Here's some infor on mud cloth making. It's called mud cloth because the dyes have the consistency of mud, I think, although the first dyeing is done with leaves that make the entire cloth yellow. The one I bought was completely yellow on the back, although it had white spots on the front. It's made from hand-woven cotton - actually all the processes are done by hand. I expect my sister to drape this cloth over the black leather sofa in her living room. I've made several silk and cotton pillows for that room, and those might need to be rotated. I should probably get her to send me a picture of that room in case I need to make additional pillow covers. You can also hang them in windows, although I would think that might cause them to fade a bit. I don't know where the other hat was made - I thought it was Chinese, but it might have been Thai or Vietnamese. I bought it for sun protection, and it worked well for that - much more practical than carrying a parasol. I've bought some nice glass at the Hermosa Fair, but I'm not sure if I'll make it there this year either. Lars

This is a recipe for the easiest most scrumptious pie you will ever make. Banana Caramel Pie 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 tub of Cool Whip 2 bananas (this can be optional if you don't care for bananas) 1 graham cracker shell Cover unopened can of condensed milk with water in a large pot. Boil continuously for 3 hrs always completely covered with water. Remove and let cool. Line crust with bananas, cover bananas with caramel (cooked sweetened condensed milk), then cover with Cool Whip and refrigerate. I have also made this pie using a regular pie crust, baked then cooled, add ingredients cover with whipped egg white meringue and bake until meringue is browned. I prefer this way as it is less rich but doesn't travel as well.

Easy Chow Mein 6 ounces chow mein noodles or thin spaghetti 1 cup chicken broth 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 16 ounces cooked chicken 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1/4 teaspoon ginger 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables 1.Cook noodles according to directions. Drain and set aside. 2.In a small dish, combine the broth, cornstarch and salt; set aside. 3.Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok, then add the onion, ginger and garlic. Stir-fry until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the veggies, until thawed, maybe 4 minutes. 4.Add the chicken and broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. 5.Stir the veggie mixture into the noodles. Easy Vegetable Chow Mein 1 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth (from 32-oz carton) 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 bag (1 lb) frozen snap peas, carrots, onions and mushrooms 2 1/2 cups coleslaw mix 4 cups chow mein noodles 1. Mix broth, cornstarch, oyster sauce and pepper sauce; set aside. 2. Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook garlic and frozen vegetables in oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. 3. Stir in coleslaw mix and broth mixture. Cook and stir 1 1/2 minutes. Serve over noodles. Chicken Lo Mein Recipe 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided 2 medium carrots, julienned 1 medium green pepper, julienned 4 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained 3 green onions, sliced 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/3 cup soy sauce Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice (discarding remaining juice or save for another use); set pineapple aside. In a large skillet, cook the chicken, garlic and ginger over medium heat in 2 tablespoons oil for 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the carrots, green pepper and pineapple. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in spaghetti and onions. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, reserved pineapple juice and remaining oil until smooth. Gradually add to chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. 4 servings

