Frosted Mint Leaves 1 egg white, lightly beaten castor sugar mint leaves Lightly brush each mint leaf with the egg white, roll lightly in the castor sugar and place the leave onto a cake rack. Leave for about an hour while the egg white dries with its crust of sugar. Use to decorate cakes, pavlova etc or as an after-dinner treat. You can also coat mint leaves with melted chocolate. Very yum, expecially if you dip/set/dip/set a few times! For cake decorating, you can just paint some melted chocolate onto a leaf, then when it's completely firm, peel off the chocolate and use that to decorate your cake. Make extra, so you can sample the mint/chocolate as you work! Mint Cordial 1 large bunch mint juice of 2 lemons 500g sugar 600ml water juice of 1 orange 1 cup pineapple juice Pick off mint leaves, crush thoroughly, add lemon juice and stand aside for one hour. Boil the water and sugar to a syrup, pour over mint and lemon. Cool and strain. Add orange and pineapple juices and serve ice cold with a sprig of fresh mint in each glass. Mint Jelly (2) 2kg tart apples 3 cups strong mint water 2 cups white vinegar sugar To make mint water, steep 500g mint in 3 cups water overnight. Next day, chop apples and place in a pan, barely cover with water. Cover and simmer about 1 hour until apples are soft. Strain. Combine apple juice, mint water, and vinegar and strain again. Measure and place in a pan, adding cup for cup of sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to boiling and cook rapidly until the jelly will set. Bottle and seal. Serve with meat, especially lamb, or on toast, in sandwiches etc Mint Liqueur 2 cups any fresh mint leaves, except eau de cologne 3 cups vodka 2 cups white sugar 1 cup water 1 teaspoon glycerine Use mint leaves only, stems removed. Measure 2 cups of snipped leaves and put with the vodka in a large glass jar with a non-metallic lid. Stand for two weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain and discard leaves. Combine sugar, water and bring to the boil, then cool. Add to mint liqueur base, add glycerine and stir to mix. Pour into a sterilised jar and leave for at least 6 weeks to mature. Sip a small amount to aid digestion either before or after a meal, or enjoy with after-dinner coffee. Mint Pesto: 1/2 cup macadamia nuts 2 cups fresh mint leaves, packed 1/3 cup honey 1 tablespoon vanilla In a food processor, briefly chop the nuts before adding the remaining ingredients. Puree until reduced to a paste. If not using right away, transfer to a glass container, lay plastic wrap over the top so it is touching thus keeping air from penetrating the pesto. Store in refrigerator for up to a month. Use as a filling for sandwich cookies or mix some into chocolate sauce for ice cream or cake, or pipe swirls onto choc-chip cookies. Mint Sauce 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon boiling water 1/2 cup vinegar Wash and dry the mint, remove stalks, chop finely and add sugar. Pour in the boiling water. Add vinegar and stir well. Serve with roast lamb. [Note: if you combine the leaves and sugar first, it will make the leaves easier to chop, so they don't cling to the cutters or knife.] This is a MUST HAVE for roast lamb! Try freezing mint leaves in ice-cube containers with some water or fruit juice - just pop the frozen cubes into a summer punch or cold water. A nice option is to put a lemon balm leaf in with the mint.

Ah...the magic of the internet. Found them both. I have photos of both of these at home, too if you're interested. This first one is from Land O Lakes and is super easy. Really good, too! Southern Belle Bars Crust Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup LAND O LAKES Butter, softened 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans Filling Ingredients: 3/4 cup dark corn syrup 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 eggs 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans Heat oven to 350°F. Combine 1 1/4 cups flour, butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/4 cup pecans. Press crust mixture evenly onto bottom of ungreased 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until very light golden brown on edges. Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients except pecans in small bowl; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly over hot, partially baked crust. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until filling appears set and knife inserted 1-inch from edge comes out clean. Cool completely; cut into bars. Ingredient Substitution Index Nutrition Facts (1 bar): Calories: 150, Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 19g, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Protein: 2g 2506 © 1995 Land O'Lakes, Inc. This one is a little on the putzy side to make but well worth the effort, and it makes a TON! Pecan Squares-Ina garten Ingredients Crust:  1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature  3/4 cup granulated sugar  3 extra-large eggs  3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract  4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour  1/2 teaspoon baking powder  1/4 teaspoon salt Topping:  1 pound unsalted butter  1 cup good honey  3 cups light brown sugar, packed  1 teaspoon grated lemon zest  1 teaspoon grated orange zest  1/4 cup heavy cream  2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool. For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve. Linda

The Hot Browns would be terrific, but since they are predicting rain (GGGRRRRRRRR) the house will be FILLED with kids of all ages and they will be getting on my last nerve. I need EASY at this point!. I am also thinking the Crab Canoe and "crap cakes" may be too much crab and will probably substitute something else for the crap cakes.... It really needs to be a "do ahead" that I can just reheat (or serve cold). I am off to scout Malna's link for inspiration! Thanks again everyone - and I have never had Case's pork roll either - I am going to have to look for it! Alexa

I just couldn't come here until now, although I agree absolutely with the decision to immediately euthanize Eight Belles. The front legs are actually bear much of the horse's weight, with both broken it would be impossible for her to ever recover. As for Barbaro, it is very possible that he had enough pain medication to make him comfortable, in spite of the laminitis. My own Morgan gelding was stricken with laminitis a couple of years ago. The condition is so painful that some horses go into shock just from the pain. I gave him huge doses of aspirin for pain and swelling three times a day. What a damper for a party. Sigh. Big Brown was impressive, though, and so was Eight Belles. She came up from the middle of the pack and I almost thought she had it, for just a minute. Elery was watching with me and was stunned, he had no idea that they would immediately put a horse down like that. Of course, what does he know about horses? Um, not much. LOL He picked Colonel John because he liked the name. Annie