This easy recipe is a dessert or a salad, and always popular as it is fairly healthy, depending on the type of ingredients you use. It makes a great presentation. GRAPE SALAD Red, black, and green grapes, no seeds (or just one or two types is fine), stems removed, washed and thoroughly dried. Place in large clear trifle bowl, layering by color or mixing, or in individual wine or champagne or dessert glasses, clear. Mix together: --1 package of cream cheese (regular or low or no fat) --1 small carton of sour cream (again, regular, low or no fat) --Powdered sugar (I guess at it starting with 1/3 cup and sweetening to taste--you can also use SPLENDA) --1 tsp good vanilla Mix with mixer, then pour over the grapes. If individual glasses, of course only pour a tablespoon or so over each glass. Refrigerate. --Just before serving, sprinkle brown sugar and chopped pecans over the creamy mixture. This has never failed to get great reviews from adults and children alike!

Hi Glenda and all, We had our Easter dinner today at Harry's sister's home. It was nice enough it have it outside so it was enjoyable. Wish you could have seen the food tables! When we got back to our room, I wrote down everything we had that I could remember. It looks like Marilyn_Sue's menu! Glenda, your pineapple casserole was a big hit. None of them had tasted it before and there was very little left. Ham Fried chicken Macaroni and cheese Squash casserole Potato salad (with onlon) Potato salad (w/o onion) Ditalini salad Green bean casserole Scalloped pineapple casserole Buffalo chicken dip with scoops Lettuce salad Deviled eggs 2 large relish trays Rolls Sweet tea Unsweetened tea Desserts: Peach cobbler 2 pecan pies Brownies 4-Day butter cake with coconut frosting (delicious) Marshmallow Whip cheesecake (Another cake???)

My Dad was diabetic, as was/is two BILs. The nuts are a good idea, the extra protein helps the blood sugar control, or it did for them. They also liked this dessert, the pumpkin added fiber and the milk added protein, so it was slightly more balanced: Sugar Free Pumpkin Mousse 2 pkg. (1 oz. each) Vanilla or Butterscotch flavor Sugar Free Fat Free Instant Pudding 3 cups cold fat-free milk 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 cup thawed lite whipped topping Beat pudding mixes and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Add pumpkin and spice, mix well, fold in whipped topping, refrigerate one hour. I've also made these cookies with Brown Sugar Splenda, and they turned out fine. Remember, though, that the Splenda used for baking isn't sugar free, it's just reduced sugar. And you can make them without the baking soda, but they're lighter with it. You can also add sugar free chocolate chips if you are inclined. 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies 1 cup peanut butter 1 egg 1 cup brown sugar (I used the Splenda brand) 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp baking soda Mix all ingredients, scoop tablespoon sized balls onto cookie sheet. Flatten slightly, sprinkle tops with sugar (if not the diabetic version), bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen Truthfully, though, every diabetic is different, just as all of us are. Some are more sensitive to refined carbs, some to fruit sugars, it all varies. Dad could eat a piece of apple pie and not have his blood sugar go as high as it would if he ate a plate of spaghetti. And just forbidding sugar isn't really helpful either, because those white/refined carbs are a problem too. The nuts are pretty safe, maybe with some other snacky kinds of foods, like cheese and whole grain crackers and/or olives and if you wanted to add a low carb/low sugar dessert as an option, they could choose what was safe for them. Or just ask them! Annie

A visit to a good rose garden is a wonderful way to pass a Sunday. Sounds like you had fun. Unfortunately we have nothing similar that close, but fortunately I have quite a "roseto" outside my front door (or a short but steep walk down the hill) so am not deprived; no, not at all. If we could just keep up with the maintenance (and if I weren't so worried about drought) it would be heaven here. Have you been to Roseto Carla Fineschi? That's a magical place, as I recall it from a two day visit over a decade ago. P.S. I do so admire 'Alain Blanchard', but haven't been able to persuade my puny specimen (my second) to grow.