Chief Super Markets

Event: Wine Tasting

Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -18000

Join us at Rays Market, 890 S. Cable from Noon to 2pm for a wine tasting.

Event: Wine Tasting

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -18000

Join us at Rays Market, 890 S. Cable from 5pm to 7pm for a wine tasting.

Event: Spring Into Wellness

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -18000

10 stations of FREE Health Screenings, Information, Samples at Rays Market, 890 S. Cable Rd. on Saturday, March 20th. Join us from 10am to 2pm. Be tested for diabetes, cholesterol, have your blood pressure checked, enjoy healthy recipes made by Chef Sarah Fisher, have your medications reviewed and MUCH MORE!

Event: Smokehouse Roadshow

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -18000

Chief Smokehouse products will be sampled in your store on Saturday, March 20 from 10am to 4pm.

Event: Wine Tasting

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -18000

Join us at Rays Market, 890 S. Cable from Noon to 2pm for a wine tasting.

Event: Wine Tasting

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -18000

Join us at Rays Market, 890 S. Cable from 5pm to 7pm for a wine tasting.

Event: Wine Tasting

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -18000

An amazing opportunity to sample Rombauer Wines. Join us Monday, March 15 from 3pm to 4pm at Rays Market, 890 S. Cable Rd. Sample Rombauer Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Event: Wine Tasting

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -21600

Join us at Rays Market, 890 S. Cable from Noon to 2pm for a wine tasting.

Event: Glucose Screening

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -21600

Glucose Screening will be held Saturday, March 13 from 9am to 2pm at Rays Marketplace, 2100 Harding Hwy.

Event: Cooking School

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -21600

Join chef Patti Parks for a cooking school at Defiance Chief from 11am to 1pm. Enjoy samples of her creations & take home tips & recipes

Event: Cooking School

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -21600

Join chef Pat Good for a cooking school at Rays Marketplace, 2100 Harding Hwy from Noon to 2pm. Enjoy samples of her creations & take home tips & recipes

Ad: Mar 11th - Mar 17th Weekly Specials

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -21600

Mary's Memo: #2152 - Mar 8th, 2010

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -21600

FROM THE COOKBOOK SHELF
Fleischmann’s yeast just sent me a condensed booklet based on Nancy Baggett’s new cookbook “Kneadlessly Simple: Fabulous, Fuss-Free, No-Knead Breads,” published by John Wiley & Sons. Baggett makes homemade bread baking amazingly easy without any special equipment, no mess and of course, no kneading. I love baking bread and don’t mind kneading it, although now that I have a Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook, I let the mixer do a lot of the work. It’s only when a recipe calls for larger amounts of flour that I have to do any kneading at all. No-knead bread isn’t as fine textured but if you are a beginning baker, the concept will have more appeal than it does to me. Judging by the recipes in the condensed booklet, detailed step-by-step directions are included. I can’t imagine anyone having a problem making bread from this cookbook, available now wherever books are sold.

A common dilemma for families these days is cooking for vegetarians and omnivores at the same time. I know because I’ve dealt with the problem in my own family, especially at holiday time. In their new book, “Double Take: One Fabulous Recipe, Two Finished Dishes, Feeding Vegetarians and Omnivores Together,” authors and longtime friends A.J. Rathbun and Jeremy Holt show how it’s done. Each recipe begins with a common base. Then the food is divided in two; one half is finished with meat and the other with unique vegetarian flair. The result is easy to prepare and delicious no matter what you eat! There are even appetizer recipes with and without meat.

STUFFED ‘SHROOMS

18 large button mushrooms (the bigger, the better)
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ cup bread crumbs
2½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup loose pork sausage

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease 2 medium- size casserole dishes. Prudently, so you don’t destroy the caps, remove the stems from the mushrooms. Finely chop half the stems and set aside. Use the rest to make stock. If, after removing the stems you think that you’ll need more room for the stuffing, you can also scrape out the gills. Put mushroom caps in each of the prepared casserole dishes, making sure the mushrooms are gill side up. In medium size bowl, combine mushroom stems, garlic, bread crumbs, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, Parmesan and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well. Transfer half of the stuffing to a separate bowl and add uncooked sausage into the mixture. Using a clean spoon, place the sausage-free stuffing into the mushroom caps in one of the casserole dishes, making sure that each mushroom is stuffed with an equal amount. You may need to use your fingers to pack the stuffing into the mushrooms.` Place sausage-mushroom stuffing into the mushroom caps in the second casserole dish. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon oil over the mushroom caps in both casserole dishes. Cover each casserole with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil ands bake 10 more minutes (take this time to make “meat” and “no meat” labels for your serving platters).
Source: Used with permission of Harvard Common Press, publishers; $16.95 paperback.

