Monday, February 23, 2009

MINNESOTA WILD RICE/BEEF CASSEROLE

1/2 cup Minnesota Wild Rice, 1/2 tsp. salt & 4 cups water. Bring to a hard boil. Reduce heat and boil gently 20 minutes. Drain. Add: 1 can cream of Mushroom soup, 1 can cream of Chicken soup, 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained. 2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in one cup boiling water. Add: 1/4 tsp. each of celery salt, garlic salt, onion salt, pepper, paprika & a crumbled finely bay leaf. Saute: 3/4 cup celery, chopped & 1/3 cup onion, chopped in 1 tab. butter till transparent. Brown 2 lbs. ground beef. Drain and add to mixture. Put in casserole and sprinkle with 1/2 cup slivered almonds. Bake, covered 1- 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.


Minnesoa Wild Rice is out there. I found it in a 1 cup jar at Dillions & two different packages at HyVee. Read the container. It could be from Indonesia. We want good old USA Minnesota Wild Rice.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MINNESOTA Page 4

At this point about Minnesota which has so much to see and do, I will try to keep my comments short and you can Google the place I mention if you want to know more or just ask me.

Lake of the Woods/Northwest Angle & Islands - A vacation to this remote Minnesota land up in Canada Territory can be relaxing taking in the sights, a boat ride with a guide to a 200 year old historic Fort St. Charles (a French Voyaguers post) & other islands OR dawn to dusk fishing for Northern Pike, Muskie, Walleye, etc. The artifical lure's are 6" long with 40 lb. line. 130 people live there and they have a 1 room school house (approx. 16 kids) from the Angle & surrounding islands coming by boat or snowmobile. Northwest Angle Resort owner built most of the town.

Grand Rapids - Judy Garland's birthplace home with a Festival June 25-27, 2009 where you may see a real live Munckin. Her museum downtown is filled with her momento's and the Carriage from the Wizard of Oz. Don't miss the Forestry History Center with characters in costume as it was in the early 1900's. They actually logged in the winter, sometimes 40 below zero, because the horses can pull 10 times their weight on ice. 300 camps in the Minnesota forest, seventy men in a camp earning $25 a month. By 1929 they had harvested all the original pine trees and floated them down the Mississippi River to St. Louis most to be used to build wagons heading out to open up the west.

Lost Forty - Chippewa National Forest - Blackduck, Minnesota
The original government survey 1882 described this 144 acres as part of Coddington Lake. This mapping error caused the virgin red & white pine of the area to be left behind by the loggers. These trees up to 350 years old and between 22 and 48 inches in diameter. Old growth is valuable for bald eagles, hawks, red squirrels, weasels, etc. A one mile self-guided trail winds its way through the majestic pines.

Avenue of the Pines Scenic Byway - 40 miles through Leech Lake Indian Reservation & Chippewa National Forest past Lake Winnibigoshish(Paul Bunyan country). Laurentian Divide, a rise in the land that determines which way running water flows. North-into Hudson Bay & South -eventually into the Gulf of Mexico. South to Mille Lacs Lake named by French Fur Traders meaning thousand lakes. Second largest lake in Minnesota. 132,510 acres and 76 miles of shoreline. Home to all of Minnesota's symbols: bird, Loon; flower, Ladyslipper; Rock, Superior Agate; Grain, Wild rice and Fish, Walleye. Mille Lacs provided the granite for the Statue of Liberty restoration.

McGregor - Wild Rice Festival (Wild Rice Hot Dish & Wild Rice Soup) the 1st Sat. of June (was anyway). Gigantic Craft Show & Flea Market. Wild Rice grows in the water in Minnesota and harvested by boat and was the Native American's main dish.

Marcell - Corn Festival with free roasting ears, fresh tomatoes & watermelons.

Calumet - Tour of Hill Annex Mine, the only intact natural iron ore mine in the world that visitors can tour. Pit mine 500ft. deep with 326 ft. of water in it. Started in the late 1800's and closed 1978. 700 million tons removed.

