Hello, Friends,

So-

Chocolate F.A.Q.

--If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

--Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

--Problem: How to get two pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car.
Solution: Eat it in the parking lot.

--Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less.

--A nice box of chocolates provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?

--If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, that may be a sign of a deeper problem.

--If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

--Equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate is a balanced diet.

--Two phrases: Money talks. Chocolate sings.

--The preservatives in chocolate make you look younger.

--Question: Why is there no such organization as Chocoholics Anonymous?
Answer: Because no one wants to quit.

--If not for chocolate, there would be no need for control top pantyhose. An entire garment industry would be devastated.

--Put "eat chocolate" right at the top of your things to do list today. That way at least you'll get one thing done.

(by Sandy Smith)

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Chicken Spareribs

A long time ago, I typed this out, pre-computer, on my old Selectric typewriter. And the paper's all yellowed and loved up. That's a sure sign of a really good recipe…..

1 to 2 Tbl. Olive oil
8 skinned chicken thighs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1 Tbl. Cider vinegar
1 crushed garlic clove
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbl. Cornstarch
1 Tbl. Water

For a main dish, serve over rice.

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add the chicken thights and brown lightly on all sides, 6 to 7 minutes, turning frequently. In a large bowl, combine the 1/2 cup water, soysauce, light brown sugar, apple juice, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, red pepper and ginger. Add to chicken. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 20 minutes, turning at least once. In a small bowl, blend the cornstarch with the 1 Tbl. Water. Use this mixture to thicken the sauce.

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Darling Daughter and I are dolling up and going out on the town tonight. We are meeting on the University of Iowa campus to see Fredericka Von Strade and Chanticleer in concert. Somehow I managed to raise a daughter who hates to shop, so we do concerts and restaurants instead of hanging out at the mall. This should be a very good concert, and the auditorium is acoustically perfect. Kind of like ear candy, eh?

Your pal,

Tanis