Thank You!

Thank you to all those who participated in our recipe contest. Your entries were delicious! You made it very difficult for us to choose a winner and two runner ups. Consequently, we selected a winner who will receive the Farberware Classic Series 13-piece Pot set and FOUR runner ups, each of whom will receive a free copy of Cook'n for Kids.

Thanks to the rest of you who have been such faithful subscribers. I enjoy your feedback and appreciate support.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Dan Oaks
President
DVO Enterprises
801-492-1290

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Prevent Osteoporosis in Your Kids!
STOP THE SHRINKAGE: Preventing Osteoporosis in Your Kids--

By: Desiri Wightman, RD, CD

"I'm melting, I'm meellttinnng!" Remember those famous shrieks from the Wizard of Oz's wicked witch as she dissolves into a puddle of water? Sooner for some and later for others, many of us may feel like screaming out those same lines when our hemlines land a little lower on our calves or we stoop a little more than we used to. Unlike the wicked witch, our bones won't be shrinking because of water, but they may be shrinking because of milk (i.e., lack of calcium-rich foods).

I'm sure you recognize the term Osteoporosis-the bone disease that causes height loss, crippling bone fractures, and even death in the elder years. But did you know that YOU can prevent it? Maybe it is too late to do much for yourself, but I'm betting that there are children you come in contact with, either as a parent, teacher, relative, or mentor, on whom you can apply prevention strategies. Osteoporosis can be stopped, but someone who knows something about it has to influence those kids who don't.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends that children between the ages of 9-18 take in 1300 mg of calcium daily (the highest recommendation for any age group or category). During these adolescent years, bones increase in strength and density by adding bone mass rapidly. After age 18, though, the rate of adding bone mass starts to slow down until about the age of 30, when the adding of bone mass peaks. From then on out, the bones start to lose density faster than they can add it back in. The goal, then, is to make the bones as strong as possible before age 30. That way, when the strong bones start to "dedensify", the effects of fractures or "melting" will not be seen in a lifetime. The best time to achieve that goal is in the adolescent years, and that's where your influence is needed greatly.

Now are you asking, "But what could I do?" To find out, click here and continue reading this article where you'll find a list of calcium rich foods and a menu (using recipes from the Cook'n software) on how to use them in "real-life!"

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Dairy Preserving Tricks

Enjoy these dairy preserving hints from the cupboards of Kathy Oaks:

1. To slow the rate of oxidation (i.e. spoilage) in cottage cheese, store it upside down in the refrigerator.

2. If you're unable to use a gallon of milk by its expiration date, add a pinch of salt. It will slow the rate of bacterial growth, keeping it fresher longer.

3. Store your ice-cream carton in a plastic bag to keep ice crystals from forming when it is in the freezer.

* DVO welcomes your kitchen hints and cooking or nutrition questions! Email us and we'll post your hints and Q/A's in upcoming newsletters! *

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RECIPE CONTEST WINNER: Marinated Tri-Tip Roast

This recipe was shared with me by a man I met on a fishing trip this past July 3rd. The interesting thing about this gentleman is that he made a decision late in life to follow his dream of becoming a chef. So, after some years of working in construction he took his family to Oregon and attended cooking school for a year. Now, he is working for Sony Picture Studios in their catering division and working his way up the ladder.

Needless to say he is having the time of his life doing the thing for which he has a passion. This recipe is one of his personal favorites that he cooks at home for his friends and family.

Alan E. Weston

* Do you have any fabulous recipes to share with other Cook'n readers? Email your recipes to us. Include any preparation or serving hints and/or tell us about you and your family. *

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Lactose Intolerant

A father, who'd just discovered he was lactose intolerant (unable to digest milk sugar), tried to explain to his four-year old daughter what that meant. A couple months later, he took her out to breakfast at a very busy restaurant. The quality of the food and service were stressed under the customer load. When the waitress finally brought their omelets paired with dark toast, his daughter took one look and remarked loudly, "My Daddy can't eat that toast; he is black-toast intolerant." After a moment's silence, the whole restaurant shook with laughter.

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Graham Cracker Houses

Thank you, Nancy Menn, for something to do besides watching football games during the holidays! (DAN'S NOTE: I don't know if the editor, Desi, and I see eye to eye on this one :)

1st and 2nd Runner Ups

Sloppy Mexican Lasagna

My name is Shannon Tarvin. My BEST friend is Tracey Kopp. We have been friends for 17 years. We have lived, laughed and cried together. We have helped each other through some really rough times. We have both been through divorces, remarriages and medical emergencies. For the last few years we have been living a ways apart, we don't always keep in touch, but we always know we are there for each other. The recipe she gave me. We made together when we were living together and we were both trying to impress the same guy.

The Stupid Chicken Dish

The famous Sue Haddock is a friend of recent vintage. She is the mother of a large family which is the reason for the recipe. When you read the recipe, you'll get a flavor of her personality and see why she is such a neat person.

Her recipe is "The Stupid Chicken Dish" (no you don't have to find a stupid chicken to cook). It makes chicken and vegetables with gravy, only takes about 20 minutes to prepare, and cooks while you are at church. The name originated because when she was feeding 12 every Sunday, she would ask what they wanted for dinner. They would ALWAYS ASK FOR THIS! And, I would say.. "Not that stupid chicken dish again??!!" Now they all make it for their own families. This is a no brainer...even her daughter Heather made it for the entire family when she was about 6 years old.

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Crock Pot Recipes

Tight budgets and tighter schedules--it seems we all have them! Getting a well-balanced dinner on the table after a busy day is a constant challenge. Cook'n Fix & Forget helps you prepare meals the old-fashioned way: slow cooking.

One way to cope is by using a crockpot once or twice a week. This modern appliance uses an old-fashioned method: long, slow cooking at a controlled temperature setting.

Our great-grandmothers used this technique when setting a soup or stew to simmer at the back of the stove for most of the day. It's a good way to utilize less expensive cuts of meat and still produce a tender, timely, flavorful dish.

Crock pots relieve us of the last-minute fuss before a meal. Quickly prepare ingredients the night before or early in the day and then put the crockpot to work. Then look forward to a delicious, no-fuss home-cooked meal several hours later.

The Cook'n Fix & Forget CD provides 369 time-saving recipes that will surely become household favorites. With very little advance preparation, you'll find that dinnertime can become a relaxed and enjoyable experience again.

* To order Cook'n Fix & Forget before November 27 and save 20%, click here:

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