I was surprised by the small yield a batch gave. The zucchini sure gets a lot smaller! Of course I did eat a few (many) when I was checking on them and turning them :) I did not get all the seeds removed on a few strips and they were very flimsy after cooking and were not even put onto the drying trays (ate them, too) Guess there are some reasons for my low yield in addition to the tremendous reduction in size from drying. I doubt anyone who eats the finished product would guess they are made from zucchini. I added a quarter teaspoon of citric acid to the sugar used near the end of the drying time. It made them a lot like the sour gummy treats you can buy. I'm sure these treats are not very nutritious, but it is fun to see how much the zucchini can be transformed with a few readily available ingredients.

It is New Years, My Birthday, The 4th of July and Christmas at my house today. I received my box from Anita, and Im just in awe over it. I hope I donÂt miss anything, and here is what she sent me! BRUGS: Milk and Honey Peaches and Cream BULBS 10 Allium Bulgaricum 10 Fritillara UVA Vulpis 10 Fritillaria Meleagris 30 Brodiac, Queen Fabiola DAYLILIES Chines Offerings Dearly Sweet Green Flutter PandoraÂs Box Pixy Deception ShelbyÂs Song (OMG, THE FAN IS HUGE!, and IÂm so thrilled to get it. Shelby has hit the five mark being in remission and this plant says it all!) Strawberry Candy Undercover Angel Vera Biaglo Winter Masquerade HOSTA "SUGAR AND CREAM" CHOCOLATE VINE SOLOMON SEAL PINAPPLE LILY CD-Flower Master Avon tea light and holder "All about Apples" Autumn scene puzzle Nice note cards and Envelopes Fan light If that wasnÂt enough she sent me an insulated lunch box with>>> Candy bars, Milky Way, Snickers, Twix, Tuna Medley with Sundried tomatoes & basil (yummy, hubby and I had these for lunch!) Pecan Pies (We had this with our coffee for dessert.) Capri Sun, Wild Cherry Lemonade on the Go ANITA, ANITA, ANITA, I don't know what to say, this box was incredible, and be sure that another box will be heading your way next week. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! LIFE IS GOOD! Annie

Thanks, Michael/Lyra! (grin) she's darned expensive and time consuming for an imaginary child, sheesh. Nope, L, no plastic containers of potato salad in the refrigerated section. I suppose I should be grateful, I did find a plastic container of that ground up bologna and pickle with mayonnaise "sandwich spread" once. The grocery store originally had a small bakery and deli, with rotisserie chickens, but apparently those items spoiled before they could be sold and became a big loss, so now I can get a cold pre-cooked chicken on the weekends, donuts only from Sara Lee and sliced lulnch meats and cheeses. They have a small "hot" section" at lunch time, usually chicken strips, corn dogs and pizza rolls. I can get canned Bush's baked beans, though, and ice cream. Two brands, either Country Fresh or Hudsonville. tricia, I never said I was a manager. I'm a Mom and a farmer and at work I'm "Angela, The Pitbull". My employees know their jobs well, so I don't delegate very much, they just do their jobs and I make sure they get paid. I spend most of my time doing legal research, drafting briefs and motions and trying to make sure the criminals get locked up, while simultaneously trying to wipe the images of their abused wives/battered children out of my brain, along with the memory of the autopsy photos and the drunk driving victims. I'm not good at delegating, I'm good at doing whatever needs to be done to help those who need it. That, and I'm good at cooking, so i do what I'm best at. At least I enjoy the cooking! Annie

I'm planning to make this Light Cheesecake with berries that was published in USA TODAY Weekend Magazine last Sunday. Except after two market runs last evening, I FORGOT the ricotta! Back to the market in a minute! LOL HAPPY HOLIDAY EVERYONE! SORRY FOR THE WEIRD WAY THE INGREDIENT AMOUNTS ARE WRITTEN, I had to do that so I could quickly copy & paste w/o those odd symbols appearing. "A star-spangled holiday calls for a celebratory dessert, and this stunning red, white and blue cheesecake fits the bill perfectly. Luxuriously creamy and satisfying but with a fraction of the calories and saturated fat of a typical cheesecake, it is the kind of dessert that lets you have it all. The trick is in the mix of part-skim ricotta cheese and Neufchatel, an all-natural reduced-fat cream cheese, which makes for a texture that is both light and creamy. The cake forms its own golden crust as it bakes, and the fresh berries add all-American color and a burst of sweet juicy flavor without the sugar and calories of the typical syrupy fruit topping. It is pretty effortless to make all you do is put the ingredients in a food processor or mixer, then pour into a pan and bake. You wind up with an impressive, indulgent, better-for-you dessert that can be made ahead, leaving you plenty of time and energy to relax and watch the fireworks. Creamy Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Berries Cooking spray One 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese half cup reduced-fat sour cream 4 ounces Neufchatel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese), softened 3 large eggs three quarter cup sugar quarter cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. vanilla extract one tsp. finely grated orange zest quarter tsp. salt quarter cup all-fruit seedless raspberry jam 1 Tb. orange liqueur or water 1 6-ounce container fresh raspberries 1 6-ounce container fresh blueberries Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Place the ricotta in a mixing bowl or food processor, and beat with an electric mixer, or process, until smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream, Neufchatel, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla, orange zest and salt and continue to process or mix until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the center is just set, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before removing it from the pan. The cheesecake will be about 2 inches high. In a small saucepan, bring the jam and liqueur to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Brush the cheesecake with the jam mixture and top with the berries, alternating one row of raspberries (flat side down), with two rows of blueberries. The cake should be stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 2 to 3 days." Yield: 8 servings Per serving: 300 calories, 39g carbohydrates, 12g protein, 12g fat (6g saturated), 2g fiber, 110mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium Recipe reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Taunton Press Inc., from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life, by Ellie Krieger. Copyright by Ellie Krieger.