Funny - I was just thinking about this over the weekend - planning what and how much we should can this year. I made some elderberry-port wine jelly and it makes a great sauce for meat. Melt some, add some broth, thicken and serve with grilled steaks or filets (we eat a lot of venison and this flavor goes wonderfully with that). It would be good on pork, too. I've started putting up most things "plain" - beets, tomatoes, peaches, cherries, etc. so I can tweak them however I want when I open the jar. Instead of jam, I make fruit chutneys instead. Rhubarb, gooseberry, cranberry and plum so far. DH loves them with meat or on a sandwich, and if I get my once-in-a-blue-moon craving for a PB&J, I just use one of the sweeter chutneys. They work for both sweet and savory. Great with a fruit and cheese plate, too, which we have for dessert a lot in the summer. I still make some jellies and jams, but mostly for gifts, so I make small 4 oz. jars, which everyone loves for Christmas. I finally used up the applesauce from last year. We don't eat it by itself, so I use it in quick breads (any that call for a cup of vegetable oil, I substitute 1/2 cup of applesauce for 1/2 of the oil).

I have had the Electrolux for six years now, no problem with it and we've been satisfied with it. That being said, there is a poster here in GW that knows how to get good prices on Perlick "Factory seconds or dents", I believe. That would be worth looking into if you can find the Perlick models that have the variable speed compressor, which would be quieter and more efficient and probably better temp control than the Elux, although as I've said, I really have no complaints. Should the Perlick models with the conventional on/off compressor be the only ones available, then, for me it would just be a choice of "Aesthetics", (which one appeals to you more, or has the features you like)? Without the VSC, it's really a "Three Horse Race" as far as "My take on it". (Electrolux, Kitchenaid and Perlick). To see the info that was posted by the poster I mentioned, just do a search at the bottom of the main appliance page for Perlick. Good luck wih your upcoming choice. Gary

Ingredient list: 1/2 stick butter' onion green pepper, fresh mushrooms Flour Chicken broth milk cream cheese Sherry wine worchestershire Optional green chiles, red pimento Put a half a stick of butter into a fry pan. Add one small yellow onion chopped or sliced thin Add 1/2 a green pepper, diced and Add about4 oz fresh mushrooms sliced...about 1/2 a box...but more is good too. Sautee slowly until very soft and most of the moisture is gone from the mushrooms... Add 3 1/2 tablespoons flour and stir around with the butter and veggies...cook about 1 minute and add a 14 oz can of chicken broth...whisk to combine with out lumps and cook about 2 or 3 minutes until it starts to thicken, then add a cup of milk and 2 oz of cream cheese cut into bits...stir and cook slowly intil the cheese melts, add 1/2 tsp worchestershire and a small jar of pimento drained ( or about 1/4 cup of roasted red peppers) and 1/4 cup dry sherry wine, add as much cooked chicken as looks good to you....heat to a simmer, remove from the heat and serve. You may want more salt....about 1/2 a teaspoonful...and substituting a small can of chopped green chilis for the green pepper is also good. Enjoy with your noodles. Linda C

Eating Well did an entire spread on squash this last issue, but these two caught my eye. I've had the cakes and like them, and a friend had the soup and said it was good. ________________________________________ Golden Summer Squash & Corn Soup 1 T extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium shallot, chopped 2 medium summer squash (about a pound) 3 t chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, etc.) 14 ounces low sodium chicken broth 1/4 t salt 1 c corn 1/2 c feta cheese 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, stirring, 1 minute. Add squash and 1 t herbs, stirring occasionally, until squash softens (about 3-5 minutes). 2. Add broth and salt, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmering until squash is mostly translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to blender, use stick blender, etc. blend until smooth. Return soup to pan and stir in corn. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until corn is tender, 3-5 more minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Garnish with 2 teaspoons herbs and feta. ________________________________________ Parmesan-Squash Cakes 1 large egg 2/3 cup finely chopped **shallots 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 cups shredded seeded summer squash (2-3 medium, about 1 pound; see Tip) 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Beat egg in a large bowl. Stir in shallots, parsley, salt and pepper. Place shredded squash in the center of a clean kitchen towel; gather up the ends and twist to squeeze out any liquid. Add the squash and cheese to the bowl; stir to combine. 3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pack a 1/3-cup measuring cup with the squash mixture and unmold it into the pan; gently pat it down to form a 3-inch cake. Repeat, making 4 squash cakes. Cook until browned and crispy on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently turn the cakes over and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately. NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 130 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 62 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 1 g fiber; 322 mg sodium; 406 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Calcium & Vitamin A (15% dv). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1/2 fat TIP: Tip: To remove the seeds from summer squash, cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. To shred the squash, use the large-holed side of a **doesn't work with a stronger onion. Here is a link that might be useful: Eating Well squash recipe collection