TUNA MAKES CHEAP EATING
And don’t think albacore tuna is better because it’s more expensive. Albacore contains more mercury than regular tuna, the kind that’s on sale at Chief and Rays quite often.

TUNA CHEESE CASSEROLE

2 5-ounce cans water packed chunk tuna, drained
1½ cups cottage cheese
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons minced onion
4-ounce can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups coarse soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
1 2-ounce jar chopped pimiento, well drained
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients except Parmesan cheese. Spoon mixture into 1½-quart casserole. Sprinkle top with cheese. Set in a shallow pan of hot water and bake 1 hour in a preheated 350oF oven.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY VITAL FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH
Sustained physical activity over a lifetime is critical to the physical and mental health of women, according to a report from the Women’s Sports Foundation. The review of more than 2,000 studies in girls and women showed that a physically active lifestyle promotes a better quality of life, enhances mood and lowers risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, certain cancers, obesity, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease. One study has shown that the direct and indirect costs of chronic health conditions resulting from sedentary lifestyles are about $150 billion. The report called for “greater and better opportunities for all Americans to become more physically active.”
Source: Weill Cornell Medical College Food & Fitness Advisor, March 2010.

News: Great Gourmet Encounters

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -21600

greatgourmetencounters.com

Mary's Memo: #2151 - Mar 1st, 2010

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 11:39:19 -21600

TRANS FAT-FREE COOKING
Since Betty Crocker Impossible Pies were introduced I've been a fan of them and can't recall one that I haven't liked. The problem is that regular Bisquick has trans fats that we should avoid because they raise LDL (bad cholesterol) and lower HDH (good cholesterol). But General Mills also makes HeartSmart Bisquick and it is trans fat-free. Happily for me, I found that it can be used interchangeably in Impossible Pie recipes! Fresh asparagus was on sale when I put it to the test at home and at the Bryan Chief. Note that this is a meatless entree and perfect for Lenten meals.

IMPOSSIBLE ASPARAGUS-CHEESE PIE

2 cups fresh asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese, if available (sharp Cheddar may also be used)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup HeartSmart Bisquick
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (I used 1 percent but skim will also work)
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Layer first three ingredients in a buttered deep dish 9-inch pie plate. Whisk together remaining ingredients and spoon over asparagus mixture. Bake in preheated 375F oven for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Recipe makes 4 servings.

Homemade biscuit recipes usually call for hydrogenated shortening like Crisco. I found a recipe on the internet that called for melted butter instead. I also added a generous amount of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese to the batter and it's become a favorite quick bread.

EASY DROP BISCUITS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup milk (whatever kind you have on hand)
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Stir in melted butter and milk just until moistened. Fold in cheese. Spoon onto parchment-lined baking sheet (I used the larger Pampered Chef scoop). Bake in preheated oven for about 10-11 minutes or until brown around the edges. Serve warm. Recipe makes a dozen.
Source: Adapted from www.Allrecipes.com recipe, the world's favorite recipe web site. `INCLUDE BARLEY IN YOUR DIET
Adding barley to your diet can lower your cholesterol and thus reduce your risk of heart disease. The FDA allows this health claim, similar to the one for oats. In one USDA study people with mildly elevated blood cholesterol saw their levels drop significantly when they ate a heart-healthy diet that contained the equivalent of about half a cup of barley flakes a day. Barley is the best source of beta glucan, a soluble fiber known to lower cholesterol. It also contains another soluble fiber called pectin, along with iron, selenium, zinc and some B vitamins. Look for hulled barley, which retains its nutrient-and-fiber-rich bran.
Source: University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, February 2010.

When one of my Purdue mentors, Dr. Gertrude Sunderlin, shared this barley casserole recipe many years ago, we didn't have rotisserie chickens at the supermarket but we do now so when I need cooked chicken for a recipe rotisserie chicken is the way to go!

BROWNED BARLEY CASSEROLE

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups quick-cooking barley
2 cups fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 can Campbell's Healthy Request mushroom soup
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cups chicken broth without MSG

Melt butter in large skillet. Saute chopped onion. Add barley and stir until golden. Add remaining ingredients. Spoon into 2 1/2-quart casserole and bake covered in 325F oven for about 1 1/2 hours (check after one hour). Recipe makes 8 servings.

