it contains a vitamin that is not legal to print on a label, yet it has been consider an anti-arrhythmia and anti-paralysis vitamin. It's actually called adenine or Vitamin B4. If you look on the label of any multi-vitamin formula, you will notice that B4 is never listed, despite the mention of a B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, etc.

It is ironic, but regular synthetic b-vitamins can increase a deficiency of vitamin B4. Besides wheat germ, nutritional yeast contains it, also raw honey does. While other foods do contain some B4, any heat or processing destroys it. That said, if you like the taste of wheat germ and do not mind using it on your cereal, it be another aid to atrial fibrillation.

High blood pressure? Eating grapes may help by MSNBC

After 18 weeks, rats in study had better heart function, researchers say

CHICAGO - Grapes helped lower blood pressure and improve heart function in lab rats fed an otherwise salty diet, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

The findings, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, may help people with high blood pressure, they said.

"These findings support our theory that something within the grapes themselves has a direct impact on cardiovascular risk, beyond the simple blood pressure-lowering impact that we already know can come from a diet rich in fruits and vegetables," Mitchell Seymour of the Cardioprotection Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan said in a statement.

In a study sponsored in part by California grape producers, Seymour and colleagues examined the effects of ordinary grapes on rats that develop high blood pressure when fed a salty diet.

Some of the rats ate a diet containing a powder from red, green and purple table grapes and a high-salt diet. Others were fed the grape powder and a low-salt diet. The powder, which contained the same nutrients in fresh grapes, allowed the scientists to measure the rats' intake carefully.

After 18 weeks, the rats that ate the grape-enriched diet had lower blood pressure, better heart function, reduced inflammation throughout their bodies, and fewer signs of heart muscle damage than rats that ate a salty diet but no grapes.

"The inevitable downhill sequence to hypertension and heart failure was changed by the addition of grape powder to a high-salt diet," Dr. Steven Bolling of the University of Michigan, who heads up the lab, said in a statement.

Bolling said he thinks flavonoids, beneficial chemicals found in grapes, green tea, cocoa and tomatoes, could be having an effect on blood pressure. Flavonoids have been shown in other studies to have heart-health benefits.

Food producers are keen to show the health benefits of their products. Studies sponsored by chocolate makers, almond and walnut producers have shown various heart benefits, including reducing inflammation in blood vessels and lowering the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

Grape powder comprised about three percent of the rats' diet. For humans, that would be about nine servings of grapes a day. One serving is about 15 grapes.

The California Table Grape Commission provided financial support for the study and supplied the grape powder. Other sponsors included the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.

Copyright 2008 Reuters. Click for restrictions.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27435396/

Cancer - Alternative Remedy by Bert H Parkerson of JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY.

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER,

JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

Cancer Update from John Hopkins


1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the
cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size. <>

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at
temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering.. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Acne by Brian Simonis

Several years ago, there was a ground breaking study which never made any headlines. The results showed that two islands of people who do not consume any "civilized foods," had absolutely no acne whatsoever, including their adolescence.

The civilized foods they never eat of interest are sugars, refined grains and starches.

Of course, here it's almost impossible to avoid these foods--the temptations are everywhere.

So here's a list of items which will significantly minimize it, even enough for complete eradication.

The first item is the most important, which is a special probiotic. The gut microflora ultimately determines how steroid hormones will be balanced out. The environment of intestinal microflora determines the expression of steroidogenic enzymes and supplementing with the correct probiotic (shown below) will significantly blunt the androgentic variety that are responsible for acne and also cut down on inflammation.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=3620&at=0

While there's a whole of host of supplements that would help in areas, this product below is a terrific soap. A lot acne is in part created by a species of mites, such as demodex. This soap contains ingredients like seabuckthorne oil which decrease the mite populuation and prevent the ensuing breakouts.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=5662

This one here is pretty important, called EGCG or the principle gallate from green tea. When taken with a meal, especially one that isn't good for the skin will reduce the amount of circulating insulin growth factor-1. When a refined carbohydrate is eaten, levels of IGF-1 increase, which further increases DHT, a hormone that causes excess production of sebum or skin oil production. At the same time, insulin growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is decreased, which is needed in adequate supply to shed out skin layers. When they do not shed fast enough, this exacerbates existing acne. EGCG helps normalize these levels during dietary indulgence.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=1105&at=0

I can think of many others, but these three should be enough. While it's not easy to reduce refined carbohydrates, cutting out pasteurized milk and cereals would be the most critical target for success. If raw, unpasteurized, grass-fed milk is available, then that is okay--it's actually great for the skin.

The types of oil her family cooks with is another important factor in the health of her skin. If vegetable oil or canola oil is used in their cooking, it will raise enzyme levels of 5-alpha reductase, which will increase her skin oil. Oils to use that do the opposite are coconut oil and red palm oil. Neutral oils with no negative effect are olive oil. Also avoid the seed oils, which tend to have a very high omega-6 fatty acid content.

One way to neutralize the negative effects of oils in the diet, which are unavoidable if processed food is eaten is taking Borage oil. This is an option, but a good one. It's loaded in Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA), which prevents the formation of arachadonic acid. Arachadonic acid is a powerful inflammation creator. When Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acid ratio becomes unhealthy, this is when inflammation can get out of hand.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=441&at=1

If she's a very tough case, there are other items of interest such as Lactoferrin and Pantethine (Coenzyme A).

This should do it, and she'll probably notice some other benefits along the way that she never intended for.

High Blood Pressure by Brian Simonis

The first link is the deal I could find on the extended release Arginine, which is technically called Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=8540862328408197188&at=0


The second link is a specific type of grape seed extract that has been shown in clinical studies to reduce blood pressure.
This is just as good as pine bark extract, but cheaper--it's also proven to work.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=-1939073410188151991&at=0

Taking the two of these together should give a very positive effect.