Hibbings - Hull Rust Mine (open pit) still operating.

I could go on & on about all the things in Minnesota to see & do. All wonderful. However, I should mention one "little bitty" negative side Mosquitos. With all those lakes and still water it is a perfect breeding place. You just need alot of repellent. Check up there and they know the best thing to use. Have fun. I'll give you a Wild Rice recipe next time. If I can find Minnesota Wild Rice in Kansas. Jeanette

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MINNESOTA Page 3

The end of June the wildflowers are starting to bloom. The Bunchberry looks like the Missouri Dogwood trees in bloom but it is a non-woody dogwood growing as a single plant on the ground. By mid summer they will have bright red clusters of berries. Northern blue flag flowers look like miniature Iris. The spotted "touch me not" and tiny "Marsh marigold." Flowers are in the forest, swamps, marshes & bogs. On Highway 53 turn east when you get to [129] Ash River Trail to Ash River Visitor's center, the 1st of the 3 visitor's centers at the park. You will be able to get lots of information there & enjoy a nature trail. Check for schedules of naturalist-guided activities, such as guided trips on concession-run tour boats, canoe trips, children's programs and campfire talks. Reservations are necessary. Back on Highway 53 to [122] Kabetogama Lake Visitor's Center, which I consider the Main visitor's center because we both worked there. A group of "Lady Slippers" at the front door which is the most beautiful & unusual flower I've ever seen. Do not pick this beautiful bloom. It is the State flower and protected by law. The Lady Slipper & Art's & Crafts Festival is the 1st weekend of July. While Melvin worked that day I went to the festival. I met a man that had a cabin beside Sandy Point Resort past Woodenfrog on the peninsula for years and came from Indiana each year to fish. After retiring he & his wife moved there. He told me they were in their backyard last summer when a neighbor came to tell them he saw a bear go in his house & her three cubs are in front eating their tomatoes. They went to the deck looking in the window saw a 200 lb. black mama bear jump up on the kitchen counter. Using her front paws open the two cupboard doors in front of her. Sitting there looking at everything in the cupboard. She grabbed two jars of peanut butter squeezing till the lids poped off and squeezed the contents into her mouth. She got down & went over to the pantry. she grabbed a bag of marshmallows, holding the corner of the bag in her mouth carried them out to the cubs. When they first discovered the bear in the house he ran over to the neighbors to call the Ranger. The Ranger said it had been reported and he had been calling his house. The man said he guessed the bear didn't feel like answering the phone and he sure wasn't going in to answer it. That area of Minnesota has so many black bears they have a hunting season. His wife buys bear fat from the hunters and makes homemade soap from it. Hum? Do you think this was payback? It's not that unusual for a bear to go into a cabin but they usually tear everything up. This bear had such manners that she left her children outside. Went straight to the food & left. Their home was full of antique dolls & furniture and she never hurt a thing. Please make reservations to ride over to Kettle Falls island on the concession run tour boat leaving Lake Kabetogama Visitor's Center about 10am and have a wonderful lunch there. Get back on Hi. 53 to International Falls. 12 miles east of International Falls is the 3rd visitor center Rainy Lake 218-286-5258. Please don't miss any of them. Each has something different to offer. Here you take a ride in a real Voyageur's canoe & you have to help paddle with your guide dressed as the Voyageur's of the 1800's. That doesn't start till school is out and the {real life} teacher is available so you want to check on that ahead of time also. There's alot to see & do at International Falls. Boise Cascade Lumber Company has tours (they make paper); Koochicking Museum; Bear Park (Smokey the Bear statue & friends); and since we eat our way across America - Spot Firehouse Restaurant with old Firetruck and lots of fun stuff is a great place to go. Watch the weather map in the winter, they claim they are the coldest spot in the nation. They are!! You can drive over the bridge (with proper ID) into Canada. A family owned open pit Amethyst mine is fun to visit. Thunderbay is worth the trip. Gotta go now. Next time I'll tell you about the Lake of the Woods and Northwest Angle. The farther point north of the United States. Even farther than Maine. You have to go out of Minnesota into Canada and back into Minnesota to get to it. Jeanette

