Ann: OK !!! But don't complain if I become Famous. I have to buy some Coconut and all the ingredients for the Hello Dolly's. The women want to have their Bible Study here on Friday. They miss all the cooking, that I did before. I'll have some goodies for them. Shaun: All of the flowers didn't Bloom Yet. Maybe tommorrow ? Kathleen: Sharon Cb: The Bears destroyed all my feeders but none of my warning devices were moved ? And all the seeds were still in the one Plastic Jar Feeder. I think if a Bear knocked them down, he would have chewed the plastic apart. Maybe it's the Racoons Have to keep an eye on them. They look like Bandits. I don't know if they can shinny up a 6 round inch pole , 16 foot high??? Lou

Here is the graham cracker recipe. Graham Crackers - from smitten kitchen Adapted from Nancy Silvertons Pastries from the La Brea Bakery, and 101 Cookbooks, because for some absurd reason that will be immediately rectified, this book is not yet in my collection. If youÂre new to graham crackers, do know that the word "cracker" is misleading. TheyÂre moderately sweet, like a cookie or biscuit, but they do have the snap of a cracker. I canÂt say that IÂd serve them with cheese, but if youÂve never schmeared them with cream cheese frosting, youÂre missing out. The topping amount will make a heavy coating, like the store-bought ones. Make only half if you just want a light-to-moderate sprinkling. Makes 10 4 x 4.5-inch graham crackers or 48 2-inch squares 2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (375 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour (a swap of 1/2 cup with whole wheat flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour works well here, too) 1 cup (176 grams) dark brown sugar, lightly packed 1 teaspoon (6 grams) baking soda 3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt (4 grams) 7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces or 100 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen 1/3 cup (114 grams) mild-flavored honey, such as clover 5 tablespoons (77 grams) milk, full-fat is best 2 tablespoons (27 grams) pure vanilla extract Topping (optional) 3 tablespoons (43 grams) granulated sugar 1 teaspoon (5 grams) ground cinnamon Make the dough: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. [Alternately, if you don't have a food processor or electric mixer, you can cut the ingredients together with a pastry blender. Just make sure they're very well incorporated.] In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside. Roll out the crackers: Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2 inches to make 4 crackers. [This makes a traditional graham cracker shape. I rebelled and made mine into 2-inch fluted squares with one of these.] Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll. Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F. Decorate the crackers: Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough (again, this is for the traditional cracker shape). Using a toothpick or skewer (I like to use the blunt end of a wooden skewer for more dramatic dots), prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. [The baking time range is long because the original recipe calls for 25 minutes but my new oven -- which I suspect runs crazy hot but have yet to confirm with the actual purchase of an oven thermometer -- had them done in way less. Be safe, check them sooner. Nobody likes a burnt cracker!]

Here is Ann Landers' Lemon Meringue Pie recipe: Ann Landers' Best Ever Lemon Pie And Meringue CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com Serves/Makes: 8 : Difficulty Level: 3 : Ready In: 1-2 hrs Ingredients: 1 baked 9-inch pie shell 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar 6 tablespoons cornstarch 2 cups water 1/3 cup lemon juice 3 egg yolks 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 2 teaspoons vinegar 3 tablespoons butter ***Never-Fail Meringue*** 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons cold water 1/2 cup boiling water 3 egg whites 6 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pinch of salt Directions: Mix sugar and cornstarch together in the top of a double boiler. Add the two cups of water. Combine egg yolks with lemon juice and beat until well mixed. Add to the rest of the sugar mixture. Cook over boiling water until thick -- about 25 minutes. This does away with the starchy taste. Now add the lemon extract, butter and vinegar, and stir thoroughly. Pour mixture into deep 9-inch pie shell, and let cool. Cover with meringue, and brown in oven. Never-Fail Meringue Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan. Add boiling water, and cook, stirring until clear and thickened. Let stand until COMPLETELY cold. With electric beater at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, and beat until stiff but not dry. Turn mixer to low speed; add salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture. Turn mixer again to high, and beat well. Spread meringue over cooled pie filling. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until top is lightly browned. This recipe is from CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com

I was taught by my mother (and have done the same for the past 51+ years), that eggs need to be at room temp to get a good frothy rise when making meringue or angel food cake - NEVER chilled. l It's whipping cream and the bowl and beaters that should be chilled for whipped cream. Having a clean bowl - either metal or glass - never plastic - is essential. If there is any grease in it (left from the whipped cream one previously made?), the egg whites will not rise properly. Some people like to wipe the bowl and beater with a paper towel with vinegar on it after previously washing bowl/beater using Dawn (good degreaser). I always add cream of tartar to stablize the egg whites. I've used both regular granulated sugar and confectioners sugar for meringue - usually use granulated - it works just fine. Some people say to use Superfine sugar - I use it if I have it on hand but I often don't. If one wants to be a good cook, one really must fully read a recipe first before starting. Recipes are not just about ingredients, they are also about the order in which things are done and the process itself. They are NOT just "suggestions" or someone being arbitrary - there IS a reason for doing things the way the recipe is written. A very experienced cook can take liberties with an entree, but even they should follow the recipe for baked goods and most desserts. There is science and chemistry in cooking! I was watching a YouTube video last night - Mary Berry's Christmas Party. She invited a few celebrities to come and cook with her. I will go to my grave and not understand how a competent grown woman can think it sort of "cute" that she's utterly incompetent in the kitchen - can't even pour the vanilla extract into a measuring spoon and into the mixture. Laugh, laugh, laugh, only it's NOT funny - it's pathetic. If one chooses not to cook, that is certainly ones choice - not everyone enjoys it. But ones inadequacies are not cute or funny. I don't play bridge - have no idea how/what the rules are etc. So I would not accept an invitation to do so and then go and laugh at how dumb I am. Cooking is not that hard. And today with YouTube videos that show one how to do EVERYTHING on earth, it's pretty easy to learn. Once one has learned a few basic techniques, one can make pretty much anything!