Grainlady, that's a good idea to use the hand mixer to cut in shortening. I'm going to try that for Thanksgiving pies. I also use the hand mixer to mash potatoes, don't try to do that in the blender, LOL, Ashley did that. It doesn't work well.... Ashley also likes homemade hot chocolate, the old fashioned kind with milk, sugar, Hershey's cocoa. She'll whip that with the hand mixer and says it makes it creamier. I also use the hand mixer when I have something already in the KitchenAid, those marathon baking days. Love that big Kitchenaid Nancy gave me though, it's a champ for cookies. for years I used nothing but a wooden spoon, and it worked fine for everything, but it sure was a lot of work sometimes and I can't imagine trying to bake all the recent wedding cakes without it, it's been a godsend! The KA does the cakes while the Magic Mill does the white breads, the zojirushi does the whole grain stuff and I feel almost like a bakery, LOL. Annie Annie

Lemon chiffon pudding Categories: Desserts Yield: 6 Servings 1 cup Sugar 3 tablespoon Butter 4 tablespoon Flour ¼ teaspoon Salt ¼ cup Lemon juice ½ Lemon grated rind of 1 cup Milk 3 Eggs, separated Servings: 6 DIRECTIONS: Combine sugar, flour, salt and butter. Add lemon juice and rind and beaten egg yolks. Beat until ingredients are thoroughly blended. Add milk and blend into mixture. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into a greased baking dish and set in a pan of hot water. Bake at 350-F for 45 minutes. Serve warm. Mrs. C. D. Kauffman, Hesston, Ks. Source: Mennonite Community Cookbook, by Mary Emma Showalter, 1957. Recipes from old Mennonite cookbooks, brought up to date with standard measures and directions

Barb & pink_warm_mama_1 - I've used a number of them over the years and the one I use most frequently now is for "Magic Mix" (originally developed by the Utah State Extension Service), using the cornstarch option so I can make it gluten-free, and I use coconut oil instead of butter so it keeps well at room temperature (if you use butter, make sure you refrigerate or freeze the mix). Here is a link that should be helpful: http://everydayfoodstorage.net/about-food-storage/magic-mix This link includes the how-to (and do use an electric mixer to blend the mixture - it works really well) and base recipe, plus a number of recipes to use it in (just click on the highlighted options (condensed cream of chicken soup, condensed cream of mushroom soup, condensed cream of celery soup, etc. In the book "I Can't Believe It's Food Storage" there are also recipes for using this base mix for Gravy, Fudgsicles, Pudding, Pesto Alfredo Sauce, Cream of Chicken-Mushroom-Broccoli-Celery and Tomato Soup. If you need any of those recipes, I'd be happy to post them. Base recipe: 2-1/3 c. dry powdered milk 1 c. all-purpose flour OR 1/2 c. cornstarch (which is what I use for a gluten-free version) 1 c. (2 sticks) butter (I use 1 c. coconut oil) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Another link from Utah State: Soup and Sauce (SOS) Mix http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_Cooking&Baking_2011-02pr.pdf

Chloebud, stop by any time! However, the berries will be ready about June, plan ahead, LOL. Some cherries might still be left then too! heatheron, that's a very neat idea for your pie crust, I'll have to remember that. Your son is right, though, crisps are easier than pie, and equally delicious. Carol, organic produce is expensive here too, so I grow as much of my own as I can. I'm trying to figure out how to keep the birds out of the cherry trees, the chipmunks out of the strawberries, the turkeys out of the corn patch, the deer out of the garden and the groundhogs out of everything! One of my sweet cherry trees is the creamy colored Royal Ann, which is supposed to fool the birds and they think it isn't ripe. We'll see, I guess... I have made cherry jam from the sour cherries but I seem to be the only person that likes it, and I made cherry BBQ sauce too, but it wasn't a big hit. I did make an awesome cherry sorbet from them, though, and I'll make that again. Annie