Monday, February 16, 2009

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MINNESOTA Page 2

Voyageurs National Park page 2 -
Town of ORR Area Information Center & places around it.
When we arrived the first of June we noticed the birch, aspen, etc. (trees with leaves) were completely stripped and all standing there naked like winter or dead. It was the 1st year of the 3 year Armyworm (Tent Catepillars) infestation that comes every 10 years. If you are where they are - your bait bucket, vehicle, etc. will be covered with them in a short time. They are harmless & don't bite you!! When we went to the Wildlife Sanctuary to see the bears we noticed all the trees in the sanctuary area had leaves on them. A bear can eat 7 gallons of Armyworms a day they tell me . The town of Orr is a great central spot on the main highway from Minneapolis to International Falls. Just northeast is Mel George's Resort (1910 logging camp) open 8am - 9pm Thursday - Sunday for good food right on Elephant Lake (a good place to catch Sunfish). Close by also, is Echo Trail a beautiful drive through Superior National Forest (100 miles) to Duluth. As you drive you will go through Ely. If camping out and fishing is your thing try the Boundary Waters there. Don't miss "The International Wolf Center" that has a resident wolfpack that you can sit on benchs & watch them interact through a big glass window; "Root Beer Lady Museum" (she made from scratch for fishermen that came in the summer & you can still get a bottle made from her recipe); and the Jr. College Museum is a must to learn the history of Logging in the area in the 1800's. Plan on a day for this little trip. I must tell you about the most beautiful lake you will see while you are up there in the land of 1,000 lakes and it is right on Echo Trail it's name just happens to be Lake Jeanette with a tree covered little island you can see from the road. I may be a little partial because of the name. When you get to Duluth drive the North Shore of Lake Superior stopping to see: Split Rock Lighthouse & Gooseberry Falls State Park; Grand Marais waterfall on the Cascade River - short hike; North House Folk School (rebuilding wooden sail boats of the 1830's); Grand Portage-Rendevous Headquarters(that is so interesting) with a casino -dinner & lodging there also. You can catch a trip on the Wenonah for an all day trip to Isle Royale with a great naturalist talk & walk while you are there. Lake Superior is the largest body of fresh water in the world. It's the most feared of the Great Lakes. 350 wrecks lie beneath her waves. It's also the purest of the 5 great lakes & many port cities use it for their source of water. Back at Duluth go to Canal Park- Marine Museum and they can help you but please ride the "Vista Star" cruise of the harbor touring a real iron ore ship, . If you get hungry and want to take our word for it "Pickwick" family owned since 1914 beautiful wood paneling, The Brewhouse "Fitzgers Brewery," Louis Cafe (best pancakes with Real Maple Syrup). I'm really not getting any money for all this advertising it looks like I'm doing mentioning these places we enjoyed. I know there are lots of great places everywhere but we couldn't get to them all. I'll get on up north to Voyageurs National Park area next time. Jeanette