THE POWER OF FOOD
While some people may need supplements at certain stages of their lives, nutritional deficiencies are uncommon in the US. "Almost all of us get or can get the vitamins and minerals we need from our diet," says Paul M. Coates, PhD., director of the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institute of Health. Major health organizations for cancer, diabetes and heart disease all advise against supplements in favor of a healthful diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Unlike pills, those foods contain fiber plus thousands of health-protective substances that seem to work together more powerfully than any single ingredient can work alone.
Source: Consumer Reports on Health, February 2010.

Mary's Memo: #2150 - Feb 22nd, 2010

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:39:19 -21600

YEAH! SPRING IS JUST A MONTH AWAY!
To celebrate, this memo is going in several directions. There are many reasons why I enjoy my work at the Bryan Chief and one of them is an opportunity to talk personally with memo readers. They may have a question for me such as what is a Minneola? Also called a Tangelo, I can tell them it’s a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit. It peels like a tangerine and is very juicy like grapefruit.

Memo readers lose recipes like recently when a customer asked about George Dykhuizen’s Baked Pork Loin with Mustard Sauce. I remembered the recipe and that it won first prize in a Bryan Times Recipe Contest in 1979. That known I started looking in memos from 1979 into the early 80s and there it was on the April 5, 1982 memo! So for the lady who asked me and for all “other white meat” fans, here it is!.

GEORGE DYKHUISEN’S BAKED PORK LOIN WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

3 pound center cut pork loin, boned but not rolled (order ahead)
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup bourbon
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
Mustard Sauce:
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Marinate meat in soy sauce, bourbon and brown sugar mixture in oblong glass dish. Refrigerate for several hours, turning frequently. Remove from marinade and bake in shallow baking pan in preheated 325oF, basting frequently with marinade until meat thermometer registers 150oF, about 1½ hours. Cut in thin diagonal slices and serve with Mustard Sauce. To make sauce, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, dry mustard, vinegar and scallions.
Finally, I watch what shoppers are buying because it helps me focus on recipes they’ll actually use. Nowadays, they are more price conscious than at any time since I’ve done the memo and I pay attention to cost per serving.

MY NEW PET PEEVE
In December I told you that one of the best buys in chip aisle was the Frito Lays 14-ounce bag of Santitas Authentic Mexican Chips for $2.00. They’re still $2.00 but chips have been reduced an ounce to 13. I ended up buying a different Frito Lay tortilla chip that had less sodium, something I’m also watching. I’m sure we haven’t seen an end to this happening but I do resent the fact that food companies don’t think we know what’s going on! Another example of paying the same or more for less is toilet paper. Rolls have a fraction of the tissue they formerly did. I also bought Kraft reduced- fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese the other day and instead of being an 8-ounce package it weighs only 7 ounces now. You may not agree with me but I wish grocery manufacturers would keep the size or weight the same and raise the price if it’s necessary.`
TIPS FOR SAFER SALADS
Raw leafy greens, organic or regular, should be washed again, even though package says they’re pre-washed and ready-to-eat. One method of washing: immerse loose greens in a large pot of cool water and allow a minute or two for debris to sink to the bottom. Then put the greens in a colander and wash them under running water. A salad spinner is a convenience, or you can pat the greens dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Source: University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter, February 2010.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!
I may be a month late with Ground Hog Soup but being a big fan of hearty soups, this has a lot to offer and you’re likely to have most of the ingredients on hand to make it. When we’re supposed to be eating more beans and lentils and less meat this soup is the perfect prescription for healthy eating!

GROUND HOG SOUP

fresh bulk sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 quart water
1 cup diced potatoes with or without peeling
½ green bell pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder)
½ teaspoon thyme
2 16-ounce cans light kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I use Bush brand)

Brown sausage and onion together in large saucepan over medium heat. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients with exception of kidney beans. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours; add kidney beans the last 30 minutes of cooking. Remove bay leaf before serving. Recipe serves 5.

PS: I have no idea how many calls about food that I have taken through the years but when I do get questions I try to find the answer or refer them to someone more qualified than I am. This morning a caller asked me why diabetics are to use cake flour instead of all purpose flour and I referred her to the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-342-2383. After she hung up I was curious to know the answer and called the 1-800 number myself. As it turned out, the registered dietitian on the phone said he had just talked to the lady I advised to call them. If you are wondering about cake flour and diabetics, the ADA doesn’t make a distinction between the two flours. Unlike years ago when diabetics eliminated so many foods from their diet, the ADA strives to keep diets as normal as possible.

Mary's Memo: #2149 - Feb 15th, 2010

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:39:19 -21600

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
It’s been called to my attention that sugar is missing in the recipe for Apple Fritters on the January 11th memo. Add to the list of ingredients 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Also, on the Best Recipes of 2009 memo, when to add the broccoli is missing from the Broccoli-Cheddar Soup. It’s added when the potatoes are almost tender and cooked about 5 minutes or until florets are crisp-tender.

