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Ask Betty!
Do you have any cooking questionsor need a cooking tip?
Send a question and I will try to answer.
Ask Betty
- Hi Grandma Betty, What a fun surprise it was to open your newsletter and see one of my questions on the "click-on" spot...
- My recipe calls for fast-rising yeast. I have active dry yeast. Can I use it, and how? --Steve
- Hi grandma, I need a good cookie recipe, not oatmeal cookies, for my grands. Thanks! --Carole
- I'm a diabetic and my doctor says only lean meat and vegetables. Do you have any recipes? --Cal
Chocolate Curls
Hi Grandma,
My mom made beautiful cakes, and she'd decorate them with adorable curls of chocolate. She showed me how to do it once, but I’ve forgotten. How do you make those chocolate curls my mom used to decorate her cakes?
--Anna
Hi Anna
Guess what? Those curls are quite easy to make if you have a swivel-type vegetable peeler: you just run the peeler along the edge of a block or thick bar of chocolate. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind when making them.
1. Use a somewhat thick bar of chocolate – one to two inches thick is ideal. This makes it easy to run the peeler along the thick edge to make the curls. Experiment with using less and more pressure to create curls with different thicknesses.
2. If the chocolate is too cold and brittle, the curls will easily break. To avoid this, place the chocolate in a warm place (90F to 95F) for a few minutes. You could also wave a hairdryer (set on low) over the bar a few times. If the chocolate becomes too soft, simply put it in the fridge for a couple of minutes.
3. Once you’ve created the curls, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Use a toothpick or spoon to transfer the curls to the container and then later to the cake. If you use your fingers, their heat will soften the curls and they may become misshapen.
Here are some desserts that would be great with some curl decorations:
Chocolate Truffle Mousse
Chocolate Bread Pudding
Chocolate Heavenly Hash
Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Dark Chocolate Cake
Milk Chocolate Cake
Fluffy Chocolate Pie
Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

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Question
Love "Nana's Banana Bread" and I wondered if I could substitute zucchini for the banana? Zucchini is a little more moist so I wasn't sure. Can I have your opinion? Thanks so much! -Deb
August 2012 -
QuestionI had the recipe card for Chicken & Dressing Bake and also for Ham Puffs. But my 12-year-old daughter, who now does a lot of baking thanks to Grandma's recipes, has misplaced them. Can you please share the recipes? The puff recipe was one where after you bake pastry puffs, you stuff them with tuna or chicken or cheese filling. My daughter makes them for church and family gatherings and gets rave reviews. --CarolMarch 2012
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QuestionDo you have a recipe for zucchini and ground beef casserole? I have looked everywhere! Thanks. --ShereeMarch 2012
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QuestionWhat are traditional New Year's foods? --PhyllisMarch 2012
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QuestionHi Betty, With the holidays coming up, can you add some of your most favorite recipes? Thank you. --KimMarch 2012
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Question
I would like to make Grandma's noodles with meatballs and gravy.
—Dorothy
May 2012 -
QuestionDo you have a recipe for a good traditional Thanksgiving turkey gravy? Thank you. --DeliaMarch 2012
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QuestionDo you have a recipe for eggnog pound cake? --PriscillaMarch 2012
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QuestionI'm looking for spinach casserole. --EvaMarch 2012
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QuestionHow about a minestrone recipe? An easy one with ground beef? Thanks! --LindaMarch 2012