Atrial Fibrillation by Brian Simonis

One last detail that I should not leave out, and that is in regards to Atrial Fibrillation. While most cardiologists resort to dangerous blood thinners to control the pooling of blood (clot forming) that is resultant from Atrial Fibrillation, why not reverse Atrial Fibrillation instead?

What's really the cause of Atrial Fibrillation? In most people it's a simple iodine deficiency. Unfortunately, iodine has been demonized due to erroneous perceptions. Prior to a 60-year old drug treatment dominance, iodine was used ubiquitously for a variety of ailments. Amazingly, while "modern" medicine shuns iodine therapy, their most popular anti-fibrillation drug, Amiodarone, actually is iodine in a toxic, sustained-release form.

Several nutritionally based cardiologists have used iodine to successfully eliminate Atrial Fibrillation. Personally, I'm even taking iodine. How to find the right kind? That is not easy, but fortunately I have it right on my website. Scroll down to the very bottom of this page (Click here) to find it, if you're interested in giving it a go.

Meniscus tear by Brian Simonis

Here is the link to Ecklonia Cava supplement, the product is called Fibroboost

Click here

Ecklonia cava (Fibroboost) works by inhibiting Phospholipase A2, a precursor to highly inflammatory mediators
which cause acute pain and degradation of the joints and ligaments.

Hyaluronic acid is also excellent, it will hydrate the skin (as a bonus) and will lubricate the space inbetween the cells and the joints.

Solutions for High Blood Pressure by Brian Simonis

How to lower blood pressure with extremely positive, side benefits.

I've research high blood pressure (hypertension for years) and have made
many casual observations on how and why this occurs.

Besides Nattokinase, which is a profoundly, beneficial substance (lowers BP, breaks down clots, thins the blood, removes calcium from arteries), there is also the very best natural substance I have ever encountered, which is called Ecklonia Cava (Seanol) found in a product called "Fibroboost."

I have used Fibroboost for well over a year and it is truly amazing.

Here's what it does:

• Relaxes arterial walls and increases blood flow by 50 to 60%
• Increases alpha waves, an indicator of relaxation (think of this as meditation in a capsule)
• Significantly reduces the formation of clots (or lowers fibrinogen levels), it thins the blood
• Potently suppresses ACE similar to the drug (enalapril) Vasotec, but better.
• Reduces artery inflammation and scrubs off artery plaque.
• About a 100 times more powerful than Green Tea Polyphenols, which means it fights free radicals.
• Increases levels of growth hormone. You can tell this works by how well you sleep during the night.
• Excellent for weight loss and prevents the formation of triglycerides, helps lean out the body.

Last, but not least, this will reduce blood pressure by way of the above mentioned mechanisms.

The recommended dose is one capsule twice per day.

This is how to obtain Fibroboost, click here

If you decide to order this, the following referral code will save $5 off the order: HIL335

In summary, if you were to take this Fibroboost along with Co-enzyme Q10 (Ubiquinol), Omega-3, Magnesium, and high dose-Vitamin D, your blood pressure should progressively improve in months time. Best off all, there are several meaningful and noticeable health benefits you may experience.

Nattokinase click here

Concentrated Fish oil, very high in EPA/DHA click here

Magnesium, this is a good form. Essential for blood pressure. click here

If you use this code, HIL335 you will save $5.00 off your first order.

How much to take?

Nattokinase should be taken twice per day.

Concentrated Fish oil (EPA/DHA), 2 to 4 softgels per day. Suggestion is two caps with your two of your largest meals.

Magnesium, 2 capsules twice per day.

All of these products furnish many health benefits. Better blood pressure is merely just one healthy benefit to expect.
There are many others.

Here's some information on Pycnogenol:

INTRODUCTION: Some compounds of herbal origin, such as Pycnogenol (PYC), have been considered as an aid in antiplatelet therapy. Pycnogenol, a French maritime pine bark extract, is a complex mixture of polyphenols that has the ability to reduce human smoking-induced platelet aggregation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro ability of PYC to improve the efficacy of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in the inhibition of platelet function. MATERIAL/METHODS: Whole blood, anticoagulated with hirudin, was drawn from 38 volunteers ( 40.4+/-13.8 years old) and incubated with PYC (10, 50, 100 microg/ml) or/and ASA (25, 100 micromol/l) for 20 min at RT.PYC was dissolved in water (water-PYC group, n=20) or ethanol (ethanol-PYC group, n=18). To investigate platelet functions, PFA-100 closure-time determination, whole-blood electrical aggregation (WBEA), and PRP aggregation were employed. Collagen (1 microg/ml) and ADP (5 micromol/l) were used as platelet agonists. RESULTS: A compounding effect of ASA and PYC to inhibit platelet function recorded in collagen-induced aggregation in PRP was observed, but only when ethanol-dissolved PYC was used. The inhibitory effect of PYC (alone) was most profound in platelets activated with ADP. At all concentrations, PYC significantly inhibited platelet aggregation only in the ethanol-PYC group. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that under in vitro conditions, ethanol-dissolved PYC deepened the efficacy of ASA to inhibit platelet function. This study confirmed the direct and compounding (with ASA) inhibitory effect of PYC on platelets. These observations encourage the concept that the combined use of ASA and PYC may be beneficial in patients with impaired response to ASA therapy.

Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2004 Oct;10(4):373-7. Links

Prevention of venous thrombosis and thrombophlebitis in long-haul flights with pycnogenol.

Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Rohdewald P, Ricci A , Ippolito E , Dugall M, Griffin M, Ruffini I, Acerbi G , Vinciguerra MG , Bavera P , Di Renzo A , Errichi BM, Cerritelli F .

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Irvine2 Vascular Lab, G D'Annunzio University and San Valentino Vascular Screening Project (Pe), Faculty of Motory Sciences, L'Aquila University, Italy. cardres@pe.abol.it

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) and its prophylaxis with an oral anti-edema and antithrombotic agent (Pycnogenol, Horphag, Research Management SA, Geneva, Switzerland) in long-haul flights, in subjects at moderate to high-risk of DVT and SVT. The study pre-included 244 pre-selected subjects; 211 were included (33 were excluded for several reasons due to logistic problems) and 198 completed the study; 13 subjects were lost for follow-up at the end of the flight, all for non-medical problems ( i.e., for difficult connections). All subjects were scanned within 90 minutes before the flight and within 2 hours after disembarking. Subjects were supplemented with 100 mg Pycnogenol per capsule. Treatment subjects received two capsules between 2 and 3 hours before flights with 250 mL of water; two capsules were taken 6 hours later with 250 mL of water and one capsule the next day. The control group received comparable placebo at the same intervals. The flight duration was on average 8 hours and 15 minutes (SD 55 min) (range, 7.45-12.33). In the control group there were five thrombotic events (one DVT and four superficial thromboses) while only nonthrombotic, localized phlebitis was observed in the Pycnogenol group (5.15% vs. no events; p<0.025 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">No unwanted effects were observed. In conclusion, this study indicates that Pycnogenol treatment was effective in decreasing the number of thrombotic events (DVT and SVT) in moderate-to-high risk subjects, during long-haul flights.

Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2006;35(1-2):139-42. Links

Effects of nattokinase, a pro-fibrinolytic enzyme, on red blood cell aggregation and whole blood viscosity.

Pais E, Alexy T , Holsworth RE , Meiselman HJ .

Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.

The vegetable cheese-like food, natto, is extremely popular in Japan with a history extending back over 1000 years. A fibrinolytic enzyme, termed nattokinase, can be extracted from natto; the enzyme is a subtilisin-like serine protease composed of 275 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 27.7 kDa. In vitro and in vivo studies have consistently demonstrated the potent pro-fibrinolytic effect of the enzyme. However, no studies to date have evaluated the effects of nattokinase on various hemorheological parameters and thus we have begun to assess the effects of the enzyme on RBC aggregation and blood viscosity. Blood samples were incubated with nattokinase (final activities of 0, 15.6, 31.3, 62.5 and 125 units/ml) for 30 minutes at 37 degrees C. RBC aggregation was measured using a Myrenne MA-1 aggregometer and blood viscosity assessed over 1-1000 s(-1) with a computer controlled scanning capillary rheometer (Rheolog). Our in vitro results showed a significant, dose-dependent decrease of RBC aggregation and low-shear viscosity, with these beneficial effects evident at concentrations similar to those achieved in previous in vivo animal trials. Our preliminary data thus indicate positive in vitro hemorheological effects of nattokinase, and suggest its potential value as a therapeutic agent and the need for additional studies and clinical trials.

Nattokinase for prevention of thrombosis
Tai and Sweet Am J Health Syst Pharm.2006; 63: 1121-1123

Angiology. 2003 Sep-Oct;54(5):531-9.Links

Prevention of venous thrombosis in long-haul flights with Flite Tabs: the LONFLIT-FLITE randomized, controlled trial.

Cesarone MR, Belcaro G, Nicolaides AN, Ricci A , Geroulakos G , Ippolito E , Brandolini R , Vinciguerra G , Dugall M , Griffin M, Ruffini I, Acerbi G , Corsi M , Riordan NH, Stuard S, Bavera P, Di Renzo A, Kenyon J , Errichi BM .

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Irvine2 Vascular Lab, G D'Annunzio University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project (Pe), Pescara, Italy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of edema, and superficial and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis with an oral profibrinolytic agent (Flite Tabs, 150 mg pinokinase, Aidan, Tempe, AZ, USA) in long-haul flights (7-8 hours), in high-risk subjects. A group of 300 subjects was included; 76 were excluded for several problems including concomitant treatments; 204 were randomized into 2 groups (active treatment or placebo) to evaluate the effects of prophylaxis with Flite Tabs. An exercise program was used in both groups. The femoral, popliteal, tibial, and superficial veins were scanned with ultrasound before and within 90 minutes after flights. Of the included subjects, 92 of 103 controls and 94 of 101 treated subjects completed the study. Dropouts were due to connection problems. Age, gender, and risk distribution were comparable in the groups. In the treatment group, no DVT was observed. In the control group, 5 subjects (5.4%) had a DVT and there were 2 superficial thromboses (7 events in 92 subjects; 7.6%). At inclusion, edema was comparable in the 2 groups. After flights there was an increase in score in controls (+12%) in comparison with a decrease (-15%) in the Flite Tabs group (the difference in variation was statistically significant). Intention-to-treat analysis for thrombotic events shows 18 failures in controls (11 lost to follow-up + 7 thrombotic events) of 92 subjects ( 19.6%) in comparison with 7 failures (of 94 subjects, equivalent to 7.4%) in the treatment group (p <>

Nutrition. 2003 Mar;19(3):261-4. Links

Dietary supplementation with fermented soybeans suppresses intimal thickening.

Suzuki Y, Kondo K , Ichise H , Tsukamoto Y , Urano T, Umemura K.