ASH WEDNESDAY IS FEBUARY 17th
Focus this week is on meatless choices. I’ve made a concentrated effort to eat less meat generally and I don’t miss it as much as I formally did. I like the individual portions of salmon and tilapia that are available at Chief and Rays. Canned-in-water tuna is another option. Eat it in salads, casseroles, creamed and served on toast or a baked potato. Introduced to tuna chop suey at St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, IN, before I was married, I liked it well enough to serve to our family during Lent. Take any recipe for chop suey and replace the meat with tuna. That’s all there is to it.

Although I’m not a vegetarian, in an effort to cut down on meat consumption I sometimes make a meal on two or three vegetable dishes. One that comes to mind is Baked Spicy Rice, a Southern Living recipe that I discovered in the 90s.

BAKED SPICY RICE

1 cup long grain rice
2 10-ounce cans Rotel brand tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup drained pimiento stuffed olives, sliced in half
¼ cup light olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Combine all ingredients in a shallow 2-quart dish. Bake, covered, in preheated 325oF oven for about 45 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Recipe makes 6 servings.
Source: Adapted from Southern Living magazine recipe, May 1996.

MORE ON VEGETARIAN DIETS
Vegetarians have a lower mortality risk from ischemic disease as well as lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower rates of hypertension and type-2 diabetes, lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. These benefits are attributed to lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and to higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy products, fiber and phytochemicals in plant foods.` The American Dietetic Association cautions, however, that the variety of dietary practices among vegetarians requires assessment of individual diets by food and nutrition professionals to ensure dietary needs are met. In vegan diets, for example, protein needs might be higher than the USDA’s recommended dietary allowance to offset dietary deficiencies. Source: Duke Medicine HealthNews, January 2010.
Source: Duke Medicine HealthNews, January 2010.

NUTS TO YOU!
I have a copy of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life by David Grotto, RD, LDN, a Bantam Books paperback published in 2008. Almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts are among the 101 foods included and I have all of them in the refrigerator or freezer most of the time. The United States provides 88% of worldwide almonds. As for pecans, 88% of the world supply is grown in the US. Although the United States and Iran compete as the world’s largest producers of pistachios, Turkish and California pistachios are the predominant pistachios available here because of the high tariff imposed on Iranian pistachios. Finally, the main producers of walnuts are China, the US, Turkey, Romania, Iran and France with 99% of English walnuts grown in California. All are heart-healthy choices and pistachios are the highest tree nut source of lutein, known to help prevent macular degeneration. Although I bought the paperback at a Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton, I am sure it’s available from Amazon.com.

TRANS-FAT FREE
I do avoid eating foods with Trans fats and that includes biscuits made with solid vegetable shortening like Crisco. So recently when I wanted a drop biscuit to serve with stew the quickest way to find a suitable one was on the computer and up came E-Z Biscuits from allrecipes.com. made with melted butter. I also added ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese to the batter.

E-Z DROP BISCUITS

2 cups sugar unsifted, all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup milk (whatever kind you have in the refrigerator)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Stir in butter, milk and cheese just until moistened. Drop by tablespoon (I used the larger Pampered Chef scoop) onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. Check bottom of biscuit at 10 minutes. Recipe makes 1 dozen. Refrigerate leftovers.

Mary's Memo: #2148 - Feb 8th, 2010

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 11:39:19 -21600

IT'S THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
The Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day share the same date in 2010. With the exception of Japan, China and all of Southeast Asia celebrate the Chinese New Year. The date changes from year to year because it's a combination of the lunar and solar calendar and occurs on the second moon after the winter solstice. Last year the Chinese New Year fell on January 26.

Celebrations probably evolved from a desire to celebrate the end of winter and rebirth that comes with spring. Today it's about family reunions and wishing everyone good fortune in the coming year.

Japan followed the lunar calendar until the middle of the 19th century but after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, they adopted the Gregorian calendar and since that time celebrate the New Year on January 1st.

Like we do housecleaning in the spring, the Chinese do the same by getting rid of "old dirt" before their new year starts. In addition to cleaning families spend time buying gifts and cooking special foods for the celebration.

