Thank you Donna from NH. Donna has purchased close to 100 cookbooks from me. Which means I make some money and now I need to list a lot more books to make up for those sales. Actually thank you everyone for supporting my blog and my EBay website-Valerie2901. I appreciate all sales, not just the big ones.

So lots of new cookbooks being listed, keep your eyes out for some special ones. I only have a few minutes today, because I need to get ready to meet some friends for Mexican dinner.

I think I said I was going to take a TransAtlantic Cruise in May, but that has been postponed, because a friend is taking me to Cancun in April-all expenses paid. Can't refuse that-maybe I'll take that TransAtlantic in the fall-starting from Europe.

I have put a Twelve Volume Set on EBay-Contemporary Cooking, selling it one volume at a time. I would have liked to sell it all together, but EBay won't let me add the shipping in that I need for twelve books. So if you are interested in a complete cooking series-look at my website-Valerie2901.

I went to a Fat Tuesday party the other night and we all had to bring a Cajun/Creole dish. I brought Baked Shrimp Cajun style (was very good, but still not a keeper) and a Southern Homemade Pecan Pie. Remember those pecans I shelled for hours and hours. Well that pie as always was wonderful.

Not brand new, but worth considering, a new cookbook being listed: "The view from Grandma's Kitchen". Written by Janet Beyer and Phyllis Higgins, both from Vermont. Each chapter is based on recipes and stories given to them by their grandmothers. Or maybe it's a book you should be looking for in a brand new condition to give as a gift. Definitely something to look into.

Last, but not least, I saw the movie last week: With Love From Paris, with a bald John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys-Myers. Action packed, a little gory, but funny too. After the movie we went to the Blue Martini at the Town Center. With your ticket stub, you get any free drink you want. I had a very expensive merlot.

That's all for now.

CookbookVal

Here I sit, the night before Valentine's Day, Saturday night sitting at the computer with no date before me. Oh well, sigh... I did have a date for Valentine's Day, but alas, no more. Sigh....

In the meanwhile, I have some great cookbooks being listed under Valerie2901 on EBay or under the general heading of cookbooks. I have an original printing-1960 of the Ladies' Home Journal Cookbook (792 pages later-minus the dust cover) & a Good Housekeeping Cookbook, 1973 with a dust cover (but the dust cover is in bad shape). Somebody who is paying attention, is going to get some good buys on these collector items (starting price .99).

I also have an exotic cookbook listed: The Czech National Cookbook by Hana Gajdostikova, I have never seen a cookbook before from this country printed in English.

I also have two gift books in brand new condition for someone in your life: Food by Ogden Nash and illustrations by Etienne Delessert & The Pleasures of Wine & Sprirts by Ambercrombie & Fitch.

On other topics, I went to the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino for lunch the other day and ended up at the Top Of The World Restaurant. This is a fine dining revolving restaurant that takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to revolve completely giving you views of all of Las Vegas-wonderful lunch. I was actually looking for Roxy's Diner-didn't know the name at the time, but a diner, where the waiters and waitresses sing throughout your meal. Another time.

I need some what I thought was major dental work. Very expensive, most of which is not covered by my dental plan (a piss-poor plan anyhow), but it's all I've got. Anyway, I had been told to search out the Dental Schools in this region and found the highly respected, University of Nevada Dental School here in Las Vegas. I am now a patient and eventually after the crowns are done, the fillings are filled, there will be either an implant or bridge in my life or in my mouth at half-the normal price. In fact, all of the services are half or less than half of the regular price of dentists. When I lived in GA, my friends told me they were going to the big dental school in Alabama. I didn't believe it was worth it, but now I have seen the error of my ways. So if you have great dental insurance, than visit your local dentist, but if you have a poor dental plan or none, I would recommend researching the dental schools in your area or nearby state.

I'm on vacation now, taking care of many things, including dental work and listing probably 200 more cookbooks in the next few days. Business is good, thank you very much.

That's all for now.

CookbookVal

I try and keep my starting prices low on EBay-Valerie2901 or under the general heading of cookbooks. And sometimes, my customers get some real bargains for $.99. Thank you to those of you who have actually emailed me and told me they appreciate the low prices. I make a little, I make alot-it's all the same, as long as you enjoy the cookbooks that I'm selling. They also appreciate the media mail which sometimes takes a little longer, but it sure is a lot cheaper than first class and priority mail.

Speaking of media mail, I scored one for me. I go to the same small post office here in Las Vegas 2-3 times a week to mail out my cookbooks. Same people every time. And every week they threaten to open my packages of cookbooks. Go ahead and open them, I tell them, as long as you re-package everything properly. This postal facility finds it hard to believe, that I ship out 40 or more cookbooks a week. Obviously these people don't cook. So after a year of this abuse, I contacted the US Post Office in Wash D.C. and explained my problem here. And the problem has stopped. I still tell them that I am shipping media mail, but no threats now-though they do touch each envelope or parcel to make sure there is a book inside. Media mail for those of you not familiar with it applies to any printed matter, sheet music, DVD's, CD's-anything to do with media. My local post office has told me it doesn't include magazines, but I looked up the definition of media mail and there is no statement saying you can't ship magazines as well at a reduced media mail price.

Every once in awhile, I get in a corn tortilla frenzy, but then when I'm finished with it, I have the problem of what do I do with the other 25 corn tortillas in the package. You get a lot for your money with corn tortillas. I now have my answer found in Joan Lunden's Healthy Choices Cookbook (look under Valerie2901 on EBay). "My Cracker". I am forever trying new crackers, because most of the crackers on the food shelves now have so much starch in them. I can actually taste the carbs and preservatives. Though this recipe is titled "Tortilla Chips", this will be my new "Cracker" for awhile. It's great with salsa, cheese, dips.

Tortilla Chips

8 corn tortillas, non-stick vegetable oil spray, sea salt to taste.

Spray the tortillas lightly on both sides with the vegetable oil spray. Cut each one into 8 wedges and sprinkle with sea salt (not too heavy) and then bake them in a preheated 350F oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly toasted and crispy. Try other seasonings too.

Only 67 calories for 8 tortilla chips-that's not bad and very tasty.

I know this isn't unique, but I have always only made tortilla chips out of flour tortillas. So it's new to me.

Another book I'm promoting to today (again listed under Valerie2901 on EBay) is Vintage Feasting by Joy Sterling. The author's story is a vintner's year of fine wines, good times and gifts from Nature's Gardens. Listen to this entry from the book:

February 14. The vineyards are asleep. Daphne, a flowering shrub, is blooming, and our Valentine's Day feast is fresh, cracked Dungeness crab soup cooked with Fume' Blanc, served with garlic mayonnaise and bubbly...

Charming. The book is a little dry sometimes, but overall worth reading.

One other thing I'm promoting today. I have a meet-up group for women who enjoy cruising together. Men can come as well of course. I'm not making any money on this, but I enjoy cruises and if someone wants to come along, then come along-you'll at least know me on the cruise. The website is www.meetup.com/WomenTravelingTogetherOnCruises . I have a cruise scheduled for July 23-Alaska Inside Passage and a Southern Caribbean Cruise on Oct 11th. If you would like me to email you some info on it, let me know at crazyvalbrown@yahoo.com. I started this group, because I have traveled all over the world by myself-it's not hard for me, but it is hard for other women to do this. For whatever reasons.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val