Department of Pharmacology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka, Japan. yapplel@hama-med.ac.jp

Although soy foods have been consumed for more than 1000 y, it is only in the past 20 y that they have made inroads into Western diets. We investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with natto extracts produced from fermented soybeans on intimal thickening of arteries after vessel endothelial denudation. Natto extracts include nattokinase, a potent fibrinolytic enzyme having four times greater fibrinolytic activity than plasmin. Intimal thickening was induced in the femoral arteries by intravenous infusion of rose bengal followed by focal irradiation with a transluminal green light. Dietary natto extract supplementation was started 3 wk before endothelial injury and continued for another 3 wk after. In ex vivo studies, euglobulin clot lysis times were measured 3 wk after the initial supplementation. Neointima formation and thickening were also initiated successfully. The intima media ratio 3 wk after endothelial injury was 0.15 +/- 0.03 in the control group. Dietary natto extract supplementation suppressed intimal thickening (0.06 +/- 0.01; P < style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">hese findings suggest that natto extracts, because of their thrombolytic activity, suppress intimal thickening after vascular injury as a result of the inhibition of mural thrombi formation.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=760&at=0 (Pycnogenol)

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=33&at=1 (Nattokinase)

The first link is the deal I could find on the extended release Arginine, which is technically called Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=8540862328408197188&at=0


The second link is a specific type of grape seed extract that has been shown in clinical studies to reduce blood pressure.
This is just as good as pine bark extract, but cheaper--it's also proven to work.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=-1939073410188151991&at=0

Taking the two of these together should give a very positive effect.

South African Pancakes by Phyllis Barnard

This is the way they make pancakes in South Africa. It is a thin pancake - like crepes suzettes - and we sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the pancake as soon as it comes it is cooked, then roll it up. Nowadays they put all sorts of fillings in the pancake, but I still like it this way the best. It is a very light consistency - not "taai" as some come out.
3 eggs
3 T brandy
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp BP
salt
2 c milk
3 T melted butter

Beat eggs and brandy till foam. Sift in dry ingredients. Lastly milk then melted butter. Fry in butter. I use a 8 inch saute pan - and put about a scant 1/4 of pancake mix in the pan and swirl it around so that the whole area is covered. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon as soon as it is done and roll it up. Serve with a spot of lemon juice.

Real entertaining way of notification by dr. Gustav Barnard

As you will see, here is the way to complain about things - and he got all the bottles replaced.

Dear sir or madam
I bought a few cases of wine from you a few weeks ago and one of your brands, the special late harvest wine, has corks in it that is defending its charges to the utmost. In two bottles that I opened, I had to do battle with a determined foe disguised as a cork. I eventually had to rend it asunder, a type of activity I do not normally associate with the civilized process of wine drinking. I am somewhat pugalistically inclined and will match my array of corkscrews to any corks that float by. But what about the poor widows and orphans that encounters such an obstacle to drinking pleasure, I mean what message are we sending the youth? A cork should merely float to the top, not sting like a bee. Although in all fairness, that is not what these corks did, stinging like bees that is. But I am uncharitable enough the suspect them of having such intentions if they were not otherwise ungainfully employed. So, could you perhaps do something about it? That is if you are not in the pay of the headcork.

Thanks

Gustav Barnard

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Brian Simonis

If you or someone else is not certain if it is carpal tunnel syndrome, a sort of "self test" may give a better idea.

Try bending your effected wrist forward and compressing it firmly from behind. Hold it for two or three minutes. If that brings on or aggravates the numbness, it probably is carpal tunnel.

While there are treatment options for this, such as Anodyne, Prolotherapy and FSM (Frequency Specific Microcurrent), the easiest way to treat this to take a 100 milligrams of vitamin B6 three times daily--but not just any kind. Opt for the "pyridoxal-5- phosphate," or P5P, form of vitamin B6. This is the activated form, that does not require enzymatic conversion.

If that doesn't work after several weeks, consider applying liquid vitamin B12 mixed with DMSO to the underside of the injured wrist several times daily for another few weeks. This is available by prescription or even easier, you can find a vitamin B12 by cream over the Internet.

Shameless Plugs

In my work with Pampered Chef I run across people who do have their own businesses. I am publishing their names, their business and contact information here. These are people I trust and won't hesitate to refer them to you.

Jennifer Erwin - NuSkin Enterprises and Galvanic Spa
206 919 2759
www.agelessjen.com

The Salon on the Hill - hairstylist, Evelyn Koval
16636 NE 172nd Pl, Woodinville, WA 98072
206 909 2822
www.salononthehill.com
h/c Men - 25.00
h/c Children - 25.00
h/c Women - 50.00
p/foil - 74.00 and up
full foil - 95.00 and up
color - 55.00 - 60.00
facial wax, brows - 15.00
facial wax, lip - 15.00
facial wax, both - 25.00

Pie Crust - Super Simple by Kathy McPherson

It can't get any easier than this!!

2 cups flour
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
a pinch or 2 of salt

Mix together and roll out between 2 pieces of wax paper.

Taco Ring

3/4 lb. ground beef, cooked
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp water
2 8oz pkg crescent roll dough
1 med green pepper
1/2 head lettuce, shredded
1 med tomato, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup salsa
Sour Cream
Heat oven to 375. Combine meat, taco mix, cheese, and water. Arrange crescent triangles in a circle with bases overlapping and points out on a flat stone, leaving a 5" circle in center. Spoon meat on triangle bases. Fold pints over meat and tick under. Bake 20-25 minutes until brown. Cut off the top of the pepper. Fill pepper with salsa and place in center of ring. Mound lettuce, tomato , onions and olives around pepper. Garnish with sour cream.
Serves 8

German Pie Pastry by Andrea Saunders

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Whisk together.

Cut in 1 cup Crisco

Then add:
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well, roll out on floured board turning at least once.