Friday, February 13, 2009

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MINNESOTA

What makes a national park? Year 2000 our nation's fifty four national parks protect for the American people - and the world - wonderful and evocative scenery and varied natural systems that represent the singular and diverse character of our nation's rich natural heritage. They provide a setting in which we can connect with our cultural roots & history. One of our newest parks, Voyageurs National Park celebrated it's 25th anniversary that year. Voyageurs has 4 big lakes and over 500 pine-covered islands which are a product of the leveling action of the glaciers. We can understand the course of the glaciers in the vistas of deep blue water that contrast so obviously with the green boreal forest and dark surfaces of rocks & ridges. It is the only unit of the national park system that is wholly within the Artic watershed of Hudsons Bay. The native people of the north and the first Europeans - the fur traders & their paddlers, the French Canadian voyageurs - explored and settled this part of North America using the waters as roads, and canoes as transport. In such ways, we share much of our natural and cultural history with the people of Canada. The boundary between Canada and the U.S. in this area - which is also the northern boundary of the park for over 50 miles - is defined by international treaty as the historic route of the voyageurs. As a water-based national park, Voyageurs provides a window for current park visitors into what it means to depend on water for transportation. The park has fewer than 8 miles of paved roads in it's 218,000 acres - so our access today is by boat, canoe or kayak in summer and by snowmobile, ski, or snowshoe in the winter. The beaver the fur traders came to exploit have returned. They seem to be everywhere and can be watched - swimming, building dams, stripping trees and rearing their young throughout the park. Over time, their dams and tree-felling will open meadows, build soil, and contribute to ecological succession - just as they did when the Voyageurs was the water route of the fur traders. You do not need to have a boat to enjoy this wonderful park and area around it. Hopefully I will be able to interest you in a visit to this wonderful area between Minneapolis/St. Paul and International Falls, Minnesota. When coming in from the south the Mall of America (Bloomington) with it's basement aquarium and large clear tunnels you walk through as fish swim all around you is a must see!! Everling has the Hocky Hall of Fame worth a stop on your way north to the little (450 pop.) town of Orr. The last town before you enter the park built a beautiful visitor's center with information on the park, fishing camps, etc. Do stop there hopefully about 3 or 4pm getting all the information of the area you can & walking the Bog. Then driving the 13 miles west to a logging road that leads you 7 miles into the woods where the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary is open at 5 pm to dusk Memorial Day - Labor Day. Here you will see live wild bears coming to eat the fruit & breads the volunteers put out on tree stumps like Vince Schute did so many years ago. Cubs running up the trees & old bears everywhere. I worked (2) 10 hour days a week at the Orr Area Information Center., driving down about 30 miles from the 1st park visitors center -Ash River where the housing & camping for park volunteer's were located. Most of my day was telling people that came there to see the wild bears what to go and do in the area till they opened at 5pm. Do not miss this stop! The last of August when the berries in the forest are gone and the bears need to tank up for hibernation there may be 40 to 50 bears coming in to get the free food. I would love to tell you about Vince Schute and how this all came about but they will tell you that while you watch from the big wide open viewing deck. Or Google - History of the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary. Remember - always ask questions. You find out so much that way. I will tell you more next time. Jeanette

