Deana: You are right! If you are healthy.!!!!!! If your immune system is down, like from Cemo and Radiation treatments, you don't want any part of germs. SOOOOO!!!!!you do whatever, to eliminate as many as you can. Also you do what the doctor tell's you. My wife can't even go to Bingo, or Church when getting treatments. Can't be near anyone with colds. Naturally there are germs everywhere. Annie: you're right too! I do the same with tomatoes. Fenworth : You are right too. I wash the potatoes first. Take a slice off one side and stick the fork in and slice away.Then I wash the potatoes again when I'm done. I suggested the fork thing a while back, just for all the members who complained about Arthur in their hands. You are all right . Guess I'm just tired from all the running I've been doing lately. I apologize to everyone. Now, I will have to see where I started trouble in the other threads. LOU

I have a large slender knife that does have a blade like a fine hacksaw and it works so well on so many things, raw chicken, cabbage, bread, angel food cake and lots of things. I have never tried it on sweet potatoes as I cook mine for twelve minutes at a boil and then put them in cold water and when cool enough to handle, slip the skins off and then cut them to the size I want. I have two electric knives and seldom use them. Sue

Lucky you to be in Vegetable Heaven! I would be attacking that basket. First, broccoli-cheddar chowder for your friend. I'll take the cabbages and use them, along with some of the carrots and peppers, to make one of our favorite coleslaws. I'll leave the jalapenos for someone else. COLORFUL COLESLAW 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup cider vinegar 3/4 tsp. celery seeds 2 tsp. dried mustard 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/2 head green cabbage, cut into thin shreds 1/2 head red cabbage, cut into thin shreds 1 carrot peeled and coarsely grated 1 small onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced 1 green pepper, seeded and halved crosswise and thinly sliced 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and halved crosswise and thinly sliced Put red cabbage in a storage container in the refrigerator. Combine oil, sugar and vinegar in small nonaluminum saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 5 minutes and add celery seeds, mustard, salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl except for red cabbage. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss. Chill covered for at least four hours, or preferably overnight, stirring occasionally. Add red cabbage about an hour before serving. 12 servings. Note: You can add the red cabbage at the same time as the green but since the color will bleed out of it over time (no change in flavor), the presentation is prettier if you add it right before serving. Next, the green and yellow squashes would be "stringed" and steamed in the microwave. When done, stir in some of the chopped scallions and parsley. (squash in the pic has dried cranberries) Some of the tomatoes and the rest of the cabbage and carrots would go into a bean soup made with turkey kielbasa. A half recipe of this salad would use up the cucumber, some of the tomato and parsley, and you could substitute lime juice for the lemon. TURKISH SHEPHERD'S SALAD 3 large tomatoes 2 medium size cucumbers 2 medium size Green Peppers 1 large red onion 1/2 bunch Parsley 7- 8 sprigs fresh mint 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 and 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt (or less to taste) Sumac powder * (This is not a marinated-type salad and is best when all the ingredients are chopped and mixed close to serving time.) Wash the vegetables; peel and halve cucumbers, removing seeds; remove stems and seeds of the green peppers, and remove the surplus parts of onion, parsley and the mint. Chop the onions, green peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers into cubes about 1 cm. in size (between 1/4 and 1/2 inch.). Finely chop the mint and parsley. Add lemon juice and salt to olive oil, whisk well and pour over the salad immediately before serving. Sprinkle lightly with sumac powder. *Note: if you don�t have sumac powder, increase the lemon juice to 2 Tbs. Gellchom, have fun with your lovely basket ingredients.

I don't peel things often, mostly only carrots, sometime turnips, other root vegetables. I use a knife on softer things like kiwi or on broccoli stems. I never peel butternut squash or pumpkin; I just cut them in half, bake cut side down until soft - then the rind just lifts off and the seeds scoop out easily. My oxo peeler is probably 20 years old, and still very sharp, but the plastic handle is really showing its age.