Caesar Salad Dressing by Phyllis Lind

This is a recipe that a sweet lady sent to Kathy McPherson after they chatted in the supermarket line. Phyllis wrote out the recipe in long hand and mailed it to Kathy. It is a truly amazing recipe.

1 1/2 cup Best Food mayonnaise
5 tbsp plain yogurt
3/4 tbsp anchovie paste
Mix these together and refrigerate overnight.

Put the following ingredients in the blender and blend for one minute.
1 1/4 tsp pepper melange
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp chicken soup base (Crescent)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 3/4 tsp minced fresh garlic

Add the mayonnaise and blend for 3 more minutes

Add slowly:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Keep in frig. It's good! Phyllis Lind

To make Caesar salad, mix one Romaine heart lettuce, a handful croutons, another big handful grated Parmesan cheese, and enough of this salad dressing to coat everything.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

There isn't a nicer crisp than this mixture of apples and cranberry sauce!

6-7 Granny Smith apples
1 Can (16 oz). Whole cranberry sauce
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup nuts, chopped
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted
Vanilla ice cream or whipped topping

Preheat oven to 375° F.

For filling, peel, core, and slice apples. Cut slices in half; place in 9 "x 13" baker. Mix cranberry sauce, sugar, and flour well. Pour cranberry mixture over apples in baker; toss to coat evenly.

For topping, mix chopped nuts, brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over fruit mixture.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until fruit is tender. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping, if desired.

Tres Leches Cake

1 package (18.25 ounces) white cake mix
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups water
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream or 4 ounces sour cream and 4 ounces whipping cream
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip, thawed
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9 inch square pan with 1 1/2 inch high side. Mix cake mix, eggs and water well. Pour into pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until knife comes out clean. Cool.
Slice top of cake off horizontally. Mix evaporated milk, condensed milk, sour cream and vanilla and pour over cake. Spread the Cool Whip on top of cake.

Battle at Kruger

Have you seen this on YouTube.com? The story of a pride of lions attacking a buffalo calf. Amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

Top 5 Plants Effective in Removing Indoor Pollution

Research done by former NASA scientist Bill Wolverton, Ph.D found that following five species were very efficient in filtering formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and carbon monoxide.

- Boston Fern mainly removes formaldehyde and xylene. Put them in a room with new furniture or carpeting.
- English Ivy mainly removes benzene, but also formaldehyde and xylene. They are especially effective in a room that has been freshly painted or carpeted, or a room that contains plastic equipment or furnishings (computers, printers fax machines) or ink.
- Areca Palm mainly removes xylene, and also formaldehyde. Is especially useful in carpeted rooms or areas with freshly varnished furniture.
- Spider Plant mainly removes carbon monoxide, and also xylene and formaldehyde. They are useful in kitchens with gas stoves or in rooms with fireplaces where carbon monoxide may accumulate
- Janet Craig/Striped Dracaena mainly removes formaldehyde, and xylene. For use in newly carpeted or newly furnished homes.

The Foliage for Clean Air Council recommends a minimum of two plants per 100 square feel of floor space.
Now that is a great way to deal with indoor pollution!
Taken from an article written by Tina Spangler, published in Natural Health in January/February 1995

Putu Pap, Stywe pap in Microwave

1 cup corn meal
2 cups water
salt

Mix and cook in microwave for 4 minutes. Serve with thick tomato sauce.
If you want a stiffer pap, use 1 1/2 cup water.

Baked Cauliflower

1 med cauliflower, broken into little pieces and cooked to tender crisp
2 tbsp butter, melted
8 oz cream cheese
boullion powder
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
fresh pepper
zest of 1 lemon

Place everything in casserole and bake for 25 minutes at 350F until bubbly.

Mosbolletjies (Rusks) by Lisa Visagie

This is one of those recipes that the baker has done for years and bakes the most delicious Mosbolletjies. It is an advanced Rusk-type recipe, but well worth while the effort.

To make this recipe, you need a potato yeast, which you will start making mid afternoon. Then you will make the dough in the next hour or two, and let it rise overnight. The next morning you put the dough into pans, let rise for about an hour, and then bake. Then you let it cool, break or cut the rusks and dry them in the oven overnight.

Potato Yeast
Use a big canning bottle with a lid. Nearly fill the bottle with lukewarm water and add 1 teaspoon dry yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Grate a medium potato into the bottle. Fill the bottle with lukewarm water if it is not full enough, but leave enough space to allow for foam to form. Screw the lid on and let stand in a warm area so that the potato can start fermenting, and foam forming on top. If the temperature is right, the foaming will start in about an hour and you will be able to start the kneading process. If it is too cold, it could take 2 hours for the yeast to be ready to use.

Rusks - enough for 3 bread pans.

5 pounds flour
2 1/2 cups sugar - more if you like your rusks sweeter
pinch salt
potato yeast
1/2 pound butter
1 - 2 tbsp anise seed

Add flour, sugar salt and anise seed in big bowl. Rub in the butter. Make a hole in the middle and pour the water part of the potato yeast to the dry ingredients. Leave all the potato and enough of the water to cover the potato in the bottle, screw on top and leave in fridge for next time.

Knead the dough until it is elastic. Add more lukewarm water if needed. Cover, put in a warm area until the morning. (I heat the oven at 250F for 2 minutes only - then I SWITCH THE OVEN OFF and then rise the dough in the oven).

Knead the dough down, make little balls with the dough and place them in the pans. Or just add the dough in the pan like a bread. Fill the pan 1/3 of the way up. Let the dough rise again in a warm area. (Same oven process as before).