Saturday, February 7, 2009

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WASHINGTON

Page 1 OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK - WASHINGTON STATE
Designated a World Heritage Park by the United Nations, glaciated mountains, temperate rain forests, some of the cleanest waters around & some of the biggest trees. More than 600 miles of trails wind through the park’s 1,400 square miles making it one of the premier hiking and backpacking in the country. If you are thinking of trying this check in with the National Park Service. Do not just head out on your own.
I know my readers operate computers or you wouldn’t be reading this. Hopefully I can at least get you enthused enough to type in the name of the park and get all that wonderful knowledge available to see & do. When we worked at Yellowstone National Park a tourist from Washington State recommended Lake Crescent Lodge at Olympic as a good place to work. I was hired to work in the gift shop and Melvin the reservation desk. This beautiful historic Lodge w/cabins was where Theodore Roosevelt would stay when he came to hunt the small deer in that area that are now called Roosevelt deer. Arriving the 1st of June everyday was rainy, drizzly or cloudy. The clouds would lay above us so low you felt you could reach up & touch them. Commenting on the weather to one of the kids we worked with from Port Angeles (20 miles). She replied , “you must be one of those ‘sunny’ people, wait till July 1st and you will enjoy the most beautiful summer you’ve ever spent“. Right she was! Our campground beside the rugged mountains of the park was a short walking distance from the Lodge. Walking out our door the little deer were there eating grass not one bit afraid. Our walk to work was through the old growth forests with thick moss hanging from the trees, wild ferns waist high (I’m not short) with the ground covered with Clover & Trilium. Crossing a bridge over a stream that came from beautiful 90 ft. high, Marymere Falls a mile away. You wanted to just stay there and look at the view around you and never leave. The lodge has a Restaurant & Sunroom with large windows & comfortable chairs to just sit and look at the beautiful lake. No motor boats are allowed but you can paddle across so it’s a wonderful quiet relaxing place. It was like a walk back in time. The park is on a peninsula, like your thumb on your right hand with water on three sides. West side is the Pacific Oceon, Strait of Juan de Fuca is on the north (the line between Canada & US runs through the middle), Puget Sound (with world famous oysters) is on the east. There are lots of things to see & nice places to stay as you drive the perimeters of the park. There are drives back to Quinault & Hoh Rain Forests. You can swim in Sol Duc Hot Springs, make a reservation to stay all night. The ocean in the winters tear away the land and leave huge rock “Sea Stacks” out in the oceon. Most of the beach is covered with huge trees torn away (roots & all) laying in piles that in some places are a real challenge to climb over to get to the beach & Pacific oceon. We found as we traveled when you miss pronounced one of their towns, etc. they would ignore it if you were a tourist but if you came to live there awhile you were corrected and you better remember from then on. One of my hardest, and I don’t know if it’s Kansas or my German ancestry but I have always pronounced Washington like I wash my clothes which actually does sound like war ish (with an r in it) if they heard me I really caught it from the kids and reminded it is Wa ish if you catch my meaning. Port ‘Angeles’ (long e) was another. It is Not pronounced like Los Angeles (spelled the same) but we pronounce angelus. Driving there near Port Townsend we crossed Puget Sound on the Hood Canal Bridge. Then the town of Sequim. I called it like the shiny little round things we sew on clothes only with a M instead of N. No! No! I won’t even try to help you understand how to pronounce that one. It is located on the Olympic Mountain’s rain shadow. The sunny side of North Olympic Peninsula that claims 306 days of sun a year & 16” of rainfall compared to 100”- about 80 miles west in the rain forest. They have discovered Lavender grows there as well as France that supplies most of the world’s supply. The old dairy farms now have 10,000 Lavender plants growing on them. Standing knee deep in a billowing haze of aromatic purple flowers is a fantasy. You can buy it there and it’s a “cure all”. An animal farm in the area for Circus & Hollywood old trained animals to live out their life is a must see. Dungeness Bay is at Sequim with the most delicious large white meat crab you have ever eaten. The influence of the English across the water was Chutney (want that recipe?) served on Fried Dungeness Bay Crab Cakes. Fresh ocean salmon was available everywhere. One of the boys I worked with told me his folks rubbed brown sugar against the grain & brushed it with butter & grilled or fried it. That’s the only way I fix it now. Without realizing living in the different areas of our great land we picked up some of the dialect and when we would come back to Kansas for a couple months in the Spring & Fall our friends would think we talked funny. The Ferry you catch at Port Angeles takes you across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, B.C. which was a great trip and wonderful town to visit. Just walking around seeing all the sights. Or a carriage ride. High Tea in the afternoon was a must do with a delicious little morsel always included.
Hurricane Ridge, part of the park has a wonderful visitor‘s center.. It takes 30 minutes to drive up to it from Port Angeles. The view there is spectacular looking out across the vast mountainous area. Marmots & deer is everywhere and delightful to watch. I have a story to tell you about the back country . I hope you enjoy my ramblings. I do enjoy remembering.
Geologist’s, etc. would hire horse packer’s to take their equipment back in the rugged areas they wanted to study. One of the ladies that had a string of horses and would do that had gotten older like we all do. She came to work part time in our gift shop and I looked forward to the days we worked together to hear her stories when we weren’t busy in the afternoon. Her name is Smokey and she has lived at a little town nearby for over 30 years and loves her horses. She had been a horse packer. One day a gentleman walked into the gift shop and visited with me awhile asking where I was from & how I come to be there working in the shop. After talking awhile he told me he was a reporter from the Sunday Oregonian and was the reporter for the Travel & NW Escapes section and wanted to interview me about my impression of the area as a Kansan. He was doing an article about the adventurous trek, walk on the wild side at Olympic National Park called “Backpacks & Sea Stacks”. I told him he really needed to talk to Smokey and hear her adventures. Her article beside mine was a shaggy bear story. One morning she was camped with her horses near the middle of the wilderness. While she was making her coffee she noticed the horses all looking at one place in a grassy meadow. All she could see was a rotten old log so she decided to walk out there and check it out. She climbed up on the log to look at the other side. Right then a big bear stood up and they were face to face not more than a foot apart. His teeth looked a foot long. Well that bears eyes got as big as saucers when he saw her and he started to run. She scared the living daylights out of him. He kept looking back as he was running away, tripping head over heels and running into things. The rest of the day she was hot stuff with her horses. They didn’t give her any problems that day. She gave up that life she loved because one trip on her horse, a cougar jumped on her as they were starting down a steep bank. They fell clear to the bottom with the horse landing on its back with legs straight up in the air & it left her in bad shape that took along time to get better so she hung it up. She still rides her horses on the many trails in the beautiful area near Olympic National Park. Jeanette

