FROM THE COOKBOOK SHELF
Remember the Joy of Blueberry cookbook that I reviewed a couple years ago? Now there's the Joy of Rhubarb by the same author, Theresa Millang. I liked her blueberry cookbook so much that I couldn't resist buying the rhubarb one at Barnes and Noble late last year. Now that hothouse rhubarb is available at Chief and Rays and homegrown will soon be ready, I'm sharing my adaptation of Millang's Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars. After making the original recipe once, I made it again with 4 cups chopped rhubarb instead of 2 (I could barely taste 2 cups). Because of doubling the amount of rhubarb, I increased granulated sugar from 3/4 cup to 1 cup. Since orange and rhubarb complement each other, I replaced 1 teaspoon of vanilla with 1 1/2 teaspoons natural orange flavoring (Chief and Rays have McCormick brand.) It was a winner when I served it to Bryan Chief shoppers recently and to our girls when they were home Easter weekend.
ORANGE-RHUBARB CHEESECAKE BARS
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2 1/2 cups unsifted, all purpose flour
- 2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
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1 cup packed light brown sugar
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1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
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3 eggs
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1 cup granulated sugar
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1 1/2 teaspoons natural orange flavoring (not imitation)
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4 cups fresh chopped rhubarb (do not use frozen)
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 15x10-inch jelly roll baking pan with non-fat spray. Beat flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, butter, salt and baking soda in a large bowl on medium speed until crumbly (I used a food processor). Press 4 cups into bottom of prepared pan. Beat remaining ingredients together, except rhubarb, in a bowl until blended. Stir in rhubarb by hand. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture and press down lightly. Bake 40 minutes or until center is set. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Use within 48 hours. Cut into 5 dozen bars. Store in refrigerator.
Source: Adapted from recipe in The Joy of Rhubarb, The Versatile Summer Delight, by Theresa Millang; Adventure Publications, Inc., Cambridge, Minnesota. Order from Amazon.com for $12.95 plus postage.
HEREDITY vs. LIFESTYLE FOR LONGEVITY
For most Americans, heredity accounts for about 30 percent of life expectancy, which average 79 years. Lifestyle choices, such as diet, exercise and smoking, and environmental factors, such as air pollution, determine the rest. However, if your close relative lived into their 90s or died prematurely from disease, genes probably play a stronger role in determining your life expectancy. Source: Consumer Reports on Health, April 2007.
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IF IT DUCKS LIKE A QUACK...
Quackery costs billions of dollars annually. Worse than the money it wastes, it can cause harm and lead people away from the medical help they really need. Here are some warning signals:
Words such as "miraculous," instant," "secret, or "amazing."
Vague claims such as "purifies your body," "raise your energy level," "or boosts immune system."
Testimonials and anecdotes that are sole or primary support for the claims.
Ad copy that tries to diagnose health problems: for example, and ad that leads you to believe you have vitamin deficiencies, and then offers to sell you a cure.
Claims that doctors don't want you to know about "cures" because they would lose business.
"Spot-reducers" or any gadget promising to reduce weight without exercise or while you sleep!
Diet plans "guaranteed" to take off a pound a day. A diet that rigorous would be dangerous.
Health-related products sold via multi-level marketing, which turns customers into salespeople.
Claims about curing arthritis, cancer or AIDS.
Claims that a product will cure a wide variety of illnesses. Cure-alls seldom cure anything.
Source: University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, April 2007.
ENCORE FOR SUPER-EASY CAKE TO MAKE
This dessert might take a bit more time than the angel food cake mix plus canned crushed pineapple recipe buy not much!
EASY CHOCOLATE DESSERT BARS
- 1 small box regular chocolate pudding mix (not instant)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 2-layer chocolate cake mix
- 1 package Heath Butter Brickle Chips
- 1 package chocolate mini chocolate chips.
Mix pudding with milk and cook on high 6 minutes, stirring every two minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in cake mix, blending well. Spoon into 9x13-inch pan covered with non-fat spray. Sprinkle with Heath Brickle Chips and mini chocolate chips. Bake in preheated 350F oven about 40 minutes or until done. Cool on rack and cut into bars. |