When the dough rose to the top of the pan, bake them in preheated 350C oven for 45 minutes. When the rusks comes out of the oven, paint the tops with sugar water made with 1 tbsp sugar and 1/2 cup water, and let cool completely.

Now you can eat the mosbolletjies just like that, but I also like to break then apart - or cut them up in 1 x 1 inch fingers and dry them in a 175F oven overnight.

Swedish Coffee Cake

Dough
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream with 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Topping Mixture
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon


Cream butter and sugar with fork. Add egg, mix well. Stir in sour cream with soda until creamy.
Add sifted flour and baking powder, then vanilla. Batter will be stiff.
Pour one half batter into pan, spread evenly. Sprinkle with half of topping. Spread balance of batter and top with remaining topping mixture.
Bake 35 minutes or until done when tested. Cool in pan on rack about 30 minutes before removing.

Lentil Pilaf

1 cup lentils
1/4 cup wild rice, washed
1/2 cup long grain white rice
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup butter
1 oz. slivered almonds
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Saute the lentils, rice, onion and garlic in the butter until onion is tender 3 - 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

Almond-Anise Biscotti

1 cup slivered almonds
1 3/4 tsp anise seed
3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Grated peel of 1 large lemon

Place the almonds in a baking pan in a single layer and toast in a preheated 350F oven 10 minutes. Cool and chop coarsely. put the anise seed into a small saucepan and toast over medium heat 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Cool.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time beating for about minute after each addition. Beat in the anise seed, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts and the lemon peel. Slowly add the flour mixture; work in the almonds with your hands. The dough will be sticky.

Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface toll each half into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 12 inches long. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 325F oven for 30 minutes. Let cook 30 minutes on wire racks.

Cut the logs on the diagonal into 1/2 inch slices and put back onto 2 baking sheets. Bake, one at a time, in a preheated 250F oven for 10 minutes; turn the slices over and bake 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Bake the second sheet in the same way.

Khichuri

This brown rice and lentil stew is a nourishing, easy to make, and one-dish meal - a great favorite in India.

1 cup red lentils
1/2 cup brown rice
1 bay leaf
1 one-inch piece of cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
Hot water
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/3 cup raw unsalted cashews
Juice of a lemon
Salt
Garnish: 2 hard boiled eggs quartered
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Place the rice and the lentils in a skillet. Put the next 8 ingredients on top. Pour enough hot water to barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer covered until all water is absorbed, and the rice is tender (30-40 minutes). Heat oil in skillet. Saute the cumin seeds for a minute. Add the cashews and saute for 2 minutes. Pour this mixture over the rice. Sprinkle lemon juice over, add salt to taste. Garnish with the eggs and cilantro. Serve with green salad and chutney.

Spicy Peanut Sauce over Seasonal Greens

This Thai-style peanut sauce is good served over either leafy greens or steamed vegetables such as green beans or broccoli.

3 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp ginger minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 green chili seeded and chopped
1 cup peanut butter mixed with 1 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey or other sweetener
1 bunch fresh spinach leaves

Saute onion, ginger, and garlic in oil. Add the next 5 ingredients. Cook until the sauce thickens. Pour over greens.

Hello Dollys by Heather Fletcher

2/3 stick butter belted in 9x13 pan
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup nuts
Layer as listed above. Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk over the top.
Bake until bubbly and light brown in 350F oven.

Mexican Rice Pilaf

1 medium onion, chopped
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 t cumin
2 c long-grain white rice – uncooked
2 c chicken, chopped and cooked
1 can (14 oz ) chicken broth
1 can (16 oz) tomato sauce
½ c water
½ c salsa – medium
¼ bunch cilantro, chopped
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Preheat oven to 350F. Saute onion in 12 inch Skillet until translucent. Add garlic, cumin and dry rice. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add all other ingredients except cheese and sour cream. Bring to boil. Cover and place in pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. Remove lid and top with cheese. Replace lid until cheese melts. Serve with sour cream.

Fajitas

2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
4 chicken pieces, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 tsp oil
1 clove garlic
1 envelop Onion Soup Mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup salsa
12 8 inch flour tortillas, warmed

Srit-fry chicken and remove from skillet. Stirfry bell peppers, garlic until nearly done. Add chicken, onion soup mix, water, salsa, and cook through.
Serve with tortillas, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

Jezebel Sauce by Kathy Smith

1 6 oz jar apple jelly
1 16 oz jar pineapple preserves
1 jar horse radish
2 oz can dry mustard
Mix and serve

Cabbage Salad

1/2 head chopped cabbage
2 plus tsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
4 green onions, sliced
1 pkg chicken sesame top ramen

Toss above together.

Dressing
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp black pepper
1 pkg top ramen seasoning
Mix together and let stand a few hours. Then mix with salad.

Cranberry Sauce by Hila Meyer

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp horse radish

Chop cranberries by hand or food processor. Add the other ingredients, mix and then freeze. Set out 4-6 hours before serving.

Cake Mix Cookies by Liz Look

Preheat oven to 350F.
1 box chocolate cake mix plus ingredients on box to make cake.
Mix everything except the water.
Add chocolate chips, candies etc, then spoon onto greased cookie sheet.
You can substitute oil with apple sauce.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Play Dough

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp oil
Food coloring
Mix everything until smooth.
Boil for about 3 minutes while stirring until it forms a ball.
It will keep for 2 months or longer.

Mexican Salad

1 onion chopped
1 lb ground meat
2 lb tin chilli beans
1 head lettuce, cut in 1 inch squares
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
4 tomatoes, cut in blocks
1/2 lb Coritos tortillas, crushed
A lot of 7 Seas Italian dressing
La Victoria Hot Salsa Brava

Brown onion. Add ground beef and brown. Add chili beans. Let simmer for 10 minutes to heat through.
In big salad bowl combine lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, tortillas, Italian dressing. Add meat, toss well, serve with La Victoria Hot Salsa brava.