From the Campbell's Kitchen web site, Asian Tomato Beef sounded appropriate for this week's memo. I could almost taste the dish just reading the ingredients. After testing the recipes and serving it to friends, I'm suggesting a few ways to make it even better. To kick it up a notch, depending on your taste, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the sauce. The recipe called for 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder. Since 1/8 teaspoon is the same as a clove of garlic I only added 1 teaspoon. My round steak was top of the round and next time I will brown the strips before I add them to the slow cooker because browning seals in the juices. Original recipe said to cook florets 15 minutes on high. I had cut mine too small so they were overcooked instead of crisp-cooked and bright green. I also thickened the sauce with 2 tablespoons Minute Tapioca when I added the broccoli. That said here's my version:

ASIAN TOMATO BEEF

2 cans Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
1/3 cup soy sauce (can be reduced sodium kind)
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, depending on your taste
3 1/4 pounds boneless beef round steak, trimmed of fat, cut into strips and browned in small batches in a nonstick skillet sprayed with Pam
6 cups broccoli florets cut in medium size pieces
2 tablespoons Minute Tapioca
Hot cooked rice

`Stir together in a 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker the tomato soup, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Add browned meat strips and stir again. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until meat is fork tender. Increase the heat to high and add broccoli. Cover and cook until vegetable is crisp tender, about l0 minutes. Serve over rice. Recipe makes 8 servings.
Source: Adapted from www.campbellskitchen.com recipe.

A BE MY VALENTINE RECIPE
Relatives and friends know that I am always looking for new recipes to try and Jill Thurmond (mother of Gabriel, Noah and Hannah Thaman) from Bradenton, FL, called with a recipe for Cocoa Toffee Cookies just before Christmas. The list of ingredients includes 1 cup of cocoa so the cookies have a rich chocolate taste .... perfect to make for the Valentine in your life. Not only is chocolate a favorite flavor in America but for centuries it's been embraced by many cultures for legendary benefits such as strength, health and passion. The Nielson Company predicts that this week 58 billion pounds of chocolate will be sold with the most purchases made on the February 13th. Count on Chief and Rays for all your chocolate candy and the ingredients for this week's recipe.

COCOA TOFFEE COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 8-ounce packages Heath English Toffee Bits

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and blend thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together. Combine with creamed mixture. Fold in Heath Toffee Bits. Drop by teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 12 to 15 minutes (check at minimum time). Do not over-bake. Cool on rack. Recipe makes about 4 dozen. Source: Jill Thurmond, Bradenton FL. PS Chocolate, especially the dark variety, is good for humans but not our pets. It contains a stimulant called theobromine which pets can't digest. If a pet becomes ill after eating chocolate take it to a veterinarian immediately.

News: Chief and Rays Give Over $20,000 in Groceries

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:39:19 -18000

Defiance, OH -- Over $20,000 worth of groceries was grabbed during the 36 shopping sprees held at Chief and Rays this summer. Local residents had a chance to win one of three 90 second shopping sprees held this summer at Chief and Rays Supermarkets. Customers who spent $50 in one transaction received an entry form to enter the shopping spree contest. Each store had three winners. While customers and store associates cheered them on, the winners had fun filling up their carts. One customer stated, "I know it was luck that my name was drawn - but I had a blast grabbing groceries." Another winner said, "My family and I have a stockpile of food!" Annette Hoeffel, Director of Marketing, stated "The economy right now is especially difficult in Northwest Ohio where unemployment rates are above the state average. We wanted to find a new way to help our customers fill their pantries and freezers. This is a prize that our customers truly need and can appreciate. It literally puts food on their table."

News: Ohio First Lady, Frances Strickland, To Visit Rays Market

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:39:19 -18000

Lima, OH. Family Meal Night - a Day to Eat Dinner as a Family is Monday, September 28th. This day is committed to encouraging families to sit down and eat dinner together as a simple, yet effective means of maintaining the bond between parent and child. Research by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University also has shown that the more a child eats dinner with his or her family, the less likely that child is to smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. First Lady of Ohio, Frances Strickland, will present the Family Meal Night message to 6th grade students from Shawnee Middle School at Rays Market on South Cable Road on Monday, September 28th at 11:30 a.m. Mrs. Strickland will also speak about National Preparedness Month which is September. The First Lady will then "shop" with the students at Rays to find items to make a preparedness kit. The students will be given information on how to make a family emergency plan and encouraged to sit down at dinner with their families and develop their emergency plan. In honor of the visit from the First Lady of Ohio, samples will be given throughout the store from Ohio Proud vendors 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. including Ballreich's Potato Chips, Velvet Ice Cream, Mission Kitchen BBQ Sauce, and meats from John Morrell. Ohio Proud will also be handing out giveaways during the event. Ohio Proud identifies and promotes food and agricultural products that are made in Ohio and grown in Ohio. Rays understands the importance of shopping local and is proud to feature many products made or grown in Ohio.