No news is good news!

I know it's been awhile, but life happens. Here I am today and let me tell you, I have been cooking up a storm.

Remember the Coconut Pie I made-what a success & so easy. Try this sometime, it tastes like a macaroon cookie.

1 cup sugar-2 eggs-2 tbsp flour-2 cups milk-1 cup grated coconut-3/4 tsp vanilla extract-1/4 tsp almond extract-1 baked deep pie crust

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, flour, milk, coconut, vanilla & almond extract. Pour into a deep, 9-inch pie crust. Bake until golden brown.

I made adjustments to the recipe-like I always do, so now it is mine and yours.

And remember the electric fondue pot, I bought awhile ago. Last night, I christened it, making chicken wings. It would only hold 3 large drummettes at a time, which I defrosted from frozen to cut down on the cooking time. Normal size chicken wings would probably hold 4 or 5 at a time. But I was making this just for me, so it was perfect. The only thing that was disappointing was the chicken wing sauce. Normally, I make my own chicken wing sauce (after all I am from Buffalo, home of the chicken wings), but I decided to use Frank's Chicken Wing Sauce (again home of the original chicken wings, from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY). Obviously, the economy has hit Frank's Chicken Wing Sauce-you could tell it's now being chemically produced, with very little real butter in the sauce. Sad, how we have to cut out the key ingredients in certain products to make a profit these days.

In keeping with food ingredients (not necessarily cooking, but a cooked up recipe)-try this f0r your dry skin: PINEAPPLE FACIAL!-why it works: Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapples, quickly softens, hydrates and brightens your skin.

Wash your face with a moisturizing cleanser. Wet a washcloth in warm water; squeeze out excess and place over face for 5 minutes. In a blender, puree 3 pineapple slices, 1 tbsp plain yogurt and 3 tbsp honey. Smooth mask onto face, leave on for 10 minutes, rinse and pat dry.

When I can find them, I will now list Chef's newsletters and blogs. To start with I have Emeril Lagasse, who has a new cookbook out "20-40-60", and soon to be promoting it nationwide with a book tour. www.emerils.com

Last week layovers included New York City. We stay near the La Guardia Airport and I was not prepared to go downtown, clothes wise, now that it's getting colder. I have another layover next week and I'm ready this time. Stops planned-1st Canal St-where you used to be able to get the best knock-off's in purses in the US. Now the item to buy if the Tiffany necklace, still in sterling silver, but only $10 each (bargain, baby). I will be buying some for Christmas presents next week. Also, a new store to look out for is Century 21 Department Store. A cross between Ross and TJ Max, located at 22 Cortlandt St (between Church & Broadway), New York, NY 212-227-9092.

That's all for now.
Cookbook Val