NANCY - OOPS! I can;t remember where I got the recipe but here are a couple more you may like to try. One is like this one...Apple Ginger Apple Ginger Jam 2 1/2 lb cooking apples 2 large lemons 2 tsp ground ginger 3 cups water 5 cups sugar 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger (or more to taste) Place a couple of small dishes in the freezer. Peel, core, and coarsely chop the apples, reserving the peels and cores. Put the peels and cores in some cheesecloth or another clean cloth and set aside, then put the fruit into a large saucepan. Finely grate the zest of the lemons, using a Microplane or similar grater, then juice the lemons and add the zest and juice to the pot (I added the juiced lemon "shells" to the cloth, too), along with the ground ginger and water. Now tie up the cloth "bag" and add that to the pot, as well. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Remove the cloth "bag", squeezing as much of the juices out of it as you can, add the sugar to the pot, and stir till completely dissolved. Bring back to a rapid boil and continue to cook without stirring for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and do a gel test by putting a little of the liquid on one of the frozen plates and return to the freezer for 2 minutes. If the liquid wrinkles when you push it with your fingernail or the tip of a spoon, you're ready to jar up. If the liquid remains runny, return the pot to the heat, bring back up to a boil and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Repeat the test and then repeat cooking/testing if necessary. After removing from the heat finally, stir in the chopped crystallized ginger. Fill prepared jars with the hot jam leaving a 1/4" headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Adjust time according to your altitude. Makes: 8 half pints ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ginger Jam 1 pound (approximately) fresh ginger root 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 3/4 ounce package powdered fruit pectin 5 cups granulated sugar Remove outer skin from ginger root and cut ginger into 1-inch thick slices. Place in a 5 quart microwave-safe casserole and fill 3/4 full with cold water. Microwave on HIGH (600 -700 watts) 25 minutes (it should boil for 15 minutes and will take about 10 minutes to reach boiling point). Drain ginger in colander. Return to casserole and fill 3/4 full with cold water. Microwave on HIGH until ginger is tender-crisp and can be pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Let stand, covered, about 10 minutes. Drain in colander, return to casserole and fill 3/4 full with fresh cold water. Let stand 15 minutes, then drain well. In food processor or by hand, chop ginger until it is the size of rice grains. Do not puree. There should be about 2 1/2 cups of chopped ginger. Place it in the casserole. Add 1 cup cold lemon juice and fruit pectin. Microwave on HIGH until mixture comes to a full boil, about 5 minutes. Immediately stir in all sugar. Continue cooking on HIGH until it reaches a rolling boil. Allow it to boil hard for a full minute. Remove from microwave and use a metal spoon to skim off any foam that might appear on the top. Immediately ladle into hot clean jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Adjust time according to your altitude. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------\ ---- Savory Ginger Jam This jam is naturally spicy and delicious. It is perfect served as a condiment with duck, pork, turkey, or any white meat. This jam is simple to make and provides a different flavor from normal relishes and chutneys. 1 lb peeled and chopped gingerroot 1 cup white sugar 6 finely chopped garlic cloves 1 large ripe chopped tomato (remove the seeds) Dash salt Dash black pepper Place all the ingredients into a heavy saucepan and boil together over medium heat until the gingerroot is soft and cooked. Cool mixture for five minutes before filling sterilized jars to within a 1/4 inch of the rims. Place lids and bands on the jars and screw bands finger tip tight. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.Adjust time according to your altitude. Again with the assistance of my Canadian friend Darlene. Jim in So Calif

LOL CEFreeman, grammar police :) When my mom served them, she always called them "crab meatS" and I wasn't sure if that was the official title of the recipe or not. Thank you cat_mom and louisianapurchase. Either of those recipes sound like they potentially could be right (no creole seasoning though in my mom's). I'm going to try to make cat_mom's first and then louisianapurchase's to see which one gets closer to what my mom's tasted like. I am so happy to have found recipes that could work! raee maybe start your own thread with a "lost recipe- seafood casserole" and someone will come along with your answer? We could all be reunited with our childhood favorite foods thanks to the brilliant minds on GW!

I am going to try this tonite for dinner....cross your fingers for me. I am not a very good cook, but am trying new things. DH is a great cook, but since I am not working, I am trying to ease the burden for him. I have made some homemade cole slaw to go with, and may cut up some tatoes and onions also to bake. Thanks for all your help, I have printed the recipe's and taped it to the inside pantry door with the rest of my new dinner fixes and helpful kitchen hints. Trin

Wow - what great pasta salad recipes! I've copied all of them. Here's one from an old recipe swap site that no longer exists, that's supposed to be the kind of pasta salad people buy in delicatessens: The Store Cold Ziti Salad with Tomato and Peppers-:Bert Green Serving Size : 8 1-1/2 tablespoons Salt 1 pound Ziti pasta 1/4 cup milk 1 red onion 2 tomatoes 6 sweet pickles 2 small green peppers -- seeded 1 large shallot 1/2 cup sour cream 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise 2 packets George Washington brown bouillon powder Freshly ground pepper 1 teaspoon wine vinegar 1 tablespoon pickle juice 1/4 cup fresh dill -- roughly chopped Salt and pepper -- to taste Bring a 4-qt saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbl salt, then add the Ziti. Boil to al dente. Drain. Rinse in cold water. Drain again. Place the cooked Ziti in a bowl. Add enough milk (about 1/4 cup) to thoroughly moisten the Ziti and toss. Chop the onion, tomatoes, pickles, and peppers into 1/4-inch cubes. Reserve a large tablespoon of each for garnish. Mince the shallot. Beat the sour cream and mayonnaise together with a whisk until creamy, and add the bouillon, 1/2 Tbl salt, and the pepper. (Thin with milk if necessary). Pour over the Ziti. Add the shallots, tomatoes, pickles, green peppers, vinegar, and pickle juice. Mix well. Garnish with the reserved vegetables. Cut fresh dill over all. Serve chilled. Posted at GailÂs Recipe Swap (now dismantled by epicurious)