Yeah, I don't have a recipe, I just throw a cinnamon stick in each jar before I add the syrup. I do them in light syrup if I'm doing with cinn. Now that I found a good source of candied ginger slices locally, I would use a hunk of that instead of cinnamon--pears and ginger=yum! Here's the "Pears in Port" recipe I made. Actually it is "Plums in Port" recipe from the Ball Blue Book of Canning. People usually do brandied pears since brandy is closer to the color of pears, but anyway, boozy fruit is great to have on hand for elegant desserts at the last minute. Put in cakes or just serve warmed over poundcake topped with whipped cream. 8 lbs. plums (or pears, but be forwarned, they'll turn maroon) 3 cups sugar 3 cups water 3 TBLSP slivered orange peel 2 sticks cinnamon 2 cups tawny port Prick plums with sterlized needle to prevent bursting. (Or halve or quarter, core and peel pears). Combine sugar and water, orange peel and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepot to make a syrup. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer a frew minutes. Add plums a layer at a time to heat through about 2 min. Remove plums from syrup and peel skins if desired. Pack hot plums (or pears) into sterilized jars (I use quart jars for this or pint jars if I quarter the pears). Leave 1/2 inch headspace. Reheat syrup to boiling. Discard spices and stir in port. Pour over plums, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Put caps on and adjust rings. Process 20 min. in a boiling water bath. Yield, about 3 quarts. Note: I don't boil the cinnamon and peel with the syrup, I break them up and add them directly to the jars with the pears, makes the jars look even more "gourmet." But to make this work you have to let them set and age a while for the spices to infuse the syrup, like maybe a month. I think you could sub brandy or sherry in this recipe if you liked that better. And probably use cherries instead of pears or plums, but those I would do in pint jars, not quarts.

According to Hershey’s CustServ just now, the actual formula for the Hershey’s Syrup formerly in 16 oz. cans (regrettably discontinued 12/17) and in the plastic squeeze bottles is the same. But: the recipes they used to print on their can labels usually called for 1 canfull, and the amount of syrup neede was based on 16 oz. weight - a pound - NOT 16 oz. volume - a pint. They’re apparently rolling out a replacement for the old cans in the form of a 1-lb pouch, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for those...

There is another bean that starts with an "A", but I can't remember exactly what it's called. It is supposed to be a slightly sweet bean, and is used in Asian deserts. I wonder if that bean could be used in this recipe if someone really wanted to make it. Lars, I completely agree with you. There's no reason to try to make fake meat or fake cheese. Just use good ingredients that are what they are, and something real from that. Having said that, I will on occasion eat a vegetarian hot dog or fake hamburger patty, just so I can have a hot dog or hamburger, but not very often. Sally

Wonderful thread, Bobby... see what your Banana Bread experience has spawned. Glad to know I'm not alone. My brothers, I'm sure, would have several "bizzo meals" to mention, as I like ingredients more exotic for their tastes (like mushrooms in my spaghetti sauce) but I think my worst was the first I served my now DH... One of my brother's had given me a variety of flavored vinegars asa Christmas present... one a "Salsa Vinegar" that I'd never tried before. I made a vinaigrette dressing, and the new BF (now DH) had forced down several bites of his salad (good boy, taught to clean his plate) before I got to my first one. One bite and I immediately removed the salad bowls from the table with "you do not have the eat this!!" It was HOT, and awful... DH says it took several more meals before he trusted that I really can cook!! LOL