Thursday, February 5, 2009

VALENTINE'S DAY SUGGESTION

I was going to follow up vacations with Seasonal recipes. But it's getting close to Valentine's day and us girls have a hard time thinking of anything to give our guy but you know how the way to "a man's heart is through his stomach?" It's true!! My mother-in-law who would be 103 if she was still alive used to listen to Kitchen Klatter program on the radio. A woman told stories & gave recipes. DUH! How times have changed. One day she told (remember this was over 50 years ago) a lady went to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and had a delicious dessert. She asked if she could have the recipe. They brought her the recipe and later she was billed for hundreds of dollars for that recipe. So to pay them back she sent the recipe to every newspaper, etc. because if she had to pay for it, it was now her's to do with what she wanted. My mother-in-law tried the recipe that day and it's been a favorite of our family through 4 generations. The box cake mixes now have a Red Velvet cake mix my daughter said is just as good as the original but I tryed it and it isn't. My husband loves this one and only cake. He won't eat cake which is why it is so funny he loves this cake and I make it for him every year for Valentine's Day. Maybe someone out there would like to do that, too. Here's the recipe.
It's beautiful and lasts longer than flowers, maybe?

WALDORF ASTORIA RED CAKE

1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cup sugar
2 ounces red food coloring
1 tsp. salt
2 heaping tablespoons Cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk*
2-1/2 c cake flour**
1 tsp. soda
1 Tab. vinegar
2 eggs

Cream shortening, sugar & eggs. Make a paste of the cocoa & red food coloring. Add to the creamed mixture. Add buttermilk alternately with sifted flour & salt. Add vanilla. Add soda to vinegar (hold over bowl as it foams). Add this vinegar/soda mixture blending instead of beating. {I put one cake pan down on a sheet of wax paper and with the sharp point of a scissors mark around the pan. Double the wax paper and cut on the inside of the marked guide line and you will have a sheet to put in the bottom of each pan that fits flat and lets the bottom of your cake come out of the pan easier.} Pour batter equally in two 8" greased & floured cake pans (with wax paper bottom if desired). Bake 24 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean (dry not gooey). Cool on racks. Cut across the middle of each cake leaving 4 round circles of cake about 3/4" thick. Don't forget to take off the wax paper if you used it.
* Unless you like to drink Buttermilk like my grandpa did or have other recipes for it I suggest buying the powdered kind that you just add water to and the can of powder will keep in the back of your refrigerator till you need it again.
** Cake Flour - you do not need to buy cake flour especially for this recipe. The substitution for using regular all purpose sifted flour is 2 Tab. less of flour per cup. That makes 5 Tab. less for this recipe which is about 1/3 cup of flour removed from the 1/2 cup it calls for. Just a couple tips I use.