Malva Pudding by Lynn Meyer

Batter
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 tbsp apricot jam
1 tsp baking soda
salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp Baking powder
1 egg

Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk

Batter
Beat egg and sugar. Add rest of ingredients except milk and baking soda. Dissolve baking soda in milk and add egg to mixture; beat gently. Grease an oven proof dish like Pyrex or Corning Ware, pour batter into this and bake for 1 hour in moderate oven at 350F.
Remove and while still hot pour syrup over. Excellent when served warm or hot with ice cream.

Sauce
Mix the ingredients for the sauce, and bring to boil.

Far Western Salsa

3 cans (1 lb 12oz) whole tomatoes, broken into smaller pieces
1 can (3 1/2 oz) Ortega whole California chillies, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 onion (about 2" diameter), chopped fine
1 tsp salt
1 pinch pepper
1 dash Tabasco sauce

Mix well and refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips.

Meringue Tart - Christa Barnard

3 large or extra large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts
11 cream crackers, crushed

Filling
1/4 cup jam
1/2 pint whipped cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 250F.
Separate eggs and beat egg whites stiffly.
Mix sugar and baking powder and gradually add to egg whites.
Chop nuts and crackers and fold them into the mixture.
Spread meringue onto a piece of tin foil (Shiny side) which you put on the plate you are going serve the tart on, so that you have the form of the plate with the slightly raised edge of meringue.
Move the meringue with the tin foil to a baking sheet and bake 1 1/2 hours.
Cool down.
Spread a thin layer of jam in the base. Mix the whipped cream and vanilla and spread over meringue. Refrigerate meringue for 3-4 hours before serving. Garnish with grated chocolate.

Brandy Tart from Gustav Barnard

Dough
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup dates
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup hot water
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts

Sauce
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brandy

Dough
Cream butter and sugar.
Mix dates, bicarbonate of soda and water.
Add egg, flour, baking powder and nuts to creamed butter and sugar.
Add half of date, bicarbonate of soda and water mixture to above, mix then add the rest and mix.
Bake in 9x13 baker at 375F for about 1/2 hour. Cut in blocks while hot and pour the boiling hot sauce over.

Sauce
Boil water and sugar for 5 minutes.
Remove from fire and add butter, vanilla and brandy. Pour over the freshly baked cake.

Mammie's Rusts - Phyllis Barnard

This is a superb rusk recipe that my mom always made. When I moved to America, I asked her to send the recipe to me. Well - when she sent you a recipe, she took no chances for you to misunderstand. So she told me EVERYTHING on how to make the rusks.
So first I give you the recipe that I deducted from her recipe, then I will give you her version. I halved her recipe - I didn't have enough bread pans.

Yeast Mixture
3 tsp active dried yeast
1/2 cup luke warm water (110F)
1/2 tbsp sugar

Milk Mixture
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 cup cold water

Butter/Egg Mixture
1/4 lb butter - melted
2 eggs

Flour Mixture
8 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp anise seed

Mix yeast, warm water and sugar and let stand in warm place for 5 minutes.
Heat sugar and milk until the sugar is melted.
Add cold water to sugar and milk mixture to get the temperature down to 120F. Put in refrigerator if temperature is not yet 120F.
Mix 1 cup of the flour with the milk mixture, then stir in the yeast mixture. This forms the sponge. Put the oven on 200F for 2 minutes then switch off. Let the sponge rise in the oven for 20 minutes.
Stir slightly beaten eggs into the melted butter.
Mix last three dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Mix sponge and butter/egg mixture into flour. Knead if necessary.
Cover and rise in the still warm oven for 60 minutes, or until the dough is double in size.
Knead down, divide dough in half and put in 2 bread pans, and let rise until just above the rim of pans.
Bake at 325F for 1 hour or until tester comes out clean.
Turn out, let cool and cut into pieces.
Dry in oven overnight at 175F.

The original recipe for Phyllis Barnard's rusks just like she wrote it. The all caps are hers.
PREHEAT OVEN 300 FAHRENHEIT - BAKE RUSKS ON LOWEST SHELF OR THE ONE WHERE IT WILL BAKE WITHOUT BURNING: PUT BROWN PAPER ON TOP OF RUSKS UNTIL 15 MINUTES BEFORE END OF BAKING PERIOD, which is about 1 1/4 hours or till done.

RUSKS. (NOT BUTTERMILK RUSKS)