I only do the whole she-bang once a year, because it takes all day to do all the dishes, but here's my chinese blowout menu: Egg Foo Yong and Fried Rice I usually just throw together - I tried to put them into “recipe” form... Egg Foo Yong 1 cup of chopped vegies (celery, bean sprouts, mushrooms, broccoli, green onions) 1 cup of chopped meat (cooked chicken, pork, beef or shrimp) five or six eggs 1/2 to 1 tbls soy sauce (to taste) Mix vegies & meat together in a bowl. Beat eggs together and add to vegie & meat mixture. (It should look like you don’t have enough eggs - you want more vegies & meat and the eggs to basically hold it all together). Stir in soy sauce. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Use a ladle to spoon the mixture (I make 4 patties at a time in my electric frying pan) into hot oil and cook on medium high until “set” (like an omelette), turn over once and cook another minute or so until cooked through. Fried Rice 1 cup cold cooked rice 3 slices of bacon 1/2 cup of chopped vegies (celery, carrots, bean sprouts, mushrooms, green onions) 1/2 cup of chopped meat (cooked chicken, pork, beef or shrimp) 3 scrambled eggs Couple of splashes of soy sauce (to taste) Slice bacon into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces and fry until crisp over medium-high heat. Add cold cooked rice (don’t add it in one big lump - shake it up in a tupperware bowl or zip lock baggie so it’s separated nicely) and quickly and gently keep it moving around the pan - the goal here is to brown (actually, tan) the rice in the bacon grease without letting a big glob of rice absorb all the grease, in which case you have one gross mess - when the rice is a nice even color, add the raw vegies and cooked meat and keep it moving (stirring gently) around the pan until everything is nice and hot. Add the scrambled eggs (already cooked) and a couple of splashes of soy sauce (taste as you go, it’s easier to add more...) and keep it moving (stirring gently) for about another minute or so until the eggs are hot. Shrimp & Vegetable Egg Rolls 2 Tbls vegetable oil 8 cups finely shredded green cabbage 2 cups coarsely grated carrots 2 & 1/2 Tbls soy sauce 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced 1 Tbls ginger, finely minced 6 green onions (or scallions), cut into very thin slices 3/4 lb salad shrimp (can substitute chopped, cooked, chicken) 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup finely slivered fresh basil Salt - to taste, if needed 12 egg roll wrappers (10 oz) 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 & 1/2 cups vegetable oil 1. In a large, heavy pot, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the cabbage and carrots; cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until cabbage is wilted and bright green. Stir in soy sauce. 2. Add the garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in green onions, shrimp, cilantro, basil and (if desired) salt. 3. When working with egg roll wrappers, cover them with a damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out. Stuff wrappers one at a time: Place one tip facing you like a diamond shape on a flat work surface. Place 1/3 a cup of filling 1 inch from the bottom point and across the wrapper to within 1 inch of each side. Fold bottom tip up over filling and roll away from you halfway up. Brush egg over exposed edges with a pastry brush. Fold in 1 inch side tips and finish rolling TIGHTLY (very important - or egg rolls will absorb more oil and taste ‘greasy’). Place on a plate seam-side down. Repeat procedure with the rest of the wrappers. Keep finished egg rolls covered with a damp towel. 4. Heat 1 & 1/2 cups of oil in a 10 inch skillet until it begins to bubble a bit on top. (To test for temperature, drop a cube of bread into oil; it should brown within one minute). [I use my deep fryer - @ 370 degrees - drop in 3 or 4 egg rolls - cook 1 minute and turn and cook for another minute, or until golden brown.] 5. Add 3 or 4 egg rolls at a time to the oil and fry for 2 to 21/2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve immediately. I like mine with ketchup and hot Chinese mustard. Hubby likes his with sweet & sour sauce. (S&S Recipe follows) Makes 12 egg rolls Sweet & Sour Sauce 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon corn starch 1 can (13&1/4 oz) pineapple chunks 1/3 cup vinegar 1 Tbls soy sauce 1 small green pepper, coarsely chopped Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in skillet. Stir in pineapple (with syrup), vinegar and soy sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cover; simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens to your desired thickness. Stir in green pepper. Cover and simmer for about two more minutes. This is the ‘perfect’ (according to family & friends) S&S Sauce and can be used for egg rolls, meatballs, chicken, shrimp, fried won-tons, egg foo yong - whatever... Batter for deep fried chicken or finger steaks 2 egg whites 4 tablespoons cornstarch 4 tablespoons soy sauce Mix well and add chicken strips (boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" strips) or beef strips (cube steak cut into 1" strips). Set aside. 1 cup of bisquick 2/3 cup of water 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (if using for almond chicken or sweet&sour chicken) Mix well and add to chic or beef mixture. Mix together well (coating all meat) and deep fry until golden.