FROSTING:
3 Tab. flour
1 cup milk
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated (regular) sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook flour & milk until thick stirring constantly. Chill in refrigerator till cold and thick. Cream sugar, butter & vanilla until very fluffy. Add to first cooled mixture beating until well blended. It should be the consistency of whipped cream (you younger generation Cool Whip). I do all this with the electric mixer.
When the cakes are completely cool divide the frosting in 3rds and frost between the 4 layers not on top. Use one of the tops of original cake for the top layer. If you keep this cake in the refrigerator or somewhere cool the butter in the frosting will set up (just like butter in the refrigerator) and the cake will slice better and you don't have to worry about the cake slices moving on you. However, after you slice it, if you let the slice warm at room temp a little or microwave a second like my daughter does, the frosting will then be soft not hard.

Good luck!! You're going to love it and it's better than a box of chocolate candy. Don't decide to not make it because you think it is to complicated. It isn't. It just takes a little time and you don't want to rush it before everything is cold.
NOTE: If you don't have 8" pans I suggest the one time investment. If you use 9" cake pans the layers will be very thin and hard to handle. If you are family or someone here in Topeka I'll loan you mine.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Grand Teton's Mountains - Recipe

While we were enjoying the Grand Teton's before going into Yellowstone. I ordered a dessert that sounded good. When it came I noticed the shell was a cookie recipe I had for years that were called Tea Cookies and you cooled them out of the oven over your rolling pin and were very lacy looking & delicious. It was easy to tell what the rest was, so here it is. Hope you enjoy. By the way, this is a dairy farmers wife and my recipes say butter and mean butter. They are eventually going to find how good it is for you because it's been digested once for you anyway. Look what a bad wrap eggs got awhile back and now they act like they are a miracle cure. My mother lived to 96 and ate butter her whole life and didn't have arthritis. Those joints need some grease just like the machinery. End of sermon!!

LACY COOKIE BATTER
1/4 cup butter (I mean butter or don't expect the recipes to taste like mine.)
1/4 cup Minute Oats
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tab. pecans, finely chopped
2 tsp. water

Combine the ingredients in a small pan and stir over low heat till the butter is melted. Remove from heat and drop by rounded teaspoons (on a heavy cookie sheet that is greased and floured) at least 3" apart. They will spread out to about 5" in diameter when they cook. This will be 4 to 6 shells for your dessert. Bake 350 degrees 8 to 10 minutes (depending on oven). Remove from oven when lightly browned. Leave on the cookie sheet to set up till they can be removed from cookie sheet, gently first around the edges, with a spatula and put over the bottom of a soup size bowl or custard cup to cool. When it gets cold it will set up by itself on a plate looking all lacy. Put enough White Chocolate Mousse in your cooled shell till it's half full, leaving room for your sliced strawberries.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoon water
1 Tab. Bailey's Irish creme or Tequila Rose Strawberry Creme
Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add
2 Tab. white chocolate
1 egg & beat well. Chill till cool. Fold in 2 cups Cool Whip.
Chill overnight. Keeps well in refrigerator. This will be enough
for two batches of shells (12). (You can put 1 Tab. of mixture on the cookie sheet making two on a cookie sheet at a time to make a larger serving.)
Spoon the cooled mousse into the cooled cookie shell and cover with fresh sliced strawberries.
Drizzle with thinned Marshmallow Creme back & forth over the
strawberries making a pretty design.

By the way since I am nice enough to share these recipes & have no control
over who gets them I would ask you to use your conscience and not put them
in a cook book, on a cooking show, etc. to make money off of them. I'm not.
Thanks. Jeanette