2 Pkts of 10 gram of Active Dried Yeast must be fresh. I.e. 20 grams or about 6 teaspoons
5 pounds flour with salt - look in your recipe book for quality of salt for 5 pounds of flour - all mine are packed.
One heaped Tablespoon Aniseed (optional)
2 1/2 cups sugar (8 ounce measuring cups must be used)
1/2 pound butter
3 large eggs
One pint (20 ounces) lukewarm water - (you will not use all this water)
3/4 pint milk
ONE PINT COLD WATER FROM THE FRIDGE
REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU ON TAPE ABOUT NOT BURNING THE YEAST: MUST BE WARM BUT NOT HOT.
1. YEAST Mix the active Yeast with ONE teaspoon of the measured sugar and One Cup from the pint of lukewarm water in a large saucepan about 5 litre capacity: Put in a warm place with lid on for FIFTEEN Minutes. START WITH STEP 2 IMMEDIATELY.
2. Put the sugar and milk in a double boiler and boil just till sugar is dissolved: Remove from heat and add the ONE PINT OF COLD WATER FROM FRIDGE. The mixture should be warm but not hot enough to kill the germ in the yeast. Cool down further if necessary, by putting in a draught. It must be lukewarm.
3. NEXT: Make a sponge with One and a half cups of flour taken from the 5 lbs cake flour prescribed above; using the milk mixture at step 2. Be careful to avoid lumps - add the milk and sugar mixture gradually to the flour: NOW stir in the Yeast mixture at Step 1, return to the saucepan cover warmly and allow to rise for TWENTY MINUTES. Jy sal sien dat die gis by Stap 1 "werk" en die sponge by Stap 3 sal die pot amper vol rys in die 20 minute.
4. While the sponge is rising, melt the butter and keep where it can keep warm but it must not be hot when you add the eggs mentioned later-on, because the eggs will curdle.
5. When the sponge has risen for 20 minutes, BEAT the eggs just enough to mix the white with the yolks; NO NOT OVER BEAT: Add the butter to the beaten eggs.
Lastly mix the sponge and the butter and egg mixture into the flour, salt and aniseed. The mixture must be soft but not too soft. Knead and if necessary add a little of the ludewarm water to assist in the kneading process. When well mixed scoop together in your knie-skottel, cover warmly and allow to rise till double in bulk. Now knead dough down once only, form buns about the size of a table tennis ball. Put closely together in baking tins. Allow to rise until the tins are full. Bake in pre-heated oven. Jy moet nie die deeg weer knie nadat dit eenmaal afgeknie is nie. Omdat ek nie die deeg kan afkryp soos die ou mense maak nie, druk ek dit liggies plat tot een duim hoog. Druk af met daardie afdrukker wat jy vir scones gebruik. Rol liggies in 'n bolletjie op die plank wat effens meel gestrooi is, met jou hand wat bak gehou word. (Jy sit jou vier vingersen duim bymekaar dan het jy 'n "bak" - dan terwyl jy die bol rondbeweeg sal jou duim dit outomaties rol. As jy 'n beter metode het gebruik dit gerus.
Elke bolletjie moet aan die kant met gesmelte botter met jou linkerhandliggies gesmeer word voordat die tweede bolletjie neergesit word - as die ry vol is dan moet jy met jou botter besmeerde hand dit liggies aan die kant smeer - Dit sal dan versorg dat jou bolletjies mooi van mekaar skei nadat dit gaar is. LAAT RYS. BAK VIR EEN en 'n KWART UUR of totat jy kan sien dat dit mooi gaar is.
Die bolle moet styf teen mekaar wees. Sit jou pan effens skuins op sodat hulle teen mekaar le. Gewoonlik 4 bolle in 'n ry en dan sal jy self sien as die pan ewe vol is. Die idee is on die bolle te verplig op op te rys en nie in die pan te "spread" nie.
As jy omtrent 7 uur in die oggend begin kan jy omtrent 1:30nm klaar wees mits jou beskuit nie verkluim nie.
Voorspoed, Liefde Mammie.
PS Laat afkoel voor jy bolle skei om uit te droog.

Lilian Haynes' Bread and Butter Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

This is a great way to use up stale bread. My husband, however, claimed he did not like bread-and-butter pudding when he was a child. Made this way, and with whisky added, he has changed his mind.

Serves 4

10 slices of stale white bread

80g raisins

30ml whiskey

100g butter

300ml milk

2 eggs

80g sugar

100ml cream

Preheat the oven to 180C and butter baking dish. Soak the raisins in whiskey for 30 minutes. Butter the bread and make five sandwiches filled with the soaked raisins. Remove the crusts top and bottom of each sandwich and cut into four triangles.

Arrange all the triangles in baking dish.

Beat the milk, eggs and cream together and pour most over the bread. Stand for 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up some custard before topping with the remaining egg mixture.

Place the pudding in a bain marie and bake for 45 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Whisky Sauce

60g caramel sugar

250ml cream

100ml whiskey

Place the sugar and cream in a saucepan and boil - stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Turn the heat down and reduce for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add the whiskey.

Pour over hot pudding just before serving.

Nutmeg for Arthritis??

My mom told me many years ago that she suggested nutmeg tea for a man in her small town who was suffering badly from arthritis. And would with a flourish tell how he was completely cured a few months later. Yeah right. Well I was dinking around the internet and wouldn't you know - there are quite a lot of sites that refers to this. They typically use nutmeg oil. I know that in the olden days in this little town nutmeg oil wasn't available, so they would have used the whole nutmeg.

I always thought that this was one of those stories my mom told with little real evidence - I underestimated her!

The recipe is that you grate one nutmeg. Divide the grated nutmeg into 7 portions, and drink a tea made with hot water and 1/7th of the nutmeg every morning. Continue with this until you have relief from the arthritis pain.

Pancakes for Vegans

Vegan Pancakes

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp cinnamin.

Mix dry, add wet, mix well and prepare as you would for reg pancakes.

Allergic to Dairy Products?

Remember, I am not a doctor, so check with your own physician about any information that concerns you.

Lactose and casein could be the problem. Lactose is a primary sugar and casein is a primary protein in cow's milk. They are added to a huge variety of foods like bakery glazes, coffee whiteners, fortified cereals, high protein beverage powders, ice cream, infant formulas, nutrition bars, processed meat, salad dressing, and whipped topping. So read the labels!

A substitute for egg whites is flax seed. It can be used by those people who have allergies and vegans. You can find many recipes online using flax seed and there are also many cook books in local book stores with that also.

1 tablespoon of milled flax seed
3 tablespoons of water

1 tablespoon of milled flax seed with 3 tablespoons of water for each egg white you need.
Mix it well
Let the mixture sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

You can follow a Vegan diet when you are allergic to eggs, milk